SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS OF TOCANTINS STATE, BRAZIL, A PERIPHERAL REGION OF AMAZON

Abstract

This study primary aimed to analyze the socioeconomic development indicators in Tocantins State, a peripheral region of Amazon, related to the first decade of this century. The used data are from Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística-IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), Tocantins State, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Data are related to birth rate, gross death rate, infant death rate, Human Development Index (HDI), literacy rate, fertility rate, per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Results suggest that the Tocantins State occupies the median position in socioeconomic development in the Brazilian North region, having shown progress in some indicators, but still has a long way for reaching satisfactory standard of economic development