Caicó, also known as the City of Prince, is the seventh largest city in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte. The climate is hot and dry, but it rains between January and June. The population is 66,246 (2013 est). The city has a total area of 1229 km². Located between the Seridó and Barra Nova rivers, in the eastern portion of Western Seridó, the city has the highest human development index of the Semi-arid Northeast Brazil. Founded in 1735 as Vila Nova do Príncipe, The city has evolved into a political and cultural centre of Rio Grande do Norte.