 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2011) |
 View of Ilha Grande from the mainland | |
 English topographic map of Ilha Grande | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Atlantic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 23°09′S 44°14′W / 23.150°S 44.233°W |
| Area | 193 km2 (75 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 1,031 m (3383 ft) |
| Highest point | Pico da Pedra D'Água |
| Administration | |
| Municipality | Angra dos Reis |
| State | Rio de Janeiro |
| Demographics | |
| Population | ~5000 (2014) |
| Official name | Paraty and Ilha Grande – Culture and Biodiversity |
| Criteria | Cultural and Natural: (v), (x) |
| Designated | 2019 (43rd session) |
| Reference no. | 1308 |
| Region | Latin America and the Caribbean |
|
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Ilha Grande (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈiʎɐ ˈɡɾɐ̃dʒi]), or "big island", is a 193 km2 (75 sq mi) forested island located around 151 km (94 mi) off of the Atlantic coast of Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and about 450 km (280 mi) from São Paulo. A popular outdoor destination, the island remains largely undeveloped as much of the area falls within Ilha Grande State Park (Parque Estadual da Ilha Grande). Thus, the remainder of the island is subject to stringent development restrictions in order to preserve the natural environment; vehicles are not permitted and roads are virtually non-existent. For visitors, an hour-long, pre-paid boat excursion is the sole way to access the island. Several small villas and hamlets cater to researchers, tourists and nature-lovers, and around 2,000 people inhabit the largest town on the island, Vila do Abraão.
For almost a century, the Brazilian government declared the island off-limits, banning unauthorized entry, as it had contained an immigration quarantine station and, later, a maximum-security prison (Colônia Penal de Dois Rios, later known as Instituto Penal Cândido Mendes).[1] The Cândido Mendes Penal Colony, which housed some of the most dangerous offenders in Brazil, was closed in 1994.
The highest point on Ilha Grande is the 1,031 m (3,383 ft) tall Pico da Pedra D'Água.[2]
On 5 July 2019, Ilha Grande and Paraty were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[3]
- ^ Brown, Sarah (31 July 2017). "An Abandoned High-Security Prison Is Hiding in This Popular South American Island". The Culture Trip.
- ^ "Pico da Pedra D'Água, Brazil". Peakbagger. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ "Five sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List". UNESCO. 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.