Bahia

estado (state) of eastern Brazil. It is bounded by Piauí and Pernambuco states to the north, by Alagoas and Sergipe states to the northeast, by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, by Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais states to the south, and by Goiás and Tocantins states to the west. The capital, Salvador, is a port situated at the southern tip of the peninsula that separates Todos os Santos (All Saints) Bay, a deep natural harbor, from the Atlantic Ocean. The Portuguese first entered the region in 1501, through the bay where Salvador is now located, and they called the area Bahia (“Bay”), from which the state derives its name. Area 218,029 square miles (564,693 square km). Pop. (2022) 14,659,023.

Land

Relief

The Diamantina Upland and its northern extension, the Tombador Mountains, run north across Bahia from the borders of Minas Gerais and constitute the line of greatest elevation. The Diamantina reaches its maximum elevation at Almas Peak (6,070 feet [1,850 meters]). From the east and west of this dorsal ridge descend plateaus that vary in elevation between about 650 and 2,600 feet (200 and 800 meters) and are characterized by inselbergs (steep-sided isolated hills that have been left by erosion). The eastern edge of the highlands terminates in the hills overlooking the coastal plain.

Drainage

The major river is the São Francisco, which rises in Minas Gerais and flows north across western Bahia before turning eastward in a great curve to form the frontier between Bahia and Pernambuco and between Bahia and Alagoas, on its long way down to the Atlantic Ocean. Flowing directly to the coast are several minor rivers, which originate in the Diamantina Upland or in the Espinhaço Mountains of Minas Gerais.

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People

Bahia’s population is largely made up of people of mixed European and African ancestry, with significant communities of both African and European descent. Population density varies considerably. The greatest concentrations of Bahia’s population are in the cities and towns of its eastern coastal area, particularly in the Recôncavo, the fertile region surrounding Todos os Santos Bay. Salvador is the largest city (its historic center was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985); other urban centers include Feira de Santana, Vitória da Conquista, Camaçari, Ilhéus, Itabuna, Jequié, and Alagoinhas. The arid interior, on the other hand, is sparsely populated and has relatively few towns. Barreiras in the west and Juazeiro in the north are the most important.

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The main language of Bahians is Portuguese, but it is influenced to some extent by African and various Indigenous languages. Roman Catholicism is practiced by the overwhelming majority of the population, and the cardinal archbishop of Salvador is also the primate of Brazil. Protestantism, Spiritism, and other religions are practiced. Many Bahians practice the rituals of Candomblé, a syncretist religious sect.

Economy

Bahia is the major exporter of northeastern Brazil. The bulk of Bahia’s industry is centered in the Salvador metropolitan area and nearby Camaçari, whereas agriculture is the main occupation of Bahians in the interior. Tourism has also increased in importance. Many visitors are drawn to the city of Salvador, especially to its historic neighborhood of Pelourinho, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its well-preserved colonial architecture. The state’s many natural attractions also draw tourists, including to the canyons, mountains, and waterfalls of Chapada Diamantina, where Fumaça Waterfall plunges about 1,280 feet (390 meters). Abrolhos Marine Park is home to volcanic islands, coral reefs, and some of the most biologically diverse areas of Brazil.

Bahia’s agriculture was severely threatened by recurring droughts in the latter part of the 20th century, but irrigation has ameliorated this problem. Crops grown in Bahia include sugarcane, cassava (manioc), soybeans, coffee, tobacco, corn (maize), cotton, cacao (the source of cocoa beans), and sisal. Cattle are raised in many parts of the state for their leather and skins as well as for their meat. Bahia is a producer of paper, automobile tires, foodstuffs, cellulose, cement, and iron.

Among Bahia’s mineral resources are petroleum, natural gas, lead, copper, chrome, tin, barite, manganese, magnesite, titanium, hematite, quartz, kaolin, marble, and amethyst. There is also a vast hydroelectric potential in the state: The São Francisco River has been harnessed by the Sobradinho, Itaparica, Paulo Afonso, and Xingó dams in Bahia and the neighboring state of Alagoas.

Government and society

Like other Brazilian states, Bahia is semiautonomous, with its own constitution, justice system, and directly elected governor and legislative assembly. The poverty rate of the state is among the highest in Brazil, and many of the rural poor do not have access to health facilities. Salvador’s major universities include the Federal University of Bahia (1946), the Catholic University of Salvador (1961), and the Bahia State University (1983).