Bahia

Lore & Background

In 1549, Portugal established Salvador on a hill facing the Bay of All Saints. The captaincy was the first to fail, with its lands reverting to the Portuguese crown in 1549. During the union of Portugal and Spain, the Dutch West India companies attempted to conquer Bahia but were unsuccessful. The state contains historic towns such as Cachoeira from the sugar era.

Reader's Guide

Bahia's significance lies in its historical role as the first capital of Portuguese America and a key hub of the Atlantic slave trade and sugar economy. Its politics have been closely intertwined with national politics, producing figures such as Ruy Barbosa and Antônio Carlos Magalhães, whose influence shaped state politics for decades. The state's geography includes the Bay of All Saints, the largest bay on the Brazilian coast, and the São Francisco River, vital for irrigation and hydroelectric power. Bahia's climate is tropical, with 68% of its territory in the semi-arid zone. Today, it is a predominantly working-class industrial and agricultural state, home to 7% of Brazil's population and producing 4.2% of its GDP.

Did You Know?

• Bahia's capital Salvador was originally named 'Cidade do São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos'.
• The Sobradinho Dam on the São Francisco River created one of the largest reservoirs in the world.