Ilhéus
Ilheus on the map of Brazil
Ilheus ( old spelling: Ilheos; German: islands, small islands ) is a Brazilian municipality and port city with almost 220,000 inhabitants in the state of Bahia, at the mouth of the Rio Ilheus in the South Atlantic. It was named after some of the coastal small offshore islets. With a length of 100 km, it is the municipality with the longest white sand beach of Bahia.
Next villages in the municipality are Aritaguá, Banco da Vitória, Castelo Novo, Couto, Japu, Olivença, Rio do Braço and Sambaituba.
Geographical location
Ilheus is located 458 km south of Salvador and 315 km north of Porto Seguro. The municipality borders
- To the north by Uraçuca
- To the east by the South Atlantic
- To the south by Una
- On the west by Itajuípe, Itabuna and Buerarema
Ilheus is located on both banks of the Rio Ilheus. The two parts of the city are connected by the bridge Ponte do Pontal. Immediately before the bridge three rivers unite to Ilheus Rio:
Further north still also opens the Rio Almada in the Atlantic.
History
King Dom João III of Portugal divided Brazil into Kapitanien 1534. The Portuguese nobleman Jorge de Figueiredo Correia received the area around Ilheus. In his place he sent Francisco Romero, who founded the Bay of Ilheus, Vila de São Jorge São Sebastião on the hill. 1881 was the place for the city of São Jorge dos Ilheus, a name that was later shortened.
Economy
In the first years of the city lived from sugar cane. Her great heyday came in the early 20th century with the cocoa, which was grown in the hinterland around Itabuna and was exported through the port of Ilheus. In the early Roman Cacau ( 1933) of Jorge Amado, you can read about this vividly. In Ilheus is the center of the cocoa plantation of Südbahia and is the seat of CEPLAC, the cocoa Institute of Brazil.
Through a devastating tree fungus disease ( Crinipellis perniciosa ), the cocoa trees 1989-1998 in Südbahia were almost completely eradicated. Up to 90 % of all cocoa trees in Südbahia fell victim to this fungal disease. Only since a few years resistant plants are grown ( through genetic manipulation ) with which a new stock of trees is established. Thus Brazil, once one of the largest exporters in the world, for the importing country for cocoa products. The impact on local agriculture and ecology of Südbahia are obvious. It resulted in a true collapse of the local economy and social systems.
Due to the sharp decline of the cocoa export seaport of Ilheus has lost much of its importance. He was formerly Bahia main export port for cocoa products.
Traffic
Ilheus has an airport (abbreviation IOS, according to the old spelling Ilheos ), named after Jorge Amado. Flew the airport is currently owned by five airlines: Aviance Brasil, Azul, Gol, TAM and TRIP
Regular domestic connections
About the Port of Ilheus still 65 % of Brazil's cocoa crop were carried out until 1989. But even today it is the main export port in Brazil for cocoa. It was opened in 1971. At the time, he was the first port in Brazil, which was built in the open sea. The port is also ongoing regular cruise ships.
Furthermore, Ilheus is about various bus services to various cities, including Salvador and São Paulo connected. To the situated near Itabuna is a connection every 15 minutes.
Culture
Everything reminds Gabriela, the main character of Jorge Amado's novel Gabriela such as cinnamon and cloves, set in Ilheus. Even today, you can discover some of it in the old center back. The house in which Amado lived, is today a cultural center named after him.
Sons and daughters of the town
- Aldair, former Brazilian footballer
- Jorge Amado, writer ( grew up here )
Attractions
How many colonial cities has also Ilheus countless churches. The oldest Igreja Matriz de São Jorge dos Ilheus was built in 1556. The São Sebastião cathedral was built in the neoclassical style 1931-1967.
In the suburb of Rio do engenho one finds the third oldest church and the oldest sugar mill ( engenho ) of Bahia. The " enchanting lake " ( Lagoa Encantada ) 4 square kilometers, surrounded by a coastal forest nature reserve with small waterfalls.
In the south on the road to Canavieiras are beautiful beaches: Cururupe, Batuba and Olivença.