Located in the country's Northeast Region, it has a population of about 7 million and an area of 332,000 km2 (128,000 sq mi) and it is divived into 217 municipalities.

Maranhão is described in literary works such as Exile Song by Gonçalves Dias and Casa de Pensão by Aluísio Azevedo.

The Babaçu palm produces oil which is extracted commercially and used for a variety of purposes including food and beauty products.

[4][5][6] The southern portion of the state belong to the lower terraces of the great Brazilian Highlands, occupied by the Cerrado savannas.

The Parnaíba River forms the eastern boundary of Maranhão, but it has one large tributary, the Balsas, entirely within the state.

Ceará was subsequently detached, but the State of Maranhão remained separate until 1774, when it again became subject to the colonial administration of Brazil.

In the late 18th century, there was a great influx of enslaved peoples into the region, which corresponded to the increased cultivation of cotton.

"[8] Maranhão did not join in the Brazilian declaration of independence of 1822, but in the following year the Portuguese were driven out by British sailor and liberator Admiral Lord Cochrane and it became part of the Empire of Brazil.

By the early 20th century São Luís had about 30,000 inhabitants, and contained several convents, charitable institutes, the episcopal palace, a fine Carmelite church, and an ecclesiastical seminary.

[10] According to a DNA study from 2005, the average ancestral composition of São Luís, the biggest city in Maranhão, is 42% European, 39% native American and 19% African.

[18] The state also produces natural gas in the Parnaíba basin, with a production of 8.4 million m3 per day, used in thermal power stations.

[19] Itaqui Port annually moves millions of tons of cargo, being an important logistics corridor for the Center-West of the country.

[20] The port of Ponta da Madeira, belonging to the Vale do Rio Doce is mainly destined for the export of iron ore brought from the Serra dos Carajás, in Pará.

[21] Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport is located 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) from the center of São Luís.

[24] The flag of Maranhão was designed by the poet Joaquim de Souza Andrade, and was adopted by decree nr.

[citation needed] The colored strips (red, white and black) symbolize the different ethnic groups which make up the population, and their mixing and living together.

The white star in the upper left corner symbolizes Maranhão itself, and is supposed to be Beta Scorpii, as the constellation Scorpius is also depicted on the national flag of Brazil.