Historical Maps of Brazil

Historical Maps of Brazil

The history of Brazil can be told through maps that show the territorial changes that have taken place over the centuries. Since the beginning of the 16th century, various cartographies have depicted indigenous scenes, fauna, vegetation and the names given to the country, such as Terra de Santa Cruz, Terra Incógnita, Terra dos Papagaios and Brasil.

Cartographers such as Ruysch, Waldseemüller, Ortelius and Gastaldi recorded the first names and territorial disputes.

In the 16th century, maps show exchanges between the French and indigenous peoples, documented by André Thevet, who accompanied the creation of the Antarctic colony.

During the Iberian Union (1580-1640), the French, English and Dutch presence on the Brazilian coast increased.

The Philippine Crown encouraged Luso-Brazilian expansion beyond the Treaty of Tordesillas, recording new fortresses and cities on the maps of Cochado and Albernaz I.

In the 17th century, Portuguese manuscript cartography detailed the Brazilian coast, most notably the map of Albernaz II (1666), which highlighted São Paulo and the Jesuit missions in the south.

Between 1624 and 1654, Dutch cartography stood out with maps such as “Perfect Caerte der Gelegentheyt van Olinda de Pharnambuco Maurits-stadt ende t’Reciffo” by Cornelis Golijath.

In the 18th century, French cartography prevailed, with contributions from Guillaume de L’Isle and Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d’Anville. De L’Isle corrected errors in Portuguese calculations of Brazil’s longitudes, influencing the Treaty of Madrid (1750), which redefined borders and led to a vast cartographic production.

In the 19th century, the manuscript atlas “Guia dos Caminhantes” (1817) by Anastácio de Santana stands out, with maps of Brazil and Salvador.

The period saw an increase in cartographic production, covering provinces, hydrography and borders. In 1922, the Engineering Club published “Carta geographica do Brasil”, consolidating centuries of cartographic records.

Important historical maps of Brazil

  1. Map by Juan de la Cosa (1500) – First representation of the Americas, including the northeast coast of Brazil.
  2. Letter by Pero Vaz de Caminha (1500) – Description of the discovery of Brazil.
  3. Mapa de Cantino (1502) – First detailed map of the Brazilian coast.
  4. Map of Lopo Homem (1519) – Part of Miller’s Atlas, with great precision.
  5. Mercator map (1569) – Influential in world cartography.
  6. Map by João Teixeira Albernaz I (1640) – Showing the hereditary captainships.
  7. Map by Guillaume Delisle (1703) – Detailed and widely used in Europe.
  8. Map of the Treaty of Madrid (1750) – Redefined the borders between Portugal and Spain.
  9. Map of the Empire of Brazil (1822) – Showing the territory after independence.
  10. Cruls Map (1892) – Basis for the future capital, Brasilia.

Historical maps are essential tools for understanding the territorial, political and economic development of Brazil, from colonisation to the consolidation of the Republic.

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of Africa from 1570

Historical Map of Africa from 1570 Ortelius’ Cornerstone Map of Africa “Africae Tabula Nova”, Ortelius, Abraham Period: 1570 Publication: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum This striking map is one of the cornerstone maps of Africa and remained the standard map of Africa well into the seventeenth century. It was designed by Ortelius […]

Mapa do Brasil de 1730
"Nova et Accurata Brasiliae Totius Tabula, Auctore Ioanne Blaeu I.F.", Blaeu/Schenk
Este mapa escasso é o terceiro mapa do Brasil de Johannes Blaeu. Ele inclui as capitanias ao longo da costa e é uma melhoria significativa em relação aos mapas anteriores de Blaeu do Brasil. A bela cartela é cercada por querubins e um deus do rio. Esse mapa, desenhado por Joannes de Broen e gravado por Abraham Wolfgang, foi concluído pouco antes do grande incêndio que destruiu a gráfica e, portanto, foi incluído em apenas uma edição dos atlas de Blaeu. Em 1694, Pieter Schenk adquiriu várias placas de cobre de Blaeu, incluindo esta.
Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of Brazil 1730 – Historical Map

