With a territorial extension of 331,935,507 square kilometers, Maranhão is the second largest state Northeast, in addition to having the second longest coastline in Brazil, with an extension of 640 kilometers. The state belongs to the mid-north region, being the only one in the Northeast that has part of its territory covered by the Amazon rainforest.
The Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is an important environmental protection area. This park has 155,000 hectares, where rivers, lakes, mangroves and dunes are found, which reach up to 50 meters in height.
Natural characteristics of Maranhão:
Relief
The relief from Maranhão presents regular topography, with approximately 90% of the surface below 300 meters of altitude. It comprises a jagged coastline and coastal plain with dunes and plateaus inland. The highest point in Maranhão is the plateau of Mangabeiras: 804 meters of altitude.
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Climate
The equatorial climate is predominant in the western portion of the state, with high average rainfall (rain) and high temperatures. The rest of Maranhão territory is influenced by the tropical climate, with higher rainfall in the first months of the year.
Vegetation
Maranhão has a wide variety of biomes. Its vegetation is composed of cocai forest (to the east), mangroves (on the coast), Amazon forest (to the west) and cerrado (to the south).
Hydrography
With a great wealth of water resources, Maranhão's main rivers are the Balsas, Gurupi, Itapecuru, Mearim, Parnaíba, Pindaré, Tocantins, Turiaçu rivers.
By Wagner de Cerqueira and Francisco
Graduated in Geography
Brazil School Team
Maranhão - Northeast region - geography of Brazil - Brazil School
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
FRANCISCO, Wagner de Cerqueira and. "Natural Aspects of Maranhão"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/brasil/aspectos-naturais-maranhao.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
