São Luís is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of
Maranhão. The city is located on Ilha de São Luís (
São Luís Island) in the Baía de São Marcos
(São Marcos Bay), an extension of the
Atlantic Ocean which forms the estuary of Pindaré, Mearim, Itapecuru and other
rivers. Its coordinates are 2.53° south, 44.30° west. The city proper has a
population of some 986,826 people (2008 IBGE estimate). The metropolitan area
totals 1,227,659, ranked as the 16th largest in Brazil.
São Luís is
