Bananal Island is a large island

Island

An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...

 formed from the bisection of the Araguaia River

Araguaia River

The Araguaia River or, in Portuguese, Rio Araguaia is one of the major rivers of Brazil, and the principal tributary of the Tocantins. It has a total length of approximately 2,627 km. Araguaia means "river of macaws" in the Tupi language....

, in southwestern Tocantins

Tocantins (state)

Tocantins is one of the states of Brazil. . The state was formed in 1988 out of the northern part of Goiás, and construction began on the capital, Palmas, in 1989, in contrast to most of the other cities in the state which date back to the Portuguese colonial period...

, Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

. The island is formed by a fork in a very flat section of the Araguaia River. Bananal Island is the largest fluvial

Fluvial

Fluvial is used in geography and Earth science to refer to the processes associated with rivers and streams and the deposits and landforms created by them...

 island in the world, at 350 km (217 mi) long and 55 km (34 mi) wide. Its total area is 19,162.25 km² (7,400 mi²), twice the size of Lebanon

Lebanon

Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

 or Jamaica

Jamaica

Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...

.

Environmental and cultural protection

Bananal Island is a nature and culture preserve. In accordance with Article 28 of the Statute of Indian Law (Artigo 28 do Estatuto do Indío-lei) No. 6001 laid out in 19 December 1973, an area of 5,577.26 km² is preserved as Araguaia National Park

Araguaia National Park

The Araguaia National Park is located in Tocantins state in the north of Brazil, between 09º51’—11º11’S and 49º57’—50º27’W.-External links:*...

 and further 13,584.99 km² as cultural preserve for indigenous peoples

Indigenous peoples

Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....

. The northern third of the island, which is designated as a national park, is a popular destination for ecotourism

Ecotourism

Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...

. The southern two thirds are Indigenous Territories

Indigenous Territory

In Brazil, Indigenous Territories or Indigenous Lands are areas inhabited and exclusively possessed by indigenous people. The Brazilian Constitution recognises the inalienable right of indigenous peoples to lands they "traditionally occupy"Further defined as those lands "on which they live on a...

.

Inhabitants

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

Boa Esperança

-In Brazil:* Boa Esperança, a municipality northeastern of Pará state.* Boa Esperança, a town southwest of Pará state.* Boa Esperança, a municipality in Espírito Santo state.* Boa Esperança, a municipality in Minas Gerais state....

, Boto Velho, Cachoeirinha

Cachoeirinha, Tocantins

Cachoeirinha is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Tocantins. Its population was 2,368 and its area is 352 km². Graham Nesbitt lived here at one point....

, Fontoura

Fontoura

Fontoura is a parish in the municipality of Valença, Portugal, with 9.13 km² and 737 inhabitants . Density: 80.7 inhabitants / km².Patron: St. MichaelPopulation: 735 inhabitants and 668 voters at 31-12-2003...

, JK

JK

-Entertainment:* Juuni Kokki, a series of light novels on which the animated television series The Twelve Kingdoms was based* JK Wedding Entrance Dance, a popular July 2009 viral video emulated in an October 2009 episode of The Office-Events:...

, Kanoanã, Kaxiwe, Macaúba, Santa Isabel

Santa Isabel

Santa Isabel is the Spanish and Portuguese name of one of two Roman Catholic saints, Saint Isabel of France and Saint Isabel of Aragon. Various places have been named for either of such persons. These include: Argentina:...

, São João

São João

São João is Portuguese for "Saint John", and may refer to many saints that have used that name, but also the Apostle John of the New Testament specifically, in addition to:-Architecture:*Forte de 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

Mato Grosso

Mato Grosso is one of the states of Brazil, the third largest in area, located in the western part of the country.Neighboring states are Rondônia, Amazonas, Pará, Tocantins, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul. It also borders Bolivia to the southwest...

 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 (June - August) 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.

Municipalities

From north to south, the island forms the western portions of the municipalities of Pium

Pium

Pium is a town and municipality in the state of Tocantins in the Northern region of Brazil.-References:...

, Lagoa da Confusão

Lagoa da Confusão

Lagoa da Confusão is the westernmost city in the state of Tocantins....

, and Formoso do Araguaia

Formoso do Araguaia

Formoso do Araguaia is a town and municipality in the state of Tocantins in the Northern region of Brazil.-References:...

, in southwestern Tocantins.