Alcântara, Maranhão
Alcântara is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Maranhão. The city has a population of 22,112 (2020) and an area of 1458 km2. The municipality is 30 km away from the state's capital, São Luís.
Alcântara | |
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Municipality | |
Alcântara city government building | |
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Flag Coat of arms | |
Location in Maranhão state | |
Alcântara Location in Brazil | |
| Coordinates: 02°24′32″S 44°24′54″W | |
| Country | Brazil |
| Region | Northeast |
| State | Maranhão |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,458 km2 (563 sq mi) |
| Population (2020 ) | |
| • Total | 22,112 |
| • Density | 15/km2 (39/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−3 (BRT) |
| Postal code | 65250-000 |
| Area code | +55 98 |
Founded by French explorers in the 16th century, Alcântara was later conquered by the Portuguese, who used the small village as a base to take São Luís from the Dutch in 1646.
The city was declared by the Brazilian government as a National Historical Patrimony. The city's economy is based mainly on tourism and fishing.
The climate is favorable, characterized by two well-defined seasons: a rainy season from January to June, and a dry season from July to December. The annual average temperature is 26.5 °C, and the wind blows predominantly from the east at an average speed of 12 m/s.
Helton da Silva Arruda, a famous Brazilian goalkeeper, was born in the city.
The municipality contains a small part of the Baixada Maranhense Environmental Protection Area, a 1,775,035.6 hectares (4,386,208 acres) sustainable use conservation unit created in 1991 that has been a Ramsar Site since 2000.