03 - Conhecendo Santa Helena, MA.

SANTA HELENA DO MARANHÃO We went to visit the city of Santa Helena do Maranhão. Santa Helena do Maranhão is one of the 217 municipalities in the state of Maranhão. It is located in the microregion of Baixada Maranhense. Its population, according to estimates from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), was 42,483 inhabitants in 2020. The city is bathed by the Turiaçu River. The settlement of Santa Helena began in the early 19th century, by an indigenous man named Pedro Alves, who requested a portion of land on the banks of the Turiaçu River to establish a village of Gamela Indians. In May 1835, the settlement was elevated to the category of district, subordinate to the municipality of Guimarães. In June 1938, the district was elevated to the category of town, being separated from Guimarães. The municipality was definitively emancipated by decree nº 919, of September 30, 1935. Bordering municipalities: Turilândia, Santa Luzia do Paruá, Presidente Sarney, Pinheiro, Nova Olinda do Maranhão, Central do Maranhão, Mirinzal, Serrano do Maranhão