The Lencois Maranhenses National Park (Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses) is located in Maranhao state, in northeastern Brazil, just east of the Baia de Sao Jose, between 02o19’—02o45’ S and 42o44’—43o29’ W. It is an area of low, flat, occasionally flooded land, overlaid with large, discrete sand dunes. It encompasses roughly 1,500 km2 (580 sq mi), and despite abundant rain, supports almost no vegetation. The area became a National Park on June 2, 1981.