Cananéia is the southernmost city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, near where the Tordesilhas Line passed. The population in 2020 was 12,541 and its area is 1,242.010 km². The elevation is 8 m. The city of Cananéia is host to the Dr. João de Paiva Carvalho research base belonging to the Oceanographic Institute of the University of São Paulo.
Cananéia is considered by some Portuguese and Spanish historians to be the oldest city in Brazil,[3][4][5] five months before the founding of São Vicente, but due to the lack of official documentation proving this fact, São Vicente is officially the oldest city in Brazil. The Historic Center of Cananéia, listed by CONDEPHAAT, still preserves the architectural styles adopted by the first houses and churches from the colonial period until the end of the 19th century. The beaches also attract thousands of people in high season, and Ilha do Cardoso has several trails and waterfalls, as well as several archaeological sites. Festivals, cuisine and handicrafts are also attractions apart from the city, whose main sources of income are fishing and tourism.
Founded in 1531, Cananéia is considered by some to be the oldest city in Brazil (5 months before the foundation of São Vicente) but due to the lack of official documentation proving this fact, São Vicente is officially the oldest city in Brazil. The historic center of Cananéia still preserves the architectural styles adopted by the first houses from the colonial period to the end of the 19th century.
^Díaz de Guzmán, Ruy; Tieffemberg, Silvia (2012). Argentina: historia del descubrimiento y conquista del Río de la Plata. Libros de cátedra. Buenos Aires: Editorial de la Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Universidad de Buenos AIres. ISBN978-987-1785-55-1.