Serra do Mar

a name commonly used to designate the eastern edge of the Brazilian Highlands south of Rio de Janeiro. (The Serra do Mar proper is between 25° and 28°30’ S lat.) There are elevations to 1,889 m. The Serro do Mar, which is an uplifted edge of the crystalline Atlantic shield, falls abruptly to the Atlantic Ocean, giving the eastern slopes the appearance of mountain ranges. Tropical rain forests are common in the region.