city, capital of Piauí estado (state), northeastern Brazil. The city lies along the Parnaíba River (there bridged to Timon in Maranhão state), 220 miles (354 km) upstream from the Atlantic port of Parnaíba. Founded in 1852 as the new capital of Piauí, it was originally named Therezina for the Brazilian empress Teresa Cristina. Since then, it has become the chief commercial centre of the middle Parnaíba River valley and has textile plants, sugar refineries, distilleries, soap factories, and sawmills. Teresina exports cattle, hides, goat skins, carnauba wax, babassu palm oil, feijão (beans), rice, cotton, and cassava (manioc). The city boasts a sizable football (soccer) stadium.

To alleviate the area's annual six-month drought, the Brazilian government has dug wells and built dams to trap water during the rainy months to keep the waterways flowing during arid times. A highway and a railroad lead to São Luís, 200 miles (320 km) northwest. Shallow-draft riverboats can navigate northward to Parnaíba, and the city has a commercial airport Pop. (2005 est.) 747,000.