Cabo de Santo Agostinho (English: Cape of St. Augustine) is a 448 square kilometer sized municipality located 35 kilometers south of the city of

Recife Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North Region, Brazil, North and the Northeast R ...

Pernambuco Pernambuco ( , , ) is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024, it is the List of Brazilian states by population, ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

. It is believed by some historians that

Vicente Yáñez Pinzón Vicente Yáñez Pinzón () (c. 1462 – after 1514) was a Spanish navigator and explorer, the youngest of the Pinzón brothers. Along with his older brother, Martín Alonso Pinzón (''c.'' 1441 – ''c.'' 1493), who captained the '' Pinta'', he ...

had set anchor in a bay in Cabo de Santo Agostinho on January 26, 1500, however the Portuguese discovery of Brazil was by

Pedro Álvares Cabral Pedro Álvares Cabral (; born Pedro Álvares de Gouveia; ) was a Portuguese nobleman, military commander, navigator and explorer regarded as the European discoverer of Brazil. He was the first human in history to ever be on four continents, ...

on April 21, 1500 is officially recognized instead. Cabo de Santo Agostinho was incorporated as a town in 1811. Cabo de Santo Agostinho has both an industrial section that is centered on the Suape port and many tropical beaches and nature reserves. The best-known beaches are Chalets, Paraíso, and Gaibu. Recanto do Domingos lies at the far south end of Pedra do Xareu beach.

Economy

The main economic activities in Cabo de Santo Agostinho are tourism, commerce and a strong and diverse general industry sector located near the Suape port.

Economic indicators

Suape Harbour

Suape port is an international port located in the city of Ipojuca in the state of

, between the municipalities of Ipojuca and Cabo de Santo Agostinho, within the

Recife metropolitan area Recife Metropolitan Area, officially the Metropolitan Region of Recife (, or ''Grande Recife''), is a major metropolitan area in Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Brazil with a population of 3.7 million as of 2022, centered on the state capital ...

and distant 40 km south of the capital (

). Suape serves ships 365 days a year without any restriction with regard to tidal schedules. It is one of the most important harbors and container terminals in northeast Brazil, playing an important role in the economy of the state of Pernambuco. In the 21st century, Suape has become the main driving force behind the economic development of Pernambuco. Its logistic advantages have attracted national and international investment on a huge scale, with over US$10 billion expected by 2010.

Health indicators

PE State site - City by city profile
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Beaches

;Paiva beach :A favored destination for those wishing to practice surfing surf, Paiva beach has warm, crystal clear waters, Atlantic forest vegetation and

coconut tree The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (biology), family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, ...

s, and small

natural pools Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the Ecosphere (planetary), ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the Scientific law, laws, elements and phenomenon, phenomena of the physic ...

formed between the

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

s. As yet it does not have a visitors service, but there is a mall, a large hotel and a whole new residential neighborhood. ;Itapuama beach :This two kilometer-long beach is a much sought after site for

water sports Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms ...

and

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

. It has hotels, bars and restaurants. ;Xeréu beach :The depth of the water makes this

beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from Rock (geology), rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle beach, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological s ...

suitable for

diving Diving most often refers to: * Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water * Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes Diving or Dive may also refer to: Sports * Dive (American football), ...

and also for

. Its

sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is usually defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural ...

contains

volcanic A volcano is commonly defined as a vent or fissure in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often fo ...

rocks and the bather has access to tents where snacks and seafood dishes are served. ;Enseada dos Corais beach :The name means ''coral bay'', The beach has natural

reef A reef is a ridge or shoal of rock, coral, or similar relatively stable material lying beneath the surface of a natural body of water. Many reefs result from natural, abiotic component, abiotic (non-living) processes such as deposition (geol ...

s and gentle

wave In physics, mathematics, engineering, and related fields, a wave is a propagating dynamic disturbance (change from List of types of equilibrium, equilibrium) of one or more quantities. ''Periodic waves'' oscillate repeatedly about an equilibrium ...

s. Services are restricted to a handful of bars and restaurants. ;Gaibu beach :High waves and a long 3-km stretch of sand. The beach is good for

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...

but bathers should beware of deep areas. At

high tide Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orbiting one another. Tide tables ...

s it is good for

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...

. The beach has several hotels, hostels, bars, restaurants, and so forth. Together, with Porto de Galinhas and Itamaracá, this

is one of the best to be found on the Northeast coast of

. ;Calhetas :Much frequented by those interested in

, Calhetas is located between

s and

s. It has bars and restaurants and, is a hotspot for underwater fishing. ;Paraiso beach :The name means ''heaven'' and the beach is tiny (a little piece of heaven) about 30 meters long, nestled between large rocks. The sea near this beach is almost completely protected from

s by

s and this how the beach got its name. ;Suape beach :Suape beach has virtually no waves and the sea is shallow. It is thus considered excellent for

. At

low tide Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orbiting one another. Tide tables c ...

, there are

sand bank In oceanography, geomorphology, and geoscience, a shoal is a natural submerged ridge, bank, or bar that consists of, or is covered by, sand or other unconsolidated material, and rises from the bed of a body of water close to the surface or ...

s. It is located in the Suape region near the industrial and

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...

complex of Suape.

Notes and references