Parma, a S. E. province of Brazil, bounded N. by Matto Grosso and Sao Paulo, E. by the Atlantic and Santa Oatharina, S. by the latter province and that of Sao Pedro or Rio Grande do Sul, and W. by Paraguay and Mat-to Grosso; area, 72,000 sq. m.; pop. in 1871, 90,000. The coasts are generally low, the country rising inward more or less abruptly to the plateau. The surface in the latter region, which forms part of the Brazilian highland, is generally undulating; but there are no elevated summits. The principal rivers are the Pa-ranapanema in the north, the Uruguay along the southern boundary, and the Parana in the west; the interior is drained by the Tibagy, an affluent of the Paranapanema, and the Iva-hy and Iguazu, tributaries of the Parana. All these rivers are navigable by canoes. Little is known of the geology of Parana. Coal is supposed to exist on the coast; mercury has been found near Paranagua, and gold and diamonds on the banks of the Tibagy, with emeralds, topazes, amethysts, turquoises, and rubies. The climate is mild and equable.

There are extensive forests yielding valuable timber and cabinet wood, and many trees and plants furnish useful drugs and dyes. (See Brazil.) Mate" or Paraguay tea thrives here, and is largely consumed; coffee, the sugar cane, and tobacco yield good crops, the tobacco having been pronounced at least equal to that of Havana. Vanilla grows spontaneously, and the Chinese tea plant thrives well, but the natives are ignorant of the preparation of tea. Cotton gives two fine crops a year. The expenditure for public instruction in 1873 was $37,810; there were 121 primary schools (35 for females), 5 private night schools, and 8 grammar schools (one for females); and the total number of scholars was 3,268, of whom 892 were females. The capital is Curitiba; chief port, Paranagua.