- Alagoas has 17 lakes.

- Alagoas is the second smallest Brazilian State, after Sergipe.

- Alagoas was part of the State of Pernambuco, from which it broke away in 1817.

- Alagoas is one of the few States that preserves parts of the Atlantic Rainforest, with trees more than 500 years old!

- There are still some indigenous settlements in Alagoas.

- Quilombo dos Palmares, which was a symbol of the struggle against slavery, was in the city of União dos Palmares.

- The airport is called Zumbi dos Palmares.

- Maragogi beach has the clearest waters in the whole of Brazil.

- The first and second presidents of Brazil, Marechal Deodoro and Floriano Peixoto, were both from Alagoas.

- Hermes da Fonseca was another president with family connections to Alagoas.

- The capital used to be the city of Santa Maria Madalena do Sul, which is now called Marechal Deodoro. The house of the former president is now a museum.

- The legendary outlaw couple, Lampião and Maria Bonita, can still be seen in the city, principally in Lampião Bar on the seafront at Ponta Verde.

- The writers Graciliano Ramos and Jorge de Lima were from Alagoas.

- Another writer, Clarice Lispector, lived in Maceió, although she was originally from the Ukraine. Macabéa, a character in her novel, The Hour of the Star, is from Alagoas.

- Djavan, Zagallo, Marcio Canuto and Hermeto Pascoal are from Alagoas.

- Nobody comes to Maceió without taking a photograph of the boat at the Hotel Meliá or of the seven coconut palms.

- The Seven Coconut Palm Beach is named after the seven coconut palms located at a strategic point. Although the original palms had to be felled because they were ageing, new ones have been planted in their place.

- Alagoas has the second largest river in Brasil (the São Francisco) and various seasonal rivers.

- Alagoas was the site of the first hydroelectric power station in the world, in the municipality of Delmiro Gouveia.

- Alagoas is the second largest producer of sugarcane in Brazil, second only to São Paulo.

- On Praia do Francês, grey and black dolphins are a frequent sight. The resort also hosts one round of the World Surfing Championship (WQS).

- At Barra de São Miguel, in the port, and at Maragogi beach, dolphins can also be seen.

- The first alcohol-powered car was made in Alagoas.

- Alagoas has the second largest reserves of natural gas in Brazil but no thermoelectric power station. Termoalagoas will be built in the neighbouring State of Pernambuco. Alagoas will sell the gas and buy back energy.

- Alagoas has a number of oil wells, most of them on land.

- The lakes are shallow (averaging 2 metres in depth). Some of them are currently being dredged.

- Mundaú is a salt-water lake, and, in some parts, sharks have been found.

- Maceió has a number of macabre attractions, such as the Breda Building, where various people committed suicide, and a saltwater creek, called Salgadinho, where, 25 years ago, people used to bathe.

- A goat called Frederico was once elected mayor of one small country town. It was assassinated.

- Another goat of the same name could dance the Tchan and call its owner by name. It was kidnapped and a ransom of 500 reals was demanded. The goat was made into buchada [a local dish made of goat’s meat].

- There is a beach in Alagoas called New Orleans. There is nothing there but a bar which once bore this name.

- The Praia do Francês was discovered by the French when they came in search of Brazil wood, which still exists in Alagoas.

- Some historians argue that the Portuguese explorers first landed in Alagoas.

- There are three football teams in Alagoas, CRB (Clube de Regatas Brasil), CSA (Centro Sportivo Alagoano) and ASA (Associação Sportiva Arapiraquense).

- Alagoas has the highest concentration of wealth in the whole of Brazil: the richest 10% of the population holding more than 50% of the total income, and most of this belongs to a score of wealthy families. On the other hand, the State also has the highest average per capita income in the Northeast region.