Brazil Tourism

The coastline of Maranhão, the second longest in Brazil covers over 600 kilometers, where The Maranhão Dunes Nation Park (Parque Nacional dos Lençois do Maranhão) and many other points of interest are to be found. São Luis, the reggae capital of Brazil, became Unesco Heritage of Mankind in 1997, with its colonial buildings in Portuguese tiles of various colors. The Brazilian Aerospace Base is situated in the town of Alcântara, which has become Brazilian National Heritage, and was considered to be the most appropriate place for rocket launching, due to its proximity to the Equator.

History
The Captaincy (territory) of Maranhão was fought over by the Dutch, Portuguese and French, and a settlement known as Equinoctial France was founded by Ravardière and Mazily in 1612, with headquarters in São Luis, named in honor of Louis XIII. In 1615, the Portuguese reclaimed possession of the area, only to lose it again to the Dutch in 1641. Three years later, the Portuguese used the state as a base to spread northwards.

In 1775, the Marquis of Pombal founds the Grão-Pará and Maranhão General Trading Company, and Maranhão prospers due to the cotton exports to Britain at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. In the 1960s and 70s, Maranhão receives investments and tax incentives, which boost its economy, particularly in the agriculture and cattle farming segment. Recently, the discovery of the mineral province of Carajás and construction of the Port of Itaqui, gave the state a new social and economic dimension.

Places to Visit in Brazil

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