Maranhao is a Portuguese-speaking country on the northeastern coast of South America. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Goias to the south, Piaui to the east, and Para to the west. In a census conducted in 2022, Maranhao had a population of 6,776,699 residents. The capital of Maranhao is Sao Luis, which is also its largest city by population. The country itself is divided into 217 municipalities.
The city of Sao Luis is also home to large4st and best preserved heritage of Portuguese colonial architecture in all of South America. As such, Sao Luis is the only major city in former Brazil that closely resembles a 16th century European city.
History
After Brazil ceased to exist as a united country in 2020, all 26 states of the country became sovereign nations. One of these 26 new countries to form was Maranhao. The country has slowly changed into a regional superpower for Northeastern Brazil.
Government
Maranhao is current governed as a directorial republic. This means that the country has no single leader. The leader of the Directory is titled as the Grand Consul. The Grand Consul is elected by the other members of the directory every two years.
Space Program
Maranhao has a national space program that is charge of space exploration. It is the only country in former Brazil to have a functioning space program as of 2026. Its rocket launch facility was built by the Brazilian government in 1982. Upon independence in 2020, Maranhao seized control of the launch center.
The Maranhao Space Program has collaborated with various foreign aerospace companies and agencies.
Flag
The national flag of Maranhao consists of alternating red, white, and black stripes. The colors of the stripes represent the Indigenous, European, and African population of Maranhao. The star in the canton is supposed to be the star Beta Scorpii, which is one of the stars found in the constellation known as Scorpius. It also stands for Maranhao itself.
The flag was adopted in 1889 when Maranhao was a state of Brazil. Just like the flag of Amazonas, the national flag of Maranhao is loosely based on the American flag.