MACEIO or MAcAYO, a city and port of Brazil and capi. tal of the State of Alagoas, about 125 m. S.S.W. of Pernambuco in lat. 9° 39' 35" S., long. 44' 36" W. of Greenwich. Popu lation (193o), including a large rural district and several villages, 103,930. The city stands at the foot of low bluffs, about a mile from the shore line. The water-side village of Jaragua, the port of Maceio, is practically a suburb of the city. South of the port is the shallow entrance to the Lagija do Norte, or Lagoa Mun dali, a saltwater lake extending inland for some miles. Maceid is attractively situated in the midst of large plantations of coco nut and dende palms, though the broad sandy beach in front and the open sunburned plain behind give a barren character to its surroundings. The heat is moderated by the south-east trade winds, and the city is considered healthful. The public buildings are mostly constructed of broken stone and mortar, plastered outside and covered with red tiles, but the common dwellings are generally constructed of tapia—rough trellis-work walls filled in with mud. The light-house, situated on a small hill near the middle of the town, is a conspicuous landmark. A light tramway
connects the city and port, and a railway—the Great Western— connects the two with various interior towns and with Pernam buco. The port is formed by a stone reef running parallel with and a half-mile from the shore line, within which vessels of light draft find a safe anchorage, except from southerly gales. Ocean going steamers anchor outside the reef. The exports consist prin cipally of sugar, cotton and rum (aguardiente). MaceiO dates from 1815 when a small settlement there was created a "villa." In 1839 it became the provincial capital and was made a city by the provincial assembly.