São Luís Gonzaga do Maranhão

São Luís is the capital of the state of Maranhão, Brazil. The city is located on an island at the delta of Pindaré and Itapecuru Rivers, in a bay just off the Atlantic Ocean. Its coordinates are 2.50° south, 44.30° west. The city proper has a population of some 942,300 people (as of 2005), The metropolitan area totals 1,227,659 (ranked 16 in Brazil).

The city is a sea port, through which a substantial part of Brazil's iron ore, originating from the (pre)-Amazon region, is exported. The city's main industries including textile factories and sugar refining. São Luís is home of the Federal University of Maranhão.

The city celebrates the Bumba-meu-boi festival every June. Its gray-like water beaches (due to algis) share the beauty of those of other States in Brazil's north-east, but with less touristic exploitation.

São Luís was the home town of famous Brazilian Samba singer Alcione, Brazil's President José Sarney, Belgian-naturalised soccer player Luís Oliveira (known in Italy as "Lulugol")and most recently Zeca Baleiro, a MPB singer.