Ilhabela, São Paulo
| Ilhabela | |||
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View of Pereque Beach from ferry-boat
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| Nickname(s): Ilhabela, Capital da Vela (Ilhabela, Capital of Sailing) | |||
| Motto: Ilhabela da Princesa | |||
 Location in the state of São Paulo and in Brazil |
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| Coordinates: 23°48′54″S 45°22′14″W / 23.81500°S 45.37056°WCoordinates: 23°48′54″S 45°22′14″W / 23.81500°S 45.37056°W | |||
| Country | Brazil | ||
| Region | Southeast | ||
| State | São Paulo | ||
| Settled | September 3, 1805 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Toninho Colucci (PPS) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 347.52 km2 (134.18 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 0-1,378 m (0-4,521 ft) | ||
| Population (2015) | |||
| • Total | 32,197 | ||
| • Density | 93/km2 (240/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | BRT (UTC-3) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | BRST (UTC-2) | ||
| Postal Code | 11630-000 | ||
| Area code(s) | +55 12 | ||
| HDI (2000) | 0.781 – medium | ||
| Website | Prefeitura Municipal de Ilhabela | ||
Ilhabela (Portuguese for Beautiful Island) is an archipelago and city situated in the Atlantic Ocean four miles (6 kilometres) off the coast of São Paulo state in Brazil. The city is 205 km (127 mi) from the city of São Paulo and 340 km (210 mi) from the city of Rio de Janeiro. The largest island, although commonly called Ilhabela, is officially named Ilha de São Sebastião (St. Sebastian Island). It, the other islands (Búzios, Pescadores and Vitória) and the islets (Cabras, Castelhanos, Enchovas, Figueira, Lagoa and Serraria) make up the municipality of Ilhabela.
Ilhabela is part of the Metropolitan Region of Vale do Paraíba e Litoral Norte. The population is 32,197 (2015 est.). The islands in total cover 347.52 km2 (134.18 sq mi). During the holiday months, up to one hundred thousand people may be on the island, since it is a popular destination for tourists. To access the city, one must take a boat or ferry in São Sebastião, as there are no roads which reach it. During the summer, one may wait several hours to take the ferry boat. The ferry takes 15 minutes to cross the channel between the two cities.
Before Portugal colonized Brazil in 1500, an indigenous tribe called the Tupinambas, inhabited the island. They called the island 'Ciribai', which means tranquil place.
The island was named São Sebastião Island by Amerigo Vespucci, on January 20, 1502. During the 16th century, the Portuguese set up military points on the shore of São Sebastião Island.
In August 1591, notorious British explorer Thomas Cavendish spent some time in the island. He was on an expedition to the south of the Strait of Magellan accompanied by navigator John Davis and then returned to Brazil, where they hid and refueled in Ilhabela and looted Santos and São Vicente.
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Wikipedia