Guanabara Bay
Guanabara Bay (Portuguese: baía de Guanabara, baía da Guanabara, [ɡwɐ̃nɐˈbaɾɐ]) is an oceanic bay located in Southeast Brazil in the state of Rio de Janeiro. On its western shore lie the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Duque de Caxias, and on its eastern shore the cities of Niterói and São Gonçalo. Four other municipalities surround the bay's shores. Guanabara Bay is the second largest bay in area in Brazil (after the All Saints' Bay), at 412 square kilometres (159 sq mi), with a perimeter of 143 kilometres (89 mi).
| Guanabara Bay | |
|---|---|
| Baía de Guanabara (Portuguese) | |
Guanabara Bay | |
Satellite image of Guanabara Bay | |
| Location | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Coordinates | 22°47′25″S 43°9′20″W |
| Type | Bay |
| River sources | |
| Ocean/sea sources | South Atlantic |
| Max. length | 31 km (19 mi) |
| Max. width | 28 km (17 mi) |
| Surface area | 412 km2 (159 sq mi) |
| Islands | Ilha do Governador, Ilha de Paquetá, Freguesia |
| Settlements | Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Duque de Caxias, São Gonçalo |
Guanabara Bay is 31 kilometres (19 mi) long and 28 kilometres (17 mi) wide at its maximum. Its 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) wide mouth is flanked at the eastern tip by the Pico do Papagaio (Parrot's Peak) and the western tip by Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf).
The name Guanabara comes from the Tupi language, goanã-pará, from gwa "bay", plus nã "similar to" and ba'ra "sea". Other glosses include hidden water, lagoon of the sea, and bosom of the sea.