Ilhabela

See also the page of homonymy São Sebastião. ----

The island São Sebastião is a Brazilian island , close to the coasts Atlantic S of the state of São Paulo. It is the island principal of the municipality of Ilhabela , in the area of Caraguatatuba, known for its seaside resorts and the practice of the veil.

Geography

The island is located at 23º 46 ' 28" South and 45º 21 ' 20" West, to 25 km in the south of the Tropic of Capricorn. It is separated from the continent and the town of São Sebastião by a strait of the same name, and forms a Archipel with four small islands.

The culminating point of the island is the Peak São Sebastião (1 375 m).

It is to 205 km in the east of São Paulo, and 340 km in the west of Rio de Janeiro.

History

Before the Portuguese colonization of Brazil at the 16th century, the Indians Tupinambas lived the island and named it Ciribai (meaning quiet place ).

The island was baptized São Sebastião by Amerigo Vespucci, the January 20th 1502, festival of Saint Sebastien. During XVIe century, the Portuguese established guardrooms along the littoral of the island.

September 3rd, 1805, the governor of the province of São Paulo, Antonio Jose da França E Horta, declared the independence administrative of the county-archipelago which was named Villa Bleated da Princeza (beautiful city of the princess) in the honor of the princess of Beira. The county counted 3.000 inhabitants then.

November 30th, 1938, during the Estado Novo of Getúlio Vargas, a law re-elected the county in Formosa . A new law of November 30th, 1944 imposed the name of Ilhabela.

Administration

It constitutes the major part of the municipality of Ilhabela (literally “beautiful island”), which also includes/understands the small islands of Buzios, Cabras, Vitoria and Serraria. The municipality extends on 348 km ² and counts 26.230 inhabitants (2006). During the months of holidays, the tourist activities increases the population with 100.000 inhabitants on the island.

External bonds

  • Official site of the municipality
  • Prefecture of Ilhabela
  • Ilhabela

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