Brazil: State of Maranhão

Maranhão is a state in northeast Brazil and is characterized by the dense Amazonian forests in its northern areas and long stretches of barren beaches along the Parnaíba River and coastline. It is bordered by Piauí, Tocantins and Pará as well as the Atlantic Ocean. The extensive beaches and sand dunes are protected, due to their ecological importance and contribution. This makes them particularly beautiful to see, as human interference is minimal. The capital city of this state is São Luís, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historical value.

view of the historic center, that was made a
UNESCO World Heritage Site, of the city of
São Luís of Maranhão in Brazil.

Interestingly, Maranhão was not part of the independence that Brazil declared in 1822. It only became part of the Empire of Brazil in 1823, when Admiral Lord Thomas Cochrane drove the Portuguese out of the area in an effort to liberate Maranhão.

The northwest part of this state is densely forested with many rivers winding their way through the rich foliage. The northern part of Piauí boasts the Maranhão's Babaçu, which produces the Babaçu's palm, valuable for its edible oil. However, much of this land has been destroyed due to farming and grazing for cattle. The southern part of the state, on the other hand, is situated within the Brazilian Highlands. The wet and dry seasons are both very hot, with

Male dancer during Bumba Meu Boi celebration
every solstice of June in center historic city
of São Luís do Maranhao

extremely high levels of humidity characterizing the wet season. The western shoreline, which has many indentations, is littered with towering mangroves. The eastern shoreline has rolling sand dunes and dune fields, which create impressive vistas and awe-inspiring backdrops for photographs.

Maranhão is home to approximately 6.5 million people, with over two-thirds of the population living in urban areas. It remains one of the poorest Brazilian states.

Credit: Brazil.org

The people of Maranhão have a distinctive accent inside the common Northeastern Brazilian dialect. Maranhão is described in books such as The Land of the Palm Trees by Gonçalves Dias and Casa de Pensão by Aluísio Azevedo.

What to do and see in Maranhão (4 top places):

1) Explore its Capital: São Luís: It has the largest architectural group of Portuguese tiles in Latin America.

2) Visit: Alcântara: It is a historic city. The launching pad for rockets is located in this municipality.

Photo by defesaaereanaval

3) Visit: Barreirinhas: It is the portal city of Lençois Maranhenses. It has a large river called Preguiça that is one of the city's attractions. It has several bars, restaurants and hotels of great qualities that receive thousands of tourists that come to know the Lençóis.

Lencóis Maranhenses

Rio Preguiça

4) Visit: Carolina: Has, as attractions, the waterfalls and the National Park of Chapada das Mesas. It is in the region of Maranhão' waters. The main tourist waterfalls are Pedra Caída and Itapecuruzinho. The city has also historic importance because its streets are all paved with soapstone, also having a set of colonial houses.