Maceió
Capital city of Alagoas, Brazil
title: "Maceió" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["maceió", "populated-coastal-places-in-alagoas", "municipalities-in-alagoas", "1815-establishments-in-brazil", "state-capitals-in-brazil"] description: "Capital city of Alagoas, Brazil" topic_path: "geography/brazil" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maceió" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Capital city of Alagoas, Brazil ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Maceió |
| settlement_type | Municipality |
| official_name | Municipality of Maceió |
| nickname | "Brazilian Caribbean" |
| image_skyline | {{multiple image |
| image5 | Praia_de_Ipioca_-Maceió-Alagoas(11394603505).jpg |
| image6 | Cidade_de_Maceió-ALAGOAS.jpg |
| imagesize | 280px |
| image_caption | Ipioca beach (left) and Pajuçara beach |
| image_flag | Bandeira de Maceió.svg |
| image_shield | Brasão_de_Maceió.svg |
| image_map | Brazil Alagoas Maceio location map.svg |
| mapsize | 250px |
| map_caption | Location of Maceió in the State of Alagoas |
| pushpin_map | Brazil |
| pushpin_mapsize | 250 |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location in Brazil |
| pushpin_relief | yes |
| subdivision_type | Country |
| subdivision_name | Brazil |
| subdivision_type1 | State |
| subdivision_name1 | Alagoas |
| subdivision_type2 | Mesoregion |
| subdivision_name2 | Leste Alagoano |
| subdivision_type3 | Microregion |
| subdivision_name3 | Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil |
| leader_title | Mayor |
| leader_name | João Henrique Caldas (PL) |
| established_title | Founded |
| established_date | December 5, 1815 |
| area_total_km2 | 511 |
| population_as_of | 2024 |
| population_total | 994,464 |
| population_density_km2 | 1,880.77 |
| population_demonym | Maceioense |
| timezone | BRT |
| utc_offset | −3 |
| coordinates | |
| elevation_m | 7 |
| area_code_type | Area code |
| area_code | +55 82 |
| postal_code_type | Postal code |
| postal_code | 57000-001 a 57099-999 |
| website | |
| blank_name | HDI (2010) |
| blank_info | 0.721 – high{{Cite web |
| :: |
| name = Maceió | settlement_type = Municipality | official_name = Municipality of Maceió | nickname = "Brazilian Caribbean" | image_skyline = {{multiple image|total_width=300px|perrow=2/2/2|border=infobox | image1 = | alt1 = | image2 = | alt2 = | image3 = | alt3 = | image4 = | alt4 = | image5 = Praia_de_Ipioca_-Maceió-Alagoas(11394603505).jpg | alt5 = | image6 = Cidade_de_Maceió-ALAGOAS.jpg | alt6 = | imagesize = 280px | image_caption =Ipioca beach (left) and Pajuçara beach | image_flag = Bandeira de Maceió.svg | image_shield = Brasão_de_Maceió.svg | image_map = Brazil Alagoas Maceio location map.svg | mapsize = 250px | map_caption = Location of Maceió in the State of Alagoas | pushpin_map = Brazil | pushpin_mapsize = 250 | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Brazil | pushpin_relief = yes | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Brazil | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = Alagoas | subdivision_type2 = Mesoregion | subdivision_name2 = Leste Alagoano | subdivision_type3 = Microregion | subdivision_name3 = Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = João Henrique Caldas (PL) | established_title = Founded | established_date = December 5, 1815 | area_total_km2 = 511 | population_as_of = 2024 | population_note = | population_total = 994,464 | population_density_km2 = 1,880.77 | population_demonym = Maceioense | timezone = BRT | utc_offset = −3 | coordinates = | elevation_m = 7 | area_code_type = Area code | area_code = +55 82 | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 57000-001 a 57099-999 | website = | blank_name = HDI (2010) | blank_info = 0.721 – high{{Cite web |title=Archived copy |url=http://www.pnud.org.br/arquivos/ranking-idhm-2010.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233352/http://www.pnud.org.br/arquivos/ranking-idhm-2010.pdf |archive-date=July 8, 2014 |access-date=August 1, 2013 |publisher=United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | footnotes = Maceió (), formerly anglicised as Maceio, is the capital and the largest city of the coastal state of Alagoas, Brazil. The name "Maceió" is an Indigenous term for a spring.
