Santa Catarina (,
Saint Catherine) is a
state in southern
Brazil. According to the Index of Economic Well-Being calculated between 2002 and 2008, Santa Catarina was the Brazilian state that revealed the highest economic well-being in relation to the others. Its capital is
Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the
Santa Catarina Island while
Joinville is Santa Catarina's largest city. Neighbouring states are
Rio Grande do Sul to the south and
Paraná to the north. It is bounded on the east by the
Atlantic Ocean, and to the west it borders the province of
Misiones,
Argentina.