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How much richer is Brasília than the rest of Brazil?

Per capita income in the Brazilian capital is 260 percent higher than in Maranhão, the country’s poorest state

Brasília. Photo: Eric Valenne Geostory/Shutterstock

Apr 23, 2022 12:22 2 min read (Updated: Apr 23, 2022 12:23)

Brasília celebrated its 62nd anniversary on Thursday. Though it is neither an industrial nor a technological hub, the Brazilian capital is by far the richest federal unit in the country, according to per capita income data.

The latest numbers released by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) show that the Federal District has an average per capita income of BRL 2,384 (USD 515) per month. That is 260 percent higher than in the state of Maranhão, the poorest in Brazil.

This makes Brasília’s average per capita...