Adjacent Words

Bahia definitions

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Merriam Webster's

geographical name 1. (or formerly Baía) state E Brazil capital Salvador area 216,612 square miles (561,025 square kilometers), population 11,801,810 2. — see Salvador • Bahian adjective or noun

Britannica Concise

State (pop., 1995 est.: 12,646,000), E Brazil. Its capital is Salvador. The major river is the Sã o Francisco. The Portuguese first entered the region in 1501 through the bay where Salvador is now located. Colonization began in the coastal region; the discovery of gold and gems in the Diamantina Upland attracted more settlers in the 18th cent. A state since 1889, Bahia is rich in mineral resources, incl. petroleum, natural gas, lead, copper, chrome, and tin. Its heavy industries include petroleum refining and ironworks. It is also an important agricultural producer.