Bahia (pronounce [baˈi.a]) is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size. It is also the most important state, in terms of history and culture, in Brazil's Northeast Region. Bahia's capital is the city of Salvador, or more properly, São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos, that is located at the junction of the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of All Saints. The name is an archaic spelling of the Portuguese word meaning "bay" and comes from "a baía de Todos os Santos" (All Saints' Bay), first seen by European sailors on November 1, 1501, All Saints' Day.