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São Paulo ( pron. ; Portuguese for Saint Paul) is the capital of the state of São Paulo in Southeastern Brazil. It is located at
The city (limits) has an area of 1,523.0 square kilometres (588.0 sq. miles)[1] and a population of just over 11 million[2] (2006 IBGE estimate), which makes it the most populous in the Southern Hemisphere.[3] Because São Paulo is sprawling like Los Angeles, it has two definitions for its metropolitan area. By its CSA (Combined Statistical Area) type definition of metropolitan area, it is the second largest city with 29 million inhabitants (Complexo Metropolitano Expandido),[4], only Greater Tokyo being more populous. The more narrowly defined greater São Paulo metropolitan area, which doesn't include Campinas, Baixada Santista and many other nearby areas (Região Metropolitana de São Paulo) has around 19.7 million inhabitants (2006), making it the fifth most populous metropolitan area in the world.
People from the city of São Paulo are known as paulistanos, while paulista designates anyone from the whole of São Paulo state, including the paulistanos. The city's Latin motto is Non ducor, duco, which translates as "I am not led, I lead". A famous nickname for the city is "Sampa".
Sao Paulo is also known for its smog, its commuter helicopter fleet, unreliable weather, and multitude of skyscrapers, having the 7th position in the Skyline ranking.[5]
Jesuit missionaries José de Anchieta and Manuel da Nóbrega founded the village of São Paulo de Piratininga on January 25, 1554. Along with their entourage, they established a mission named Colégio de São Paulo de Piratininga aimed at converting the Tupi-Guarani Native Brazilians to the Catholic religion. Located just beyond the Serra do Mar cliffs, overlooking the port city of Santos, and close to River Tietê, the new settlement became the natural entrance from the South East coast to the vast and fertile plateau to the West that would eventually become the State of São Paulo.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, groups of explorers who called themselves the Bandeirantes traversed forests and new territories within the Latin American continent searching for gold, diamonds and other riches. The Bandeirantes are regarded as being responsible for a great deal of the Brazilian territorial expansion beyond the Tordesilhas Line and for the discovery of many mines of precious metals and stones. There are several monuments in honor of their contribution to the city, including the Monumento das Bandeiras, one of the landmarks of São Paulo.
São Paulo officially became a city in 1711. In the 19th century, it experienced a flourishing economic prosperity, brought about chiefly through coffee exports, which were shipped abroad from the port of neighbouring city Santos. After 1881, waves of immigrants from Italy, Japan and many other countries emigrated to São Paulo in order to work at the enormous coffee plantations established in the State making it the only Brazilian state capital which Portuguese descendants are not the majority. At the beginning of the 20th century, the coffee cycle had already plummeted due to, among other factors, a sharp decline in international coffee prices. The local entrepreneurs then started investing in the industrial development of São Paulo, attracting new contingents of overseas immigrants to the city.
However, due to competition with many other Brazilian cities, which sometimes offer tax advantages for companies to build manufacturing plants in situ, Sao Paulo's main economic activities have gradually left its industrial profile in favour of the services industry over the late 20th century. The city is home to a large number of local and international banking offices, law firms, multinational companies and consumer services.
Another important historical landmark is the University of São Paulo's Law School, also known as Largo São Francisco, claimed to be one of the three first academic institutions in Brazil along with the Law School of Recife and the Universidade Federal do Amazonas. Originally installed into a monastery, it was founded by an Imperial Decree on 1 March 1828, shortly after the beginning of the Brazilian Empire, following the increasing need for lawyers and politicians. As wealthy Brazilians would often go to Europe to take undergraduate law courses, the Brazilian Emperor, Dom Pedro I, decided that it would be fitting to create a national law school. It began to attract students from across the country, who were a strong contributing factor to São Paulo's distinctly bohemian lifestyle.
In light of its economic and demographic weight, São Paulo has always played a pivotal role in Brazilian politics. With a constituency larger than that of many Brazilian states, the mayor's office is viewed by politicians as a springboard for state and national-level offices.
São Paulo's most recent mayors were:
São Paulo is located on a plateau that is part of the Serra do Mar (Portuguese for "Sea Range"), itself part of the vast region known as the Brazilian Highlands, with an average elevation around 800m (2,625 ft) - though at a distance of only about 70 km (40mi) from the Atlantic Ocean. This distance is covered by two highways, the Anchieta and the Imigrantes, (see "Transportation" section below) that roll down the range, leading to the port city of Santos and the beach resort of Guarujá. Rolling terrain prevails within the urbanized areas of São Paulo, but to the north, the Serra da Cantareira Range boasts higher elevations and a sizable remnant of the Atlantic Rain Forest. The entire region is tectonically very stable, and no significant seismic activity has ever been recorded.
