History of Espírito Santo

The History of Espírito Santo is composed of studies focused on the evolution of the territory and society of the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, from the first indigenous inhabitants and the creation of the Captaincy of Espírito Santo by Vasco Fernandes Coutinho, in 1535, to the present day.

Also in 1535, the settlement of Vila Velha was founded, the first population center of the captaincy. In the task of catechizing the region's Indians, the figure of Joseph of Anchieta stood out.

There was a long period in the meantime, unknown to many, when Espírito Santo was annexed to Bahia, with its capital based in Salvador.

The prohibition of mining in Minas Gerais and the presence of hostile tribes in the countryside contributed to Espírito Santo remaining for a long time an essentially coastal captaincy. The situation changed only in the second half of the 19th century, due to the expansion of coffee farming. The occupation of the extreme north occurred at the beginning of the 20th century, due to the first cacao plantations, established by farmers from Bahia. But it was only in 1963 that Espírito Santo acquired its current geographical configuration, with the solution of the old dispute between the state and Minas Gerais, regarding the ownership of the Serra dos Aimorés region.

Today, Espírito Santo has valuable assets in the push for economic development: A privileged geographical location, rich reserves of radioactive minerals on the coast, one of the largest ore ports in the world, and the second-largest oil production in Brazil.