Canoas is a municipality located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It forms part of the Greater Porto Alegre area and serves as the largest municipality within that metropolitan region. Officially declared a city on June 27, 1939, it was established following its separation from the municipalities of São Sebastião do Caí and Gravataí.
The city derives its name from the historical crafting of canoes in the area. It is currently ranked as the third-largest municipality in Rio Grande do Sul by population and holds the third-highest GDP in the state. Additionally, Canoas is recognized as the second-largest city in the Porto Alegre metropolitan area and ranks as the 79th most populous city in Brazil.