anh ão ▁B aba çu ▁for ests , ▁a ▁de grad ed ▁tropical ▁mo ist ▁forest ▁e cor eg ion ▁domin ated ▁by ▁the ▁B aba çu ▁pal m . ▁Much ▁of ▁the ▁forest ▁has ▁been ▁cleared ▁for ▁cattle ▁gra zing ▁and ▁agricult ure , ▁and ▁the ▁B aba çu ▁pal m ▁produces ▁ed ible ▁oil ▁which ▁is ▁extracted ▁commer cially . ▁ ▁The ▁southern ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁belong ▁to ▁the ▁lower ▁terra ces ▁of ▁the ▁great ▁Brazil ian ▁High lands , ▁occupied ▁by ▁the ▁C err ado ▁sav ann as . ▁Several ▁plate au ▁esc arp ments , ▁including ▁the ▁Chap ada ▁das ▁Mang abe iras , ▁Ser ra ▁do ▁Ti rac amb u , ▁and ▁Ser ra ▁das ▁Al per cat as , ▁mark ▁the ▁state ' s ▁northern ▁margin ▁and ▁the ▁out lines ▁of ▁river ▁valle ys . ▁ ▁The ▁climate ▁is ▁hot , ▁and ▁the ▁year ▁is ▁divided ▁into ▁a ▁wet ▁and ▁dry ▁season , ▁extreme ▁hum id ity ▁being ▁characteristic ▁of ▁the ▁former . ▁The ▁heat , ▁however , ▁is ▁greatly ▁modified ▁on ▁the ▁coast ▁by ▁the ▁south - east ▁trade ▁wind s . ▁ ▁The ▁rivers ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁all ▁flow ▁north ward ▁to ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁and ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁them ▁have ▁navig able ▁channels . ▁The ▁G ur up i ▁River ▁forms ▁the ▁north western ▁boundary ▁of ▁the ▁state , ▁separ ating ▁Mar anh ão ▁from ▁neighbor ing ▁Par á , ▁and ▁the ▁T oc ant ins ▁River ▁forms ▁part ▁the ▁state ' s ▁south