[2] Total area of 1.847,5 km2 and is located in the state mesoregion of Sertão, at 622 meters above the sea level and 683 km West from the state capital, Recife.

The exploration of gypsum (95% of the Brazilian reserves) and calcarium is the base of the local economy and at the homonymous microregion.

The main economic activities in Araripina are based in extraction of gypsum and no metallic minerals; and primary sector especially creation of goats, donkeys, pigs and farms with beans, manioc and corn.

Araripina is located in the microregion with its name, which contains 95% of the Brazilian reserves of Gypsum.

Economy by Sector 2006 [4] The main sports in Araripina is football which is represented by Araripina Futebol Clube, currently playing the Campeonato Pernambucano.