Serra do Mar, Mountain range system in southeastern Brazil.
Serra do Mar forms a series of green mountain masses that follow the Atlantic shoreline from southern Rio de Janeiro state down through Santa Catarina. Dense rainforests cover steep slopes that rise suddenly from the coastal plain, separating the sea from the inland plateau.
Portuguese colonists arrived along the coast during the 16th century and found this mountain barrier difficult to cross when trying to reach inland areas. Only in the 19th century did engineers build railroad lines through tunnels and steep inclines to reach the plateau beyond.
The mountain range contains settlements of traditional communities, including quilombolas and caiçaras, who maintain their customs and ways of living.
Several hiking trails and lookout points along coastal roads provide access to different sections of the mountain chain. The climate remains humid and warm, with frequent clouds and occasional rain, especially in higher areas.
Much of the forest consists of Atlantic rainforest, an ecosystem that has disappeared from many other regions of Brazil. The dense growth has preserved several old paths once used by traders and travelers moving between the coast and the plateau.
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