Estreito

Estreito is a municipality in southern Maranhão, Brazil, located where the Tocantins River runs narrow and crossable, making it a natural meeting point between states. The town grew up around this strategic river location where transportation routes converge.

The settlement began in 1909 when a small village was founded at the narrowest point of the Tocantins River to serve as a crossing point. Over time it became an important link connecting Maranhão with the neighboring state of Tocantins.

The municipality maintains educational programs through its Municipal Education Department, focusing on expanding access to education for local inhabitants.

Two bridges cross the Tocantins River and connect the municipality to the neighboring state: a road bridge and a railway bridge on the North-South Railway. These crossing points make movement between the two regions straightforward for travelers.

A large hydroelectric power plant completed in 2012 harnesses the dammed river to generate electricity for the region. The reservoir created by the dam is surprisingly vast and transforms the river landscape into something quite different from before.

Location: Maranhão

Elevation above the sea: 294 m

Shares border with: São Pedro dos Crentes, Aguiarnópolis, Carolina, Darcinópolis, Palmeiras do Tocantins, Porto Franco, São João do Paraíso

GPS coordinates: -6.56083,-47.45083

Latest update: December 7, 2025 19:27