est ▁economy ▁in ▁the ▁N ortheast ▁region ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 7 th - larg est ▁in ▁Brazil . ▁ ▁Mar anh ão ▁exports : ▁al umin ium ▁ 5 0 %, ▁iron ▁ 2 3 . 7 %, ▁so y bean ▁ 1 3 . 1 % ▁( 2 0 0 2 ). ▁Share ▁of ▁the ▁Brazil ian ▁economy : ▁ 0 . 9 % ▁( 2 0 0 4 ). ▁ ▁Mar anh ão ▁is ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁land ▁of ▁the ▁pal m ▁trees , ▁as ▁the ▁various ▁species ▁of ▁this ▁tree ▁provide ▁its ▁major ▁source ▁of ▁income . ▁The ▁most ▁important ▁of ▁them , ▁from ▁an ▁economic ▁point ▁of ▁view , ▁is ▁the ▁b ab ass u . ▁Ag rib us iness , ▁the ▁al umin ium ▁and ▁al um ina ▁transformation ▁indust ries , ▁the ▁pul p ▁industry , ▁natural ▁gas ▁production , ▁and ▁the ▁food ▁and ▁tim ber ▁indust ries ▁complement ▁the ▁state ▁economy . ▁ ▁The ▁Mar anh ão ▁agricult ural ▁sector ▁stands ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁rice ▁( fif th - larg est ▁rice ▁production ▁in ▁the ▁country , ▁and ▁highest ▁in ▁the ▁N ortheast ), ▁c ass ava ▁( second - larg est ▁plant ed ▁area ▁in ▁the ▁N ortheast ), ▁so y bean , ▁cot ton ▁( in ▁both ▁cases ▁second - larg est ▁producer ▁in ▁the ▁N ortheast ), ▁sugar c ane , ▁corn ▁and ▁eu cal y pt us . ▁Agricult ure ▁benefits ▁from ▁the ▁infrastr ucture ▁of ▁rail ro