São Luís, Maranhão facts for kids
São Luís (pronounced "sown loo-EES") is the capital city of the Brazilian state of Maranhão. It's a special place because it's the only state capital in Brazil that was founded by the French! The city is located on Upaon-açu Island, right by Baía de São Marcos (Saint Mark's Bay), which is part of the Atlantic Ocean.
São Luís is known by many cool nicknames like "City of Tiles" because of its beautiful buildings covered in colorful tiles. It's also called "Brazilian Jamaica" due to its love for reggae music, and "Love Island." The city has a population of about 1,037,775 people. Its old town, built in the 1600s, has kept its original street design and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
The city is important for trade, with two big sea ports: Madeira Port and Itaqui Port. These ports help export a lot of Brazil's iron ore from the Amazon region. São Luís also has big industries like metal processing with companies like Alumar and Vale. It's also home to the Federal University of Maranhão. Many famous Brazilian artists and writers, like singer Alcione and writer Ferreira Gullar, come from São Luís.
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A Look at São Luís's Past
São Luís started as a village for the Tupinambá tribe. The first Europeans to settle here were the French in 1612. They wanted to create a colony called Equinoctial France. They built a fort named Saint-Louis de Maragnan, honoring King Louis XIII and his ancestor Saint Louis IX. This is why São Luís was founded on September 8, 1612.
However, the Portuguese took over the settlement in 1615 after a battle and renamed it São Luís. In 1641, the city was invaded by the Dutch, but they left in 1644.
Later, the region became a separate state within the Portuguese colony. Its economy relied on farming, especially exporting sugar cane, cacao, and tobacco. There was a big uprising called the Beckman's Revolt because people were unhappy with the Portuguese rulers and how they treated Native Americans. The revolt was led by brothers Manoel and Tomás Beckman. They were defeated, and the brothers were arrested and executed. Manoel Beckman's last words, "By the Maranhão people I die happy," are now on the State Council Building.
When the American Civil War started, São Luís began providing cotton to Great Britain. The money from this helped modernize the city. São Luís became the third most populated city in Brazil for a while. But by the late 1800s, farming declined, and people had to find new ways to make a living.
Today, São Luís has the largest and best-preserved collection of old Portuguese buildings in all of Latin America. The island is known as "Island of Love" and "Brazilian Athens" because of its many poets and writers. It's also called "Brazilian Jamaica" because Reggae music is so popular here!
São Luís's Economy
Until the mid-1800s, Maranhão's economy was one of the strongest in Brazil. But after the American Civil War, the state lost its place in cotton exports and faced a decline. Things only started to improve in the late 1960s when new roads and railways connected the state to other regions.
In the late 1700s, there was a high demand for cotton in England for their textile factories. At the same time, cotton production in the United States was low due to the Revolutionary War. This was a great chance for Maranhão to grow cotton. São Luís became a key port for shipping cotton to London.
During this successful time, São Luís had a lively culture. The city felt more connected to European capitals than other Brazilian cities. It was the first to host an Italian opera and received the latest French literature every week. Wealthy cotton farmers and business owners sent their children to study in big Brazilian cities or even in Europe.
Today, the Port of Itaqui and Port of Ponta da Madeira are very busy. Ponta da Madeira is one of the deepest ports in the world. These ports are important for industrial goods and iron ore coming from the Carajás Railway. They also export soybeans grown in Brazil. Being close to Europe and North America makes it a good place for trade.
The economy of São Luís mainly relies on aluminum processing (by ALUMAR), pelletizing (by VALE), food production, and tourism. São Luís has the highest GDP in the state. It has two public universities and many other schools.
Close by, in Alcântara, is the Alcântara Space Center, which is a rocket launch site.
São Luís's Geography
São Luís Island is located between two large bay systems: São Marcos Bay to the west and São José Bay to the east. These bays are connected by narrow channels.
The Mearim River flows into São Marcos Bay, while the Itapecuru River and Munim River flow into São José Bay. The ocean tides here can be very high, sometimes more than seven meters! The area has many small streams and tidal channels. The landscape is shaped by climate, water, and strong winds. The plants here include parts of the Amazon rainforest, Mangroves, and a large grassy plain called Campo de Perizes.
The climate is hot and humid, with two main seasons: a wet season from January to June and a dry season from July to December. The average rainfall is about 2,200 mm per year.
There are bridges that connect São Luís Island to the mainland, like the Marcelino Machado bridge (part of BR-135) and railway bridges. There's also a ferry service between São Luís and Alcântara, and the São Luís International Airport.
The city is part of several protected natural areas, including the Upaon-Açu/Miritiba/Alto Preguiças Environmental Protection Area and the Bacanga State Park.
São Luís's Climate
São Luís has a tropical climate. It has a short dry season from August to November, when it's warm to hot and sunny. The rest of the year is the wet, rainy season, with lots of clouds and heavy rain from January to June. April is usually the wettest month, and October is the driest.