The Tietê River was once a source of freshwater and recreation for São Paulo. However, in the latter half of the 20th century, like its tributary, the Pinheiros, it became grossly polluted by raw sewage and industrial effluents. However, a substantial clean-up program for both rivers has met with some success. Neither is navigable in the stretch that flows through the city, but transportation is important on the Tietê further downstream, as the river is part of the River Plate basin.
There are no large natural lakes in the region, but the Guarapiranga and Billings reservoirs are used for power generation, water storage, and recreation.
The original flora consisted mainly of a great variety of broadleaf evergreens. Today, non-native species are common, as the mild climate and abundant rainfall permit a multitude of tropical, subtropical and temperate plants to be cultivated, with eucalyptus being especially ubiquitous.
According the Köppen climate classification São Paulo has a humid subtropical climate. Temperatures seldom reach 30°C (86°F) during summer, while frost is rare during winter. All-time record temperatures are 35.3ºC (96.6°F) in November 15, 1985 and -2.1°C (28°F) in August 2, 1955 (both at the Mirante de Santana National Weather Station, in the north region). In the mountains around the city (Horto Florestal), -3.9ºC (25°F) were registered also in August 2, 1955 (unofficially). Snow flurries were reported officially just on one occasion in June 25, 1918. Rainfall is abundant, especially in the warmer months, but rare between June and August. Neither São Paulo nor the nearby coast has ever been hit by a tropical cyclone, and tornadic activity is uncommon.
São Paulo is officially inserted in a larger metropolitan region named "Grande São Paulo" ("Greater São Paulo"). The region holds, in total, 39 municipalities and a population of more than 19 million (as of 2005 according to IBGE).
The City of São Paulo is divided into 33 boroughs, or more exactly, subprefectures (in Portuguese subprefeituras):
Each subprefecture is divided into several districts (in most cases, two or three). The subprefectures with the greatest number of districts are the boroughs of Sé, in the historical downtown, Butantã, the location of USP, Lapa, Penha and Mooca, all having eleven districts. Well known districts include:
These boroughs are arranged in nine regions, which are the following:
In the vicinity of São Paulo are three SOS Children's Villages':
São Paulo is one of the most important financial centers in Latin America. Its stock exchange is called the Bovespa, while its futures exchange is the BM&F. Its financial districts are located on the surroundings of Avenida Paulista and in the Centro Velho (Old Centre). Other important business districts are located in the boroughs of Pinheiros and Santo Amaro, including the large artery Faria Lima.
There are a number of highly specialised regions, like Bom Retiro and Brás (wholesale garment districts), Consolação (lighting equipment), Rua Santa Ifigênia (electrical and electronic parts), Rua Teodoro Sampaio (furniture and musical equipment), the posh Rua Oscar Freire (designer and label stores), Avenida Europa (luxurious automobiles) and the crowded Rua Vinte Cinco de Março. São Paulo is also home to a large number of advertising and broadcasting companies.
In the last few years, São Paulo has become a major home to many international events and fairs, visited by the most varied audiences, ranging from scientists and artists to merchants and entrepreneurs, coming from Brazil and also abroad. Some of the most important events that usually take place in the city are:
There has been a gradual change in the city economic profile since a decade ago, from a strongly industrialized base to service and technology-oriented activity. Intensive manpower-consuming industries have been replaced by a great number of high-technology industries and service providers of many flavors. Business has increased, many new colleges have been founded, and there has been a boom in many sectors, particularly shopping malls, entertainment, construction and business-oriented tourism.
São Paulo has significant ethnic diversity in comparison to other major cities:
Other sizable groups are: Chinese, Armenians, Lithuanian, Greeks, Syrians, Koreans, Polish, Hungarians, and Jamaicans.
As in the rest of Brazil, Portuguese is the official and dominant language of the vast majority of the population. However, many other languages, such as German, Japanese, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, and Korean, are still spoken by first and second-generation members of their respective ethnic communities. Italian (its southern dialects in particular) was once widespread, and though most Italo-Brazilians in the city are no longer fluent in it, typical ''paulistano'' Portuguese retains a distinctive Italian cadence.
São Paulo hosts one of the most well known academic institutions in the World, the University of São Paulo (USP). A public university maintained by the State of São Paulo, USP is tuition-free to any student who is accepted. It boasts large research programs, as well as being one of the most highly regarded educational centers in the country. Located in the city is the main campus, as well as the medical and law school. Several smaller campuses are located throughout the state.