Most maceiós flow to the sea, but some get trapped and form lakes ("lagoas", in Portuguese). There are numerous maceiós and lakes in this part of Brazil; because of this, the city was named Maceió, and the state, Alagoas. The new Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport connects Maceió with many Brazilian cities and also operates some international flights. The city is home to the Federal University of Alagoas.
Etymology
The name "Maceió" has origin in the term tupi maçayó or maçaio-k, that means "that which covers the swamp". The Aurélio Dictionary says that the term "maceió" means a temporary and cyclic lagoon that is located at the edge of the sea at the mouth of a watercourse small enough to be interrupted by a sand bar until the high tide opens the way temporarily - cyclically relates to the season, river flow, lunar phase, etc.
Nineteenth-century shipping reports, which reported on ships bringing cotton from Maceió, spelt it as Macaio.
History
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Vista_de_Maceió_(AL).tif" caption="Maceió in 1905"] ::
The city began in an old sugar mill and plantation complex around the 19th century. Its development started with the arrival of ships taking wood from Jaraguá bay.
With the installation of the sugar mills, Maceió started to export sugar, then tobacco, coconut, leather, and some spices. Prosperity made it possible for the settlement to become a village on December 5, 1815. Thanks to its continued growth, Maceió became the capital of the Alagoas state on December 9, 1839.
Maceió is also a port city and due to its port development about 200 years ago it changed from a village into a city.
Maceió was reportedly hit hard by the 2015–16 Zika virus epidemic. 75% of all cases in Brazil were claimed to be registered in Alagoas. The cause for this concentration was never found. In reality, while the epidemic's epicenter is considered to be Bahia and Pernambuco, the incidence rate of Alagoas, nestled in between these two states (together with Sergipe), was considered a "paradox" by the Ministry of Health authorities given its low number of reported cases during the epidemic.
Geography
The city is located between the Mundaú Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean, with a tropical climate with average temperature of 25 °C. , its metropolitan area had a total population of 1,354,973 inhabitants.
Climate
Maceió has a typical tropical climate, specifically a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classification: Am, somewhat bordering on As), with very warm to hot temperatures and high relative humidity all throughout the year. However, these conditions are relieved by a near absence of extreme temperatures due to trade winds blowing from the ocean.
January is the warmest month, with mean maximum of 32 °C and minimum of 22 °C and more sun; July experiences the coolest temperatures, with mean maximum of 27 °C and minimum of 17 °C accompanied by higher humidity and much more rain.
The natural vegetation surrounding Maceió is tropical rainforest. Rainforests are characterized by high rainfall, with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 2000 and. The soil can be poor because high rainfall tends to leach out soluble nutrients.
