| Native name: Ilha do Bananal | |
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 Landsat image of the northern end of Rio das Mortes-Cristalino peninsula adjoint southwest to Bananal Island by Araguaia river |
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| Geography | |
  Bananal Island (Brazil)
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| Location | Brazil |
| Coordinates | 11°20′S 50°25′W / 11.333°S 50.417°W |
| Area | 19,162.25 km2 (7,398.59 sq mi) (49th) |
| Country | |
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Brazil
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| State | Tocantins |
Bananal Island (Portuguese: Ilha do Bananal) is a large island formed from the bisection of the Araguaia River, in Tocantins, Brazil. The island is formed by a fork in a very flat section of the Araguaia River. Bananal Island is the largest fluvial island in the world, at 350 km long and 55 km wide.[1] Its total area is 19,162.25 km², twice the size of Lebanon or Jamaica.
In accordance with Article 28 of the Statute of Indian Law (Artigo 28 do Estatuto do Indío-lei) No. 6001 laid out in 19/12/1973, Bananal Island is preserved as a national park and indigenous preservation. The northern third of the island is a national park which is a very popular destination for ecotourism. The southern two thirds are reserved as terra indígena for the native tribes of the region. Although Brazilians of non-native descent lived on the island in the past, today only natives populate the island.
At least four tribes live on Bananal Island: the Javaés, Karajá, Ava-Canoeiro, and Tuxá. There are sixteen aldeias or villages on the island:
Barra do Rio, Barreira Branca, Boa Esperança, Boto Velho, Cachoeirinha, Fontoura, JK, Kanoanã, Kaxiwe, Macaúba, Santa Isabel, São João, Txoude, Txuiri, Wari-Wari, Watau.
There are no bridges to the island from the states of Tocantins to the east nor from Mato Grosso to the west. For the greater majority of the year, the only transport to the island is by boat. However, for a few weeks during the dry season (Jun-Aug) the river is low enough that the island can be reached by car. The villages have roads wide enough for cars and tractors even though the main forms of transport are by horse, bicycle, and foot.
Statistics
- Area of the Bananal island: 19,162.25 km²
- Area of Parque Nacional do Araguaia: 5,577.26 km²
- Terra Indígena Parque do Araguaia: 13,584.99 km²
References
Coordinates: 11°20′S 50°25′W / 11.333°S 50.417°W
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