Nearby Pauini

Pauini is a municipality spread out across 4.3 million hectares, (10.6 million acres) the size of Switzerland, or Denmark, with a total population of approximately 20,000. It is one of the poorest municipalities in Brazil, ranking 5,491 out of 5,570 in the Human Development Index.

Over 50% of the adult population is illiterate, life expectancy is 61.2 years, and school attendance is 54%, one of the main reasons being that schools have very little infrastructure and very little to offer their students. GDP is around $13M USD and average per capita income is below $60/month. There are six indigenous tribes in the municipality, including the Banava, Paumari, Apirina, Yamamadi, Kanamai and Zuruaha.

Pauini was settled around the same time that the Brazil Nut plantation began, but once the operation was shut down, ex-employees moved to the city and its population jumped from 600 people to 1,500 within a couple of years. The activity in the forests dwindled, but the city continued to grow. Today, Pauini has a population of around 15,000 people within the city limits.

As it was decades ago, Pauini today, is still only reachable by boat or Cessna (small plane). It is a city dependent on its rivers and many of its inhabitants crave economic opportunities. We forecast over 1,000 direct jobs being created over the next five years for the people of Pauini alone, generating income that should more than double the GDP of the municipality.

Currently, less than 1,500 hectares of the city’s 4.3M hectares is productive, with 14% of GDP provided by cattle, and less than 10% in industry. The vast majority of income for most residents comes from municipal service work.