|location = Maceió (1981–2010, extremes 1961–present) |metric first = yes |single line = yes |Jan record high C = 34.8 |Feb record high C = 34.9 |Mar record high C = 35.0 |Apr record high C = 35.3 |May record high C = 36.4 |Jun record high C = 31.8 |Jul record high C = 31.1 |Aug record high C = 31.8 |Sep record high C = 39.3 |Oct record high C = 34.6 |Nov record high C = 38.4 |Dec record high C = 35.4 |year record high C = 39.3 |Jan high C = 31.0 |Feb high C = 31.4 |Mar high C = 31.5 |Apr high C = 30.6 |May high C = 29.5 |Jun high C = 28.3 |Jul high C = 27.6 |Aug high C = 27.6 |Sep high C = 28.4 |Oct high C = 29.9 |Nov high C = 30.8 |Dec high C = 31.2 |year high C = 29.8 |Jan mean C = 26.0 |Feb mean C = 26.2 |Mar mean C = 26.5 |Apr mean C = 26.0 |May mean C = 25.1 |Jun mean C = 24.1 |Jul mean C = 23.5 |Aug mean C = 23.5 |Sep mean C = 24.1 |Oct mean C = 25.1 |Nov mean C = 25.6 |Dec mean C = 26.0 |year mean C = 25.1 |Jan low C = 21.4 |Feb low C = 21.8 |Mar low C = 22.1 |Apr low C = 21.8 |May low C = 21.2 |Jun low C = 20.3 |Jul low C = 19.7 |Aug low C = 19.7 |Sep low C = 19.9 |Oct low C = 20.3 |Nov low C = 20.9 |Dec low C = 21.2 |year low C = 20.9 |Jan record low C = 17.9 |Feb record low C = 17.8 |Mar record low C = 16.4 |Apr record low C = 13.2 |May record low C = 17.0 |Jun record low C = 11.3 |Jul record low C = 15.0 |Aug record low C = 15.0 |Sep record low C = 15.8 |Oct record low C = 17.0 |Nov record low C = 17.4 |Dec record low C = 17.9 |year record low C = 11.3 |rain colour = green |Jan rain mm = 83.0 |Feb rain mm = 72.9 |Mar rain mm = 117.4 |Apr rain mm = 207.5 |May rain mm = 296.9 |Jun rain mm = 353.8 |Jul rain mm = 265.2 |Aug rain mm = 201.5 |Sep rain mm = 120.2 |Oct rain mm = 61.6 |Nov rain mm = 46.9 |Dec rain mm = 40.5 |unit rain days = 1.0 mm |Jan rain days = 9 |Feb rain days = 7 |Mar rain days = 10 |Apr rain days = 16 |May rain days = 18 |Jun rain days = 22 |Jul rain days = 23 |Aug rain days = 20 |Sep rain days = 13 |Oct rain days = 7 |Nov rain days = 5 |Dec rain days = 6 |year rain days = |Jan humidity = 75.9 |Feb humidity = 74.2 |Mar humidity = 74.9 |Apr humidity = 77.8 |May humidity = 81.1 |Jun humidity = 82.6 |Jul humidity = 82.8 |Aug humidity = 81.9 |Sep humidity = 78.7 |Oct humidity = 76.1 |Nov humidity = 74.1 |Dec humidity = 73.9 |year humidity = 77.8 |Jan sun = 241.4 |Feb sun = 218.6 |Mar sun = 209.6 |Apr sun = 202.5 |May sun = 198.5 |Jun sun = 162.8 |Jul sun = 169.2 |Aug sun = 180.6 |Sep sun = 190.2 |Oct sun = 220.4 |Nov sun = 247.9 |Dec sun = 257.5 |year sun = 2499.2 |source 1 = Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia{{cite web | url = http://www.inmet.gov.br/portal/index.php?r=clima/normaisclimatologicas | title = Normais Climatológicas Do Brasil 1981–2010 | publisher = Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia | language = pt | access-date = 20 October 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140905073726/http://www.inmet.gov.br/portal/index.php?r=clima%2FnormaisClimatologicas | archive-date = 5 September 2014 | url-status = live |source 2 = Meteo Climat (record highs and lows) | url = http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/station-1351-Maceio.php | title = Station Maceio | publisher = Meteo Climat |language = fr | access-date = 20 October 2018}}
