Pelotas is a Brazilian city and municipality located in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. It ranks as the fourth most populous city in the region, following Porto Alegre, Caxias do Sul, and Canoas.
The city is situated approximately 270 km from the state capital of Porto Alegre and 130 km from the Uruguayan border. Geographically, it is bordered by the Lagoa dos Patos to the east and the São Gonçalo Channel to the south, which serves as a boundary separating Pelotas from the municipality of Rio Grande.