TERESINA

city, capital of Piau estado (state), northeastern Brazil. The city lies along the Parnaba River (there bridged to Timon in Maranho state), 220 miles (354 km) upstream from the Atlantic port of Parnaba. Founded in 1852 as the new capital of Piau, it was originally named Therezina after the Brazilian empress Teresa Cristina. Since then, it has become the chief commercial centre of the middle Parnaba River valley and has textile plants, sugar refineries, distilleries, soap factories, and sawmills. The city exports cattle, hides, goat skins, carnauba wax, babassu palm oil, feijo (beans), rice, cotton, and cassava. To alleviate the area's annual six-month drought, the Brazilian government has dug wells and built dams to trap water during the rainy months to keep the waterways flowing during arid times. A highway and a railroad lead to So Lus, 200 miles (320 km) northwest. Shallow-draft riverboats navigate northward to Parnaba, and the city has a commercial airport. Pop. (1980 prelim.) 339,264.