BAHIA lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the river St. Francisco, and has Minas Geracs south, Alaranham west, and Pernambuco north. It derives its name front that of the great Bay of Todos os Santos, or All Saints Bay, on which, or rather on a peninsula between it and the Atlantic Ocean, stands the capital, San Salvador de Bahia, with a population, it is probable, of one hundred thousand people. The peninsula is narrow, but receding from the southern point not thward, rises to about six hundred feet above the ocean and bay. The city ranges nearly four miles along this neck. The point or ship entrance is at S. lat. 12° 50'.
Under the name of Bahia, are included some comar cas or districts not directly connected with its adminis tration. The district of Sergipe del Rey lies between the river St. Francis and Rio Real, and north-east from Bahia. Ilhcos extends along the Atlantic Ocean from the Rio dos Contas to the Pardo, and of course between Bahia and Minas Gcraes. However, for the purposes
of general and physical geography, the bounds of Bahia may be viewed as follows : along the Atlantic Ocean, four hundred miles, from S. lat. 1 1° to IS°. The river St. Francis curves round this province on two sides, and forms a natural boundary upwards of seven hundred miles. On the south it is bounded by the Pardo, and a line, perhaps imaginary, thence to the right bank of St. Francis. Length from south-west to north-cast about five hundred, and mean breadth two hundred miles, with an area of one hundred thousand square miles. Situated entirely within the torrid zone, and greatly diversified in surface, the productions of Bahia arc numerous and valuable. Indigo, tobacco, rice, sugar, &c. are, with Brazil wood, its most common staple. Coffee is also cultivated, as are innumerable fruits and grains.