Maranhão

Maranhao is a state in northeastern Brazil where the Amazon meets the northeast, known for its stunning dune landscapes and richly preserved colonial capital. Its capital is Sao Luis, a UNESCO World Heritage city founded by the French. It is famous for the otherworldly Lencois Maranhenses sand dunes and lagoons.

Maranhao is a transition zone between the dry northeastern sertao, the Amazon rainforest and the coast, featuring the Lencois Maranhenses, a vast field of white dunes dotted with rainwater lagoons, plus mangroves and the Parnaiba delta. The climate is tropical with a strong wet season.

Maranhao has a vibrant culture blending African, Indigenous and Portuguese roots, famed for the Bumba meu boi festival, reggae music in Sao Luis, and distinctive crafts and cuisine. Sao Luis is known for its colonial tilework.

Founded by the French in 1612 and named after a king, Sao Luis later became Portuguese and a center of cotton and sugar. Maranhao preserves a remarkable colonial heritage and a strong African cultural legacy.