Bahia: beaches, natural beauty and traditions

The state of Bahia is a state in northeastern Brazil, which has the historic city of Salvador as its capital. This state is the fifth largest state in Brazil. The population is made up of a majority of mulattos, with substantial black and white minorities (mulattos 63.4%, whites 20.3% blacks 15.7%, Asians and indigenous people 0.6%). The state of Bahia has more than 1,100 km of coasts bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east. While to the south it borders on the Brazilian states of Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo, to the west it borders on the states of Goiás and Tocantins. And finally to the north it borders the states of Sergipe, Alagoas, Pernambuco and Piaui.

A COAST WITH RICH VEGETATION AND AN ARID INTERIOR

From a geographical point of view, the state of Bahia is flat along the coast, while the interior is mountainous. In the interior there are some plateaus called chapadas: Chapada Diamantina, Chapada das Mangabeiras, Serra do Ramalho, Serra do Boqueirão, Serra Tabatinga. While at the western end, along the border with the Goiás there is the set of plateaus of the Espigão Mestre.

The highest mountains are the Pico do Barbado (2,033 meters), the highest mountain in the entire Brazilian Northeast, and the Pico das Almas (1,958 meters) which are located in the Chapada Diamantina.

The coastal plain is characterized by luxuriant vegetation, while in the interior the vegetation is typical of caatinga (thorny bush) and sertão (desert). The most important river is the São Francisco river, which crosses the interior of the state from south to north, and is widely exploited in terms of hydroelectricity, thanks to the Paulo Afonso dam.

The state of Bahia is the sixth richest state in Brazil, it has an important industrial and agricultural economy. As for agriculture, Bahia is the main Brazilian producer of cassava, cocoa, sisal, castor, coconut and beans. Other important crops are those of cotton, sugar cane, coffee and bananas. The breeding of cattle and goats is also important. Rich are the resources of minerals, oil and natural gas.

Thanks to the artistic beauty of its colonial cities and beautiful landscapes, the state of Bahia has an important influx of tourists. The state is in fact the second tourist destination in Brazil after Rio de Janeiro.

Tourist Attractions: what to visit in the state of Bahia.

Climate of the state of Bahia.

• Area: 567,692 km²
• Population: 14,016,906 (2010) (mulattos 63.4%, whites 20.3% blacks 15.7%, Asians and indigenous people 0.6%)
• Capital: Salvador
• Time zone: UTC-3 (Summer UTC -2)