Map of Brazil 1730 – Historical Map “Nova et Accurata Brasiliae Totius Tabula, Auctore Ioanne Blaeu I.F.”, Blaeu/Schenk This rare map is Johannes Blaeu’s third map of Brazil. The map includes the hereditary captaincies along the coast and is a significant improvement on Blaeu’s previous maps of Brazil. The beautiful […]

World Map from 1584
Historical Maps of Brazil

1584 World Map – Historical Map

1584 World Map – Theatrum Orbis Terrarum Ortelius’ famous world map – first plate in full contemporary colour “Typus Orbis Terrarum”, Ortelius, Abraham This is the first (of three) world maps included in Ortelius’ famous atlas. It is a simplified reduction of Mercator’s influential map of 1569, presented in an […]

Mapa da Jamaica de 1671
Historical Maps of Brazil

1671 Map of Jamaica

Map of Jamaica of 1671 – Atlas Maritimus “Novissima et Accuratissima Insulae Jamaicae Descriptio”, Seller, John This is the first edition of a very rare English map showing the island divided into districts. In 1670, Sir Thomas Modyford commissioned a survey of the island, which was completed by John Man, […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Engraving of Sirinhaém from 1671

Engraving of Sirinhaém, 1671 Montanus’ work was perhaps the largest illustrated book on the New World produced in the 17th century. It contained more than one hundred beautifully engraved plates, views and maps of North and South America. The plates vividly depicted forts, festivals, occupations, Dutch fleets, battles, religious rites […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

1757 Map of the Western Hemisphere

1757 Map of the Western Hemisphere This beautiful map of the Americas includes the Solomon Islands. In North America, the Pacific Northwest is left open, completely blank and marked Undiscovered Parts. The coastline ends near Alaska with the note The Alleged Strait of Annian. The British colonies are shown east […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of Brazil from 1554

Map of Brazil from 1554 – Delle Navigationi Et Viaggi One of the Earliest Obtainable Maps of Brazil from the First Block “Brasil”, Ramusio, Giovanni Battista  EThis fascinating pictorial map is one of the earliest obtainable regional maps of Brazil. Illustrated with north to the right, the map is filled with […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of Brazil from 1747

Map of Brazil from 1747 – A Complete System of Geography… “A New & Accurate Map of Brasil. Divided into its Captainships Drawn from the Most Approved Modern Maps & Charts…”, Bowen, Emanuel Copper engraved map with good detail along the coastal areas with scores of place names. The map covers the […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of Paraíba from 1690

Map of Paraíba from 1690 “Afbeeldinghe van Pariba ende Forten”, Anon.  This bird’s-eye map shows the region of Paraiba and Portuguese fortifications at the mouth of the River Paraiba. The scene of the Dutch attack on the region is illustrated with the Dutch fleet and the defending Portuguese armies. Published […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of Brazil from 1630

Map of Brazil from 1630 – Nieuwe Wereldt ofte Beschrijvinghe “Provincia de Brasil cum Adiacentibus Provinciis”, Gerritsz/De Laet  This fine map was a collaborative effort between Hessel Gerritsz, the official cartographer to the Dutch East India Company, and Johannes de Laet, the director of the newly formed Dutch West India […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of Brazil from 1652

Map of Brazil from 1652 – Nouvel Atlas “Accuratissima Brasiliae Tabula”, Hondius/Jansson  Magnificent depiction of Brazil with north oriented to the right by a handsome compass rose. The map is inset with two regions of Dutch interest in the area; Baja de Todos los Sanctos and Pernambuco. The interior is bereft […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Engraving of Salvador de Bahia from 1671

Engraving of Salvador de Bahia from 1671 – De Nieuwe en Onbekende Weereld “Urbs Salvador”, Montanus, Arnoldus Montanus’ work was perhaps the greatest illustrated book on the New World produced in the seventeenth century. It contained over one hundred beautifully engraved plates, views, and maps of North and South America. The […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of Brazil from 1757

