Bahia

Quick Facts: Who was Bahia?

Subject:

Bahia

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A major state in Northeast Brazil, historically vital for sugar and slave trade.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Bahia (English: , bə-(H)EE-ə; Brazilian Portuguese: [baˈi.ɐ] ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro) and the 5th-largest by area. Bahia's capital is the city of Salvador (formerly known as "Cidade do São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos", literally "City of the Holy Savior of the Bay of All the Saints"), on a spit of land separating the Bay of All Saints from the Atlantic. Once a stronghold of supporters of direct rule of Brazil by the Portuguese monarchy, and dominated by agricultural, slaving, and ranching interests, Bahia is now a predominantly working-class industrial and agricultural state. The state is home to 7% of the Brazilian population and produces 4.2% of the country's GDP.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

It is divided into 417 municipalities. Bahia is bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean. The Bay of All Saints is the largest bay on the Brazilian coast. Under the Brazilian Empire, it was bounded on the north by the Rio Real and by the Jequitinhonha on the south, but Bahia now comprises an irregular shape bound by other states of Brazil, some of which were formed from it. In the north, it is now bordered (from east to west) by Sergipe, Alagoas, Pernambuco and Piauí.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In the northwest, it is bordered by Tocantins. In the southwest, it borders Goiás, and in the south it is bordered (from east to west) by Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais. The state is crossed from west to east by many rivers, but the most important is the São Francisco, which starts in Minas Gerais and runs through western Bahia before emptying into the Atlantic between Sergipe and Alagoas. Formerly plied by paddlewheel steamers, the river is only navigable to small modern craft but is still vital to the arid west since it continuously supplies water during seasons. The Sobradinho Dam created one of the largest reservoirs in the world; other major hydroelectric projects along its length include the Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex and the Itaparica or Luiz Gonzaga Dam.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Bahia

True or False: “Did the Portuguese establish Salvador as an administrative capital of Portugal's colonies in the Americas immediately upon sighting Monte Pascoal?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The Portuguese sighted Monte Pascoal and landed at Porto Seguro in 1500, but they established Salvador as the city and surrounding captaincy later, in 1549.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Bahmani Kingdom — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: A powerful late medieval Persianate kingdom that ruled the Deccan Plateau in India (1347–1527).
• Bahmani Sultanate — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: A powerful late medieval Persianate kingdom that ruled the Deccan Plateau in India.
• Bahrain — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Island nation in West Asia, historically famed for its pearl trade and strategic location.
• Bahram Beyzai — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Master Iranian playwright, director, and scholar of Persian literature and mythology.
• Bahram Chobin — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Sasanian general and political leader who briefly ruled the late Sasanian Empire.
• Bahram V — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Sasanian King of Kings who reigned from 420 to 438 CE.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bahia