ESPIRITO SANTO, a maritime State of Brazil, bounded north by Bahia, east by the Atlantic ocean, south by Rio de Janeiro, and west by Minas Geraes. Pop. (193o) 661,416. Area, 17,248 sq.m. With the exception of Sergipe it is the smallest of the Brazilian States. The western border of the State is traversed by low ranges of mountains forming a northward continuation of the Serra do Mar. The eastern part of the State belongs to the coastal plain, in great part low and swampy, with large areas of sand barrens, and broken by isolated groups and ranges of hills. With the exception of these sandy plains the country is heavily forested, even the mountain sides being covered with vegetation to their summits. The northern and southern parts are fertile, but the central districts generally are comparatively poor. The inland valleys and slopes are very fertile and heavily forested, and much of the Brazilian export of rosewood and other cabinet woods is drawn from this State. There is only one good bay on the coast, that of Espirito Santo, on which the port of Victoria is situated. The river-mouths are obstructed by sand bars and admit small vessels only. The principal rivers of the State are the Mucury, which rises in Minas Geraes and forms the boundary line with Bahia, the Itaunas, Sao Domingos, Sao Matheus, Doce, Timbuhy, Santa Maria, Judi, Benevente, Itapemirim, and Itaba poana, the last forming the boundary line with Rio de Janeiro. The Doce, Sao Matheus, and Itapemirim rise in Minas Geraes and flow entirely across the State. The lower courses of these rivers are generally navigable, that of the Rio Doce for a distance of 90 miles. The climate of the coastal zone and deeper valleys is hot, humid and unhealthy, malarial fevers being prevalent. In the higher country the temperature is lower and the climate is healthy. Espirito Santo is almost exclusively agricultural, sugar-cane, coffee, rice, cotton, tobacco, mandioca and tropical fruits being the principal products. Agriculture is in a very backward condition, however, and the State is classed as one of the poorest and most unprogressive in the republic. The rivers and shallow coast waters are well stocked with fish, but there are no fishing industries worthy of mention. There are three railway lines in operation in the State—one running from Victoria to Cachoeira do Itapemirim (5o m.), and thence inland to Manhuassu and Carangola, another line, reaching Santo Eduardo in Rio de Janeiro (58 m.), where connection is made with the Leopoldina system running into the national capital, and a third railway running north-westerly from Victoria to Diarnantina, Minas Geraes, about 450 miles. The chief cities and towns of the State, with their populations in 192o, are Victoria (municipality, 21,866) ; Sao Matheus (municipality, 7) , on a river of the same name 16 m. from the sea ; Serra (municipality, 6,777) ; Guarapary (municipality), a small port (10,904) ; south by west of the capital; Conceicao da Barra (municipality, ; the port of Sao Matheus (12,000) ; and Cachoeira do Itapemirim (46,102), an important commercial centre in the south.
Espirito Santo foi ned part of one of the original captaincies which were given to Vasco Fernandes Coutinho by the Portuguese Crown. The first settlement was at the entrance to the bay of Espirito Santo, and its name was afterwards given to the bay and captaincy. It once included the municipality of Campos, now belonging to the State of Rio de Janeiro.
The islands of Trinidad and Martim Vaz, which lie about 715 m. E. of Victoria, belong politically to this State. They are uninhabited, but iderable importance is attached to the island of Trinidad because Great Britain has twice attempted to take possession of it. It rises 1,200 ft. above sea-level and is about 6 m. in circumference, but it has no value other than that of an ocean cable station. An excellent description of this singular island is to be found in E. F. Knight, Cruise of the "Alerte" (1895).