Map of Brazil from 1757 – L’Histoire Generale des Voyages… “[Lot of 2] Suite du Bresil Depuis la Baye de Tous les Saints Jusqu’a St. Paul [and] Suite du Bresil pour Servir a l’Histoire Generale des Voyages”, Bellin, Jacques Nicolas  This pair of copper engraved maps covers the coastline of Brazil […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of Brazil from 1850

Map of Brazil from 1850 – Illustrated Atlas and Modern History of the World “Brazil”, Tallis, John The maps from The Illustrated Atlas were first published in serial form to a target audience that led insular lives due to the expense and hardship of travel. All that changed as the progress of […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of South America from 1740

Map of South America from 1740 – Atlante Novissimo… “Carta Geografica della America Meridionale”, Albrizzi, Girolamo Beautifully engraved, Italian edition of Delisle’s map of South America, extending from Nicaragua to Tierra del Fuego. Place names in South America are focused primarily along the coasts and along the Amazon and Parana Rivers. Two […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of South America from 1619

Map of South America from 1619 – Mercator’s Atlas “America Meridionalis”, Hondius, Jodocus Superb folio map of the continent that was added by Jodocus Hondius for publication in his continuation of the Mercator Atlas. The interior features the large mythical Parime Lacus straddling the equator and an equally interesting river system. The […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of South America from 1615

Map of South America from 1615 – Mercator’s Atlas “America Meridionalis”, Hondius, Jodocus Superb folio map of the continent that was added by Jodocus Hondius for publication in his continuation of the Mercator Atlas. The interior features the large mythical Parime Lacus straddling the equator and an equally interesting river system. The […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of Salvador de Bahia from 1748

Map of Salvador de Bahia from 1748 – Navigantium atque Itinerantium… “The City of St. Salvador and its Harbor”, Harris, John This sheet contains two views of St. Salvador, the capital of colonial Brazil. At top is a bird’s-eye view showing the city’s fortifications and at bottom is a prospect view of […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of Brazil from 1798

Map of Brazil from 1798 – Nuovo Atlante Geografico Universale “Il Brasile ed il Paese delle Amazzoni col Paraguai Delineati sulle Ultime Osservazioni”, Cassini, Giovanni Maria  This is an uncommon Italian map of Brazil, Paraguay and Uraguay. It extends to include the vicinity of Buenos Aires. It provides a good amount […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of the Province of Paraíba from 1698

Map of the Province of Paraíba from 1698 – Istoria delle Guerre del Regno del Brasile “Provincia di Paraiba”, Horatius, Andreas Antonius This striking map covers the province of Paraiba and illustrates its important rivers and prosperous sugar plantations. It was one of 23 maps from this rare account of the Dutch-Portuguese […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of Brazil from 1695

Map of Brazil from 1695 “Nova et Accurata Brasiliae totius Tabula”, Blaeu/Schenk Este escasso e belo mapa é o terceiro mapa do Brasil de Johannes Blaeu. This scarce, beautiful map is Johannes Blaeu’s third map of Brazil. Designed by Joannes de Broen and engraved by Abraham Wolfgang, it was completed shortly […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of South America from 1840

Map of South America from 1840 – A New General Atlas “Colombia Prima or South America”, Wyld, James This striking large map is drawn from Louis Stanislas D’Arcy Delarochette’s monumental eight sheet map of South America, which was used to settle numerous border disputes throughout the continent. It incorporates the most up-to-date […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of Paraíba from 1662

Map of Paraíba from 1662 – Atlas Maior “Praefecturae de Paraiba, et Rio Grande”, Blaeu, Johannes Superb map of the Brazilian coastline including the capitanias of Paraiba and Rio Grande. The map was drawn after actual surveys by Georg Markgraf, Elias Herckmanns and others, and was among the first maps of Brazil […]

Historical Maps of Brazil

Map of South America from 1650

Map of South America from 1650 “Amerique Meridionale”, Sanson/Mariette This attractive map presents the continent with Sanson’s characteristic attention to detail. The relatively unknown Amazon region is left with little speculation. The mythical Lac de Parime still appears with the legendary Manoa del Dora (city of gold) on its western shore; […]