b) Provincial colonies, i.e., founded by a particular state or former province.
c) State colonies, i.e., founded by the central government, whether during the time of the Empire[6] or since the formation of the Republic.
The word German as applied to colonists refers only to natives of Germany who became naturalized citizens of Brazil and to Brazilians of German extraction.
Colonies located within the confines of other German colonies (e.g., Hansa, São Bento etc.) are not listed.
Direct immigration signifies immigration from Europe.
Indirect immigration signifies immigration from a South American country bordering on Brazil; immigration from another Brazilian state; or from another colony within the same state.
Numerical statistics concerning individual colonies have been avoided except in a few cases where they are of sufficient comparative importance to be noted in a work of this scope.
All the colonies coming in consideration (excepting some of those founded since 1890) have been "emancipated," i.e., they no longer receive special aid from, the government and their special colonial directorates have been abolished.
The states of Brazil which are important so far as German colonization is concerned are Bahia, Minas Geraes, Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro (Federal District), São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catharina and Rio Grande do Sul.[7] This is the geographical order from north to south and the one according to which they will be taken up.