Identity crisis

Twelve municipalities located on the border between the states of Ceará and Pernambuco are facing an identity crisis. The reason is the census updates carried out by the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) from 2000 to 2007, which redefined the territorial boundaries of these cities, expanding or reducing their areas and directly impacting the lives of the population and the allocation of public resources. This is the case of Moreilândia, in the Pernambuco backlands, 590 kilometers from Recife. According to the IBGE's official count, it has approximately 10,500 inhabitants. However, the city government claims to serve 15,000 individuals with public policies in the areas of health, education, social programs, and water supply. The difference of almost 5,000 residents is believed to be due to citizens whose addresses, after the territorial update, were transferred to the Ceará municipalities of Crato, Barbalha, and Jardim.

"They started by taking a small piece of the mountain range, in Chapada do Araripe, then another part, and last time, they took a large area. Even after Ceará took part of our territory, we continue to bear all the expenses, because people want to stay in Pernambuco," explains Vicente Sampaio Neto, mayor of Moreilândia. A similar situation occurs in Salitre, in the Araripe region of Ceará, 535 kilometers from Fortaleza, which lost more than 1,500 inhabitants to Ipubi, on the Pernambuco side. Even so, the Salitre city government continues to provide services to this population.

"Within the area we lost, we have two schools, a daycare center, a gymnasium, and health clinics, with municipally funded staff. In addition to the land ownership, which is still listed as Ceará territory, there's a sense of belonging among the people, who identify as Salitre citizens," says Rondilson Alencar, mayor of Salitre. According to Alencar, his city lost more than 3 square kilometers of land, resulting in a significant reduction in funding from the Municipal Participation Fund (FPM) and specific funds for health and education. In Moreilândia, the monthly loss exceeds R$200,000, according to Mayor Sampaio Neto.

In addition to Salitre, Barbalha, Crato, and Jardim, the municipalities of Araripe and Santana do Cariri in Ceará were also affected. On the Pernambuco side, Araripina, Bodocó, Exu, Serrita, Moreilândia, and Ipubi are also on the list. In total, 773 square kilometers are under dispute: 429 on the Pernambuco side and 344 on the Ceará side. In a statement, the Ceará Institute for Economic Research and Strategy (IPECE) reported that the impasse persists due to legal uncertainty in regulating the territorial division between the municipalities.

"The lack of federal legislation clearly regulating state boundaries has created challenges in several regions of Brazil, raising doubts about territorial delimitation. This compromises planning, public management, and the guarantee of public rights," states Ipece.

In partnership with the Pernambuco State Planning and Research Agency (Condepe-Fidem), the agency is developing a technical study aimed at ensuring a precise cartographic definition of the borders, strengthening public planning, territorial management, and protecting the rights of the population of the 12 affected municipalities. "The objective is to promote the technical updating of the cartographic representation of the border, ensuring that the areas historically administered by both states remain under their jurisdictions. This process respects both established administrative practices and the sense of belonging of the local populations," adds Ipece.

The impasse generates serious distortions in the transfer of federal funds to city halls

In addition to the ongoing study by the planning agencies of the Ceará and Pernambuco governments, a task force was created with the participation of parliamentarians from both states and representatives of the affected municipalities. The goal is to monitor the case and seek an administrative solution, avoiding the impasse from having to be resolved judicially.

In a statement, the Ceará State Legislative Assembly stated that the study will provide technical support for the territorial delimitation of municipalities, contributing to “good federative coexistence and the planning of public policies to benefit the populations of both states.”

The state legislatures and municipalities involved will be responsible for verifying the consolidated administrative situation, mapping existing public facilities, and engaging with the population about their sense of belonging. The technical study will consider documentary and cartographic analyses, including a review of the IBGE Demographic Censuses of 2000, 2010, and 2022. The survey also aims to build a georeferenced database, gathering information on localities, districts, households, public facilities, agricultural establishments, infrastructure, conservation units, and traditional territories.

As a result of the study, a draft law containing a georeferenced descriptive memorial and a detailed map of the border between Pernambuco and Ceará will be prepared and submitted to the Legislative Assemblies of both states. After approval in the state legislatures, the bill will need to be passed by the National Congress, since changes to the boundaries between states require federal legislation. Only then can the official demarcation markers be implemented. When contacted by the press, the IBGE said it would not comment on the matter. •

Published in issue no. 1376 of CartaCapital , on August 27, 2025.

This text appears in the print edition of CartaCapital under the title 'Identity Crisis'