Bay of All Saints Baía de Todos os Santos | |
---|---|
Location | Bahia, Brazil |
Coordinates | 12°51′S 38°38′W / 12.850°S 38.633°W |
River sources | Paraguaçu River Subaé River Jaguaripe River |
Ocean/sea sources | Atlantic Ocean |
Basin countries | Brazil |
Surface area | 1,223 square kilometers (472 sq mi) |
Average depth | 9.8 meters (32 ft) |
Settlements | Salvador |
References | [1] |
The Bay of All Saints (Portuguese: Baía de Todos os Santos), also known as All Saints' Bay and Todos os Santos Bay, is the principal bay of the Brazilian state of Bahia,[2][1] to which it gave its name.[2][1] It sits on the eastern coast of Brazil, surrounding part of Bahia's capital Salvador and opening to the Atlantic Ocean. It covers 1,223 square kilometers (472 sq mi), making it the largest bay in Brazil.
Farol da Barra (Barra Lighthouse), on the site of a historic fort, stands at the entrance of the bay.[3] The Bay of All Saints is shallow along much of its area with an average depth of 9.8 meters (32 ft). The Paraguaçu River travels 500 kilometers (310 mi) to empty into the bay and the coastal lowlands of the Reconcavo Basin are at its mouth.[2][1] It contains 91 islands, the largest being Itaparica Island at its entrance. Other important islands include the Ilha dos Frades, ilha de Maré, ilha de Bom Jesus, and the small Ilha do Medo.[1]