BAHIA

BAHIA, a province of Brazil, about the middle of the coast, taking its name from its chief city. It extends in S. lat. from 10° to 16°, and in W. long. from 37° to 44°. Area, 164,502 sq. m.; population, 1,821,000. Its mineral deposits are in great measure lost for want of good roads, and have only been partially explored. The districts of Serra da Chapada and Serra da Sincorã have been famous for diamonds since 1844. The Brazil wood found in its primeval forests equals that of Pernambuco; its cotton, tobacco, and rice are all of superior quality; and the province exports more sugar than all the rest of Brazil. The interior contains lofty and dry sierras; but the maritime districts are fertile, being well watered by the Itapicuru, Contas, and other rivers, and form the most thickly populated part of Brazil. Besides the streams that flow through Bahia, the San Francisco, a vastly larger river, forms about half of the inland boundary, dividing this province from that of Pernambuco.