| metric first = yes | single line = Yes |collapsed = Y | location = Maceió (1991-2020) |temperature colour = pastel |humidity colour = pastel | Jan high C =31.0 | Feb high C =31.3 | Mar high C =31.5 | Apr high C =30.7 | May high C =29.5 | Jun high C =28.4 | Jul high C =27.6 | Aug high C =27.8 | Sep high C =28.6 | Oct high C =29.9 | Nov high C =30.8 | Dec high C =31.3 | year high C = | Jan dew point C =22.2 | Feb dew point C =22.3 | Mar dew point C =22.6 | Apr dew point C =22.6 | May dew point C =22.4 | Jun dew point C =22.0 | Jul dew point C =21.5 | Aug dew point C =21.3 | Sep dew point C =21.4 | Oct dew point C =21.6 | Nov dew point C =21.7 | Dec dew point C =22.0 |precipitation colour = green |unit precipitation days = 1 mm | Jan precipitation mm =91.2 | Feb precipitation mm =80.2 | Mar precipitation mm =101.3 | Apr precipitation mm =194.3 | May precipitation mm =294.7 | Jun precipitation mm =322.8 | Jul precipitation mm =270.9 | Aug precipitation mm =191.5 | Sep precipitation mm =109.2 | Oct precipitation mm =70.2 | Nov precipitation mm =45.1 | Dec precipitation mm =36.7 | year precipitation mm = | Jan rain days =10 | Feb rain days =11 | Mar rain days =17 | Apr rain days =19 | May rain days =22 | Jun rain days =24 | Jul rain days =23 | Aug rain days =19 | Sep rain days =15 | Oct rain days =10 | Nov rain days =6 | Dec rain days =9 | year rain days = | Jan humidity =77.1 | Feb humidity =76.0 | Mar humidity = | Apr humidity =78.3 | May humidity =81.3 | Jun humidity =83.3 | Jul humidity =84.1 | Aug humidity =82.7 | Sep humidity =80.4 | Oct humidity =77.4 | Nov humidity =75.6 | Dec humidity =75.1 | year humidity =
| Jand sun =8.2 | Febd sun =8.1 | Mard sun =6.5 | Aprd sun =6.6 | Mayd sun =6.2 | Jund sun =6 | Juld sun =5.7 | Augd sun =6.6 | Sepd sun =6.8 | Octd sun =8.1 | Novd sun =9.2 | Decd sun =8.5 | yeard sun = | Jan light = 12.6 | Feb light = 12.4 | Mar light = 12.1 | Apr light = 11.9 | May light = 11.7 | Jun light = 11.6 | Jul light = 11.6 | Aug light = 11.8 | Sep light = 12.1 | Oct light = 12.3 | Nov light = 12.6 | Dec light = 12.7 | year light= | Jan uv =12 | Feb uv =12 | Mar uv =12 | Apr uv =12 | May uv =10 | Jun uv =9 | Jul uv =9 | Aug uv =10 | Sep uv =12 | Oct uv =12 | Nov uv =12 | Dec uv =12 | year uv = |source = INMET(Precipitation), (Dew Point), (Humidity) |source 2=Weather atlas(Sun-daylight-UV-Rainy days)
Economy
One substantial local industry is based on chemical products from brine pumped from deep wells on the outskirts of Maceió. Another substantial industry is the production of ethanol and sugar from sugarcane grown in the region. In the last thirty years the tourist industry has transformed the coastal areas of the city into vibrant centers of entertainment for Brazilian and foreign tourists (Americans, Italians, French, Germans, Argentinians, etc.).
These coastal neighborhoods include coconut palm trees, playgrounds, squares, open-to-the-public football, volleyball, and basketball fields, residential buildings, bars, nightclubs, tourist-oriented shops, restaurants, banks, hotels, and gambling houses (slot machines and bingo only, since casino games are illegal in Brazil).
The GDP for the city was R$23,400,000,000 (); The per capita income for the city was R$22,976.51 ().
Gallery
File:Praia de Ipioca - Maceió - Alagoas (11394615784).jpg|Ipioca beach in Maceió File:Avenida Entrecoqueiros.JPG|Entrecoqueiros Avenue
Transportation
Public Transportation
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/TUDH_Bom_Sinal_Maceio-AL_27.06.2012_-_ELIAS_VIEIRA.png" caption="Maceió Light Train"] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Aeroporto_Internacional_Zumbi_dos_Palmares_-_03.jpg" caption="Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport."] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Porto_de_Maceió_no_Jaraguá,_Alagoas.jpg" caption="Port of Maceió."] ::
Maceió is served by Maceió Urban Rail, a light rail system.
International Airport
Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport located outside Maceió serves the area with international connections to Lisbon in Portugal and Buenos Aires in Argentina, as well as cities throughout Brazil.
