ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS AND POTENTIALITIES OF JUAZEIRO DO NORTE: A STRATEGIC HUB FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This article presents a detailed analysis of the economic and social characteristics of the municipality of Juazeiro do Norte, located in the Cariri Metropolitan Region, in the south of the State of Ceará. Based on data extracted from the Socioeconomic Panorama of the Planning Regions of Ceará, prepared by the Institute of Research and Economic Strategy of Ceará (IPECE, 2024), the study seeks to understand the territorial structure, economic performance, educational conditions, levels of formal employment, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and the progress of the local Human Development Index (HDI). The study shows that Juazeiro do Norte constitutes the main economic hub of the interior of Ceará, with a strong vocation for commerce, services, and religious tourism, but faces structural challenges regarding productive diversification and the qualification of its workforce.