Cananéia is the southernmost city in the state of

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

, near to where the

Tordesilhas Line The Treaty of Tordesillas, ; pt, Tratado de Tordesilhas . signed in Tordesillas, Spain on 7 June 1494, and authenticated in Setúbal, Portugal, divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between the Portuguese Empire and the Spanish Emp ...

passed. The population in 2020 was 12,541 and the area is 1,242.010 km². The elevation is 8 m. The city of Cananéia is host to the Dr. João de Paiva Carvalho research base belonging to the

Oceanographic Institute of the University of São Paulo The Oceanographic Institute of the University of São Paulo ( pt, Instituto Oceanográfico da Universidade de São Paulo, IO-USP), due to its name in Portuguese, was founded in 1946. It began as an independent institute, sponsored by the government ...

History

Founded in 1531, Cananéia is considered by some to be the oldest city in Brazil (5 months before the foundation of São Vicente ) but due to the lack of official documentation proving this fact, São Vicente is officially the oldest city in Brazil. The historic center of Cananéia still preserves the architectural styles adopted by the first houses from the colonial period to the end of the 19th century.

Conservation

The municipality contains the

Ilha do Cardoso State Park The Ilha do Cardoso State Park ( pt, Parque Estadual da Ilha do Cardoso) is a state park on the coast of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. It preserves a large area of Atlantic Forest on the Ilha do Cardoso, an island, and includes marshes and mang ...

, created in 1962. It contains part of the

Tupiniquins Ecological Station Tupiniquins Ecological Station ( pt, Estação Ecológica dos Tupiniquins) is a coastal marine ecological station on the coast of São Paulo State, Brazil. Location The Tupiniquins Ecological Station is a coastal marine area of that was created ...

. It contains the

Mandira Extractive Reserve The Mandira Extractive Reserve ( pt, Reserva Extrativista do Mandira) is an extractive reserve in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. It covers an area of mangroves. The main commercial product extracted by the traditional population is the oyster. ...

, established in 2002. The municipality contains the

Taquari Extractive Reserve The Taquari Extractive Reserve ( pt, Reserva Extrativista Taquari) is an extractive reserve in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. It protects a coastal area of mangroves. Location The Taquari Extractive Reserve is in the municipality of Cananéia, ...

, created in 2008. It contains the

Ilha do Tumba Extractive Reserve The Ilha do Tumba Extractive Reserve ( pt, Reserva Extrativista Ilha do Tumba) is an extractive reserve in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. It protects an area of mangroves and supports a traditional extractive population. Location The Ilha do Tu ...

, also created in 2008. It contains the

Itapanhapima Sustainable Development Reserve The Itapanhapima Sustainable Development Reserve ( pt, Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável de Itapanhapima) is a sustainable development reserve in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. It protects an area of mangrove forests and supports a tradit ...

, created at the same time.

References

Municipalities in São Paulo (state) Populated coastal places in São Paulo (state) Populated places established in 1531 1890s establishments in Brazil 1892 establishments in South America {{SaoPauloState-geo-stub