In 2021 the airport handled 1,893,812 passengers.
Port
The Port of Jaraguá is a Brazilian port located in Maceió. The commercial and economic development of the Port of Jaraguá, next to the margins of the Mundaú lagoon, was responsible for the emergence of an important settlement that received the name of Maceió and later became the present capital of Alagoas. The Port of Jaraguá is situated in a natural port area that facilitates the ships docking. During the Brazilian colonial period, the most important products exported from there port were sugar, tobacco, coconut and spices. The Biggest Cruise Ship to attract at port was MSC Seashore in 2022.
Highways
Maceió is connected to the main cities of Brazil by the BR-104, BR-101, BR-316 and AL-101 highways. The distances to other Brazilian cities are shown below:
- Brasília: 2010 km (1249 mi);
- Recife: 270 km (168 mi);
- Aracaju: 290 km (180 mi);
- Salvador: 610 km (379 mi).
Twin towns – sister cities
- BRA Aracaju, Brazil
- BRA João Pessoa, Brazil
- KOR Gwangju, South Korea
- ITA Milan, Italy
Neighbourhoods
There are today about 50 districts in Maceió:
- Antares
- Barro Duro
- Bebedouro
- Benedito Bentes
- Bom Parto
- Canaã
- Centro de Maceió (Downtown)
- Chã de Bebedouro
- Chã da Jaqueira
- Cidade Universitária
- Clima Bom
- Cruz das Almas
- Farol
- Feitosa
- Fernão Velho
- Garça Torta
- Gruta de Lourdes
- Guaxuma
- Ipioca
- Jacarecica
- Jacintinho
- Jaraguá
- Jardim Petrópolis
- Jatiúca
- Levada
- Mangabeiras
- Mutange
- Ouro Preto
- Pajuçara
- Pescaria
- Pinheiro
- Pitanguinha
- Poço
- Ponta da Terra
- Ponta Grossa
- Ponta Verde
- Pontal da Barra
- Prado
- Petrópolis
- Riacho Doce
- Rio Novo
- Santa Amélia
- Santo Amaro
- Santos Dumont
- São Jorge
- Serraria
- Tabuleiro do Martins
- Trapiche da Barra
- Vergel do Lago.
Surrounding highlights
- Praia do Francês (French's Beach)
- Barra Nova (New Waterway)
- Dunas de Marapé (Dunes of Marapé)
- Nove Ilhas (Nine Islands)
- Massagüera (or Massagueira)
- Barra de São Miguel (San Miguel Waterway)
- Praia do Gunga (Gunga's Beach)
- Sonho Verde (Green Dream)
- Barra de Santo Antônio (Santo Antonio Waterway)
- Maragogi
- Murici
- Japaratinga
- Pontal do Coruripe
- Statue of Liberty replica in front of Museu da Imagem e do Som de Alagoas (Museum of Image and Sound of Alagoas)
References
References
- [https://cidades.ibge.gov.br/brasil/al/maceio/panorama IBGE 2022]
- (26 Nov 1824). "Brazil)". [[Liverpool Mercury]].
- (26 Nov 1824). "Liverpool, Friday, November 26th". [[Liverpool Mercury]].
- (August 3, 2025). "Ten years after the Zika outbreak: What happened to the babies born with microcephaly?".
- (2021). "The vulnerabilities of lives: Zika, women and children in Alagoas State, Brazil - PMC". Cadernos de Saude Publica.
- "Normal Climatológica do Brasil 1991-2020: Temperatura Máxima Mensal e Anual (°C)". [[Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia]].
- "Precipitação Acumulada Decendial Mensal e Anual (mm) Period:1991-2020". Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia.
- "Temperatura do Ponto de Orvalho Mensal e Anual (°C) Periodo:1991-2020". [[Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia]].
- "Umidade Relativa do Ar Compensada Mensal e Anual (%): Período: 1991-2020". Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia.
- "Climate and monthly weather forecast Maceió, Brazil".
- "Maceió".
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