Espirito Santo: mountains and beaches

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The state of Espirito Santo is a small state located along the southeastern Atlantic coast of Brazil, between the states of Rio de Janeiro, Bahia and Minas Gerais. The state capital is Vitória, but the largest city is Vila Velha. The islands of Trindade (Ilha da Trindade, 9.2 km²) and Martim Vaz (Ilha de Martim Vaz, 0.3 km²) are also part of the state of Espirito Santo. These islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean over 1,200 km east of the state coast.

A STATE WITH A STRONG ITALIAN IMMIGRATION

Colonized by the Portuguese starting from 1535. Due to the aggressive reaction of the natives, the colonization of Espirito Santo developed very slowly. For the first three centuries the main product of the region was sugar cane, but starting in the mid-nineteenth century, coffee took over. In this century there was a massive immigration of Italians, whose descendants today represent the majority of the population of the state.

The territory of Espirito Santo has, along the low and sandy coast, a flat region (Baixada Espíritossantense), and an internal region of highlands and mountains. The highlands have average heights around 650 meters. Finally, along the border with Minas Gerais are the mountains that form part of the Serra do Caparaó. Here is the Pico da Bandeira (2,892 meters) the highest point in the state.

The state has some of the most important ports in Brazil, it is in fact the natural outlet for Minas Gerais products. The economy is also based on breeding and agriculture. Sugar cane, coffee, oranges and coconut palms are grown there. The territory of Espírito Santo is rich in minerals, natural gas and oil.

Espirito Santo is famous for its beaches, which are very popular with the inhabitants of Minas Gerais. Furthermore, there are also interesting excursion possibilities in the natural parks of the region.

The climate of Espirito Santo.

• Area: 46,077 km²
• Population: 3,512,672 (2010) (mulattoes 40%, whites 50,4%, blacks 9%, Asians or indigenous 0.5%)
• Capital: Vitória
• Time zone: UTC-3 (Summer UTC -2)

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