PONTA GROSSA

town, east-central Paran estado ("state"), southeastern Brazil. Ponta Grossa is located on a plateau at an elevation of 2,930 feet (893 m). It serves as a commercial centre, exporting mat (tea), timber, tobacco, rice, bananas, and xarque (jerked beef) through the Atlantic ports of Antonina (100 miles east) and Paranagu, and as a distribution centre for the interior of the state. It is also a rail and road centre for pig raising and lumbering activities. The town's industries include meat-packing; lard, coffee, and mat processing; and sawmilling and woodworking. Ponta Grossa is the site of the State University of Ponta Grossa (1970) and of a government agricultural experimental station. Pop. (1991 prelim.) 219,648.