National growth and regional (under)development in Brazil: The case of Pará in the Brazilian Amazon

Legal Amazon has one of the richest concentrations of natural resources in Brazil. It is composed of nine Brazilian states, among which Pará stands out both for its considerable territorial dimension and undisputed economic potential. Its potential has boosted the country’s growth through the implementation of national programs of sectoral interest, given that the main sectors explored in the state of Pará have always been and continue to be the mining and water sectors, which are structurally interconnected. The objective of this chapter is to explore the positive synergies that the implementation of these programs have brought to national growth, as well as to understand how the characteristics of investors, the purpose of investments, and the way in which they are carried out have led to significant negative trade-offs for regional and local development. © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.