VICTORIA, a city and port of Brazil, capital of the state of Espirito Santo, on the west side of an island at the head of the Bay of Espirito Santo. Pop. (1920), 21,866. The principal streets follow the water-line, rising in terraces from the shore, and are crossed by narrow, steep, roughly paved streets. The buildings are old and of the colonial type. The entrance to the bay is rather tortuous and difficult, but is sufficiently deep for the largest ves sels. The harbour is not large, but is safe and deep, being com pletely shut in by hills. Large quays, piers, warehouses, etc., facilitate the handling of cargoes. Victoria is a port of call for coasting steamers and a shipping port in the coffee trade. The
other exports are sugar, rice and mandioca (manioc) to home ports. A railway starting at Victoria connects with Rio de Janeiro, 270 m. to the southwest. Another line runs north and west into the important mineral region of Minas Geraes, for which it pro vides an outlet. Population estimate in 1930, Victoria was founded in 1535 by Vasco Fernando Coutinho, on the south side and nearer the entrance to the bay, and received the name of Espirito Santo. The old site is still occupied, and is known as Villa Velha (Old Town).