The Recôncavo Baiano is a geographical region located in the Brazilian state of Bahia that covers the inland area surrounding the Bay of All Saints and the Metropolitan Region of Salvador. However, the expression is not constantly used to refer to Salvador.[1]
The region is very rich in oil. In agriculture, sugar cane, manioc, tobacco and some tropical fruit crops are suitable for planting. Since the beginning of Brazil's colonization, the word "recôncavo", originally used to describe lands around a bay, has been associated with the area near the Bay of All Saints.[1]
History
In the 16th century, the Recôncavo Baiano was notable for the presence of brazilwood. The local climate contributed to the cultivation of sugar cane crops, which became the strongest economic activity in the area and resulted in the construction of more than 400 sugar mills. The massive presence of Africans enslaved on Brazilian plantations influenced different cultural elements, such as music, food and religion.[2][3][4]
A genetic study conducted in municipalities in the Recôncavo Baiano confirmed the high degree of African ancestry in the region. People from the urban areas of Cachoeira and Maragojipe were analyzed, as well as quilombolas from the rural area of Cachoeira. The result indicated that African ancestry was 80.4%, European ancestry 10.8% and indigenous ancestry 8.8%. In Salvador, the genetic analysis carried out on the population confirmed that the city's largest genetic contribution is African (49.2%), followed by European (36.3%) and indigenous (14.5%). It also concluded that individuals who have a surname with a religious connotation are more likely to have African ancestry (54.9%) and to belong to less privileged social classes.[5][6]
The region features stretches of Atlantic Forest with typical specimens of caatinga and cerrado. The soils in the valleys and at the mouths of the Paraguaçu, Jaguaripe and Subaé rivers are shallow, well-drained and have medium to high natural fertility. It also presents the highly fertile massapê soil, which originates from the pedogenetic processes of igneous and meta-igneous rocks such as basalt, gabbro, green schist and chlorite schist.[8][9][4]