| Climate data for São Luís (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 33.6 (92.5) |
36.0 (96.8) |
32.8 (91.0) |
33.0 (91.4) |
33.2 (91.8) |
33.1 (91.6) |
32.7 (90.9) |
34.4 (93.9) |
34.0 (93.2) |
33.2 (91.8) |
34.4 (93.9) |
33.8 (92.8) |
36.0 (96.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.1 (88.0) |
30.6 (87.1) |
30.3 (86.5) |
30.6 (87.1) |
31.3 (88.3) |
31.5 (88.7) |
31.5 (88.7) |
32.0 (89.6) |
32.3 (90.1) |
32.5 (90.5) |
33.5 (92.3) |
32.2 (90.0) |
31.6 (88.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 24.2 (75.6) |
24.0 (75.2) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.9 (75.0) |
23.5 (74.3) |
23.4 (74.1) |
24.7 (76.5) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24.7 (76.5) |
24.9 (76.8) |
25.0 (77.0) |
24.2 (75.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 20.0 (68.0) |
20.1 (68.2) |
17.9 (64.2) |
13.1 (55.6) |
20.2 (68.4) |
20.6 (69.1) |
18.1 (64.6) |
20.3 (68.5) |
20.9 (69.6) |
21.2 (70.2) |
21.6 (70.9) |
20.0 (68.0) |
13.1 (55.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 235.4 (9.27) |
308.0 (12.13) |
452.8 (17.83) |
431.4 (16.98) |
312.0 (12.28) |
174.3 (6.86) |
110.8 (4.36) |
22.5 (0.89) |
2.9 (0.11) |
2.8 (0.11) |
9.7 (0.38) |
54.5 (2.15) |
2,117.1 (83.35) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 13 | 17 | 22 | 22 | 18 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 124 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 82.5 | 84.8 | 86.6 | 87.7 | 86.4 | 84.3 | 82.1 | 80.5 | 77.6 | 76.2 | 76.6 | 77.6 | 81.9 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 24.2 (75.6) |
24.3 (75.7) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24.7 (76.5) |
24.8 (76.6) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24.2 (75.6) |
23.9 (75.0) |
23.6 (74.5) |
23.5 (74.3) |
23.7 (74.7) |
23.9 (75.0) |
24.1 (75.4) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 155.9 | 119.2 | 115.3 | 120.2 | 163.5 | 201.6 | 233.3 | 267.5 | 258.3 | 264.2 | 235.1 | 215 | 2,349.1 |
| Mean daily daylight hours | 12.3 | 12.2 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12.1 | 12.2 | 12.2 | 12.3 | 12.1 |
| Average ultraviolet index | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Source 1: Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather atlas(Daylight-UV) | |||||||||||||
Education in São Luís
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São Luís is the most important education center in Maranhão. Portuguese is the main language taught in schools, but students also learn English and Spanish in high school.
Some of the educational institutions in the city include:
- Universidade Federal do Maranhão (UFMA)
- Universidade Estadual do Maranhão (UEMA)
- Universidade Ceuma (UNICEUMA)
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Maranhão (IFMA)
São Luís's Culture
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Criteria | Cultural: iii, iv, v |
| Inscription | 1997 (21st Session) |
| Area | 66.65 ha |
São Luís is famous for the colorful tiles that cover many buildings in its old town. This is why it's called "The Tiles City" and "Brazilian Athens."
The city also has unique cultural traditions:
Tambor de Crioula
Tambor de Crioula is an Afro-Brazilian dance. Women in bright clothes dance around a group of drums (called tambors). They spin and move to the music, trying to get the best spot in the center. There's even a museum dedicated to this dance!
Tambor de Mina
This is an Afro-Brazilian religion. The Casa das Minas (House of Minas) is the oldest temple for this religion. It was founded in São Luís in the 1840s by African women.
Bumba Meu Boi
The Bumba Meu Boi is a popular musical play. People practice for it after Easter, and the main performances happen in June. Hundreds of groups perform every night! It's a funny and sad story that uses costumes, dancing, and music to show how different parts of society can live together. The audience sings and dances along. It's a harvest festival, with a bull as the main character.
Capoeira
The style of capoeira in São Luís is thought to be very similar to the traditional capoeira from Bahia, which existed before the different styles of capoeira developed.
Historic Center of São Luís
In 1997, the Historic Center of São Luís was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's special because it has so many sobrados (Portuguese townhouses) and the largest collection of outdoor azulejos (painted tiles) in Brazil. It's also a rare example of a planned Portuguese colonial city. Since 1989, there's been a big effort to fix up and restore the old buildings. Important historic places include the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Ribeirão Fountain.
Reggae Music
São Luís is known as the "Brazilian capital of reggae" because this music style is very popular here. In 2018, the Reggae Museum of Maranhão opened. It's the first museum outside of Jamaica dedicated to reggae music!
Getting Around São Luís
The city has its own airport, the Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport.
More than 180 bus lines operate in the city, with over 3,000 buses. Over 500,000 people use the bus system every day. There are also many taxis available.
One of Brazil's few inter-city train services connects São Luís with Parauapebas. This train carried 330,000 passengers in 2019.
São Luís also has a port for boats that take passengers to the city of Alcântara. Another port handles ferries that carry people and cars to other cities in the region.
Since São Luís is on an island, it has only one road connection to the mainland: the bridge of the Estreito dos Mosquitos, which is part of the BR-135 highway.
Sports in São Luís
Football is the most popular sport in São Luís. The main professional football clubs are:
- Sampaio Corrêa
- Moto Club
- Maranhão Atlético Clube
Notable People from São Luís
- Aluísio de Azevedo (1857-1913), a Brazilian writer.
- Alcione Nazareth (born 1947), a famous Brazilian singer.
- Rafael Leitão (born 1979), a Brazilian chess grandmaster.
- Zeca Baleiro (born 1966), a Brazilian singer.
Images for kids
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Leoes Palace
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Cristo Rei Palace
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Historical center
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Ponta do Farol at night
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Fountain in Pedro II Square
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View of São Marcos Bay
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Panoramic view of São Luís in 1931
See also
In Spanish: São Luís para niños
