Mossoró (Portuguese pronunciation: [mosoˈɾɔ]) is the second most populous city in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, and also the largest municipality of that state. It is equidistant (four hours' drive) from Natal (approximately 277 km or 172 miles), the state capital of Rio Grande do Norte, and from Fortaleza (approximately 260 km or 161.5 miles), the capital of the state of Ceará. It is located nearly in the center of the Nordeste region, which has about 53.6 million people (28% of Brazil's population). It is also in the heart of Brazil's salt production area. Situated in the Agreste-Potiguar mesoregion, Mossoró is the country's largest land-based petroleum producer.