Other universities include the Fundação Getúlio Vargas and the Pontifical Catholic University (PUC-SP). Also, Sao Paulo city is home to the National Institute of Nuclear Research IPEN (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Nucleares) and the largest public hospital in the country (Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP).
To be expanded. Please help contributing and explaining the historical roles of these artists.
São Paulo is a major cultural centre. The city has an ethnically diverse metropolitan area, with heavy Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Arab and Japanese influences.
The city is known for its varied and sophisticated cuisine, ranging from Chinese to French, from fast food chains to five star restaurants. There are 52 different types of cuisines in São Paulo, and more than 12 thousand restaurants. Other venues such as thousands of bars, pubs, lounges and discos cater to a variety of music tastes.
São Paulo is home to the University of São Paulo and the Federal University of São Paulo, as well as many other private colleges such as the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo and Mackenzie Presbyterian University, the latter founded by North American missionaries; two major art museums (MASP and Pinacoteca do Estado), a major symphonic orchestra (OSESP), and a Formula One Grand Prix racing circuit (Interlagos).
There are two major airports in the São Paulo metropolitan area: São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU, for domestic and international flights) and Congonhas, insteresting building in the 50's architectural style (CGH, for domestic flights). There's also a small airport known as Campo de Marte north of the Old Center for small, private aircraft and helicopters. Campo de Marte also hosts the Ventura Goodyear Blimp.
The Electronic Language International Festival (FILE) is a non-profit cultural organization, whose purpose is to disseminate and to develop arts, technologies and scientific research, by means of exhibitions, debates, lectures, and courses. The festival promotes a yearly meeting in Brazil, in the city of São Paulo. The event is open to the public, and intends to expand its educational reach to local and eventually remote audiences, thus sharing the experiences learned with FILE, through technologies of education, communication, registration and memory. The File Festival show in its events web art, net.art, artificial life, hypertext, computer animation, real time teleconferences, virtual reality, panoramas, interactive movie, e- video, electronic art installations and robotics through interactive and immersive rooms.
Every two years, Associação Cultural Videobrasil's International Electronic Art Festival brings groundbreaking work by cream-of-the-crop artists from all over the world to São Paulo. In keeping with the constant transformations in media and support, the curatorship has added installations, performances, VJs, CD-ROM art, and internet art to the programme.
The Festival includes a competitive exhibition of so-called southern circuit and an extensive parallel programme. Art shows, debates and meetings introduce new ideas and art work, setting new guidelines for contemporary art in Brazil.
Exhibitions featuring work by prominent electronic artists are also part of the Festival. Brazilian pioneers such as Rafael França and Olhar Eletrônico, and international guests such as Nam June Paik, Bill Viola and Gary Hill, have featured in the event’s past editions. Each edition has a theme of its own. [8]
The São Paulo Art Biennial is a cultural event hosted every two years. Almost 1 million people visited the 26th Bienal in 2004.
Its theme was chosen to enable a wide range of artistic positions to feel comfortable. The concept of "Free Territory" involved various dimensions: it had a physical-geographical, a socio-political as well as an aesthetic dimension — the latter, of course, being of greatest interest in the context of this exhibition.
In order to emphasise the thematic unity of the overall exhibition, the invited artists and those representing the countries are mixed together on the 25,000 square metres of the spacious Oscar Niemeyer Pavilion. Despite the complexity of individual voices, the end result was intended to be a unity.
In addition to an intensification of the North-South dialogue inside Brazil, the Bienal's aims include the promoting of links between non-European cultures along a South-South orientation. The next edition of the Bienal will take place in 2008.
Brazil first entered the international fashion circuit with the increasing reputation of famous Brazilian top models such as Adriana Lima, Gisele Bündchen, Fernanda Tavares, Ana Beatriz Barros, Izabel Goulart and Ana Hickmann, and the "discovery" of some fresh talents such as Alexandre Herchcovitch by some international fashion magazines. As a consequence of this, SPFW is the place to see and to be seen in Brazilian fashion scene, always attracting a number of international editors and models.
Nowadays, São Paulo Fashion Week is one of the most relevant fashion events. It takes place twice a year at the building of Bienal de São Paulo.
As in the rest of Brazil, Football is by far the most important sport in the city. The major teams in São Paulo are Corinthians, Palmeiras and São Paulo FC. These teams are all playing in the Brazilian Série A. The fourth most important club of the city is Portuguesa, currently playing in Brazilian Série B. There are two other small clubs in the city, Juventus and Nacional. Another popular club in São Paulo is Santos FC from the nearby coastal city of the same name, Santos.
Soccer teams
The São Silvestre Race takes place every New Year's Eve (31 December). It was first held in 1925, when the competitors ran about 8,000 metres across the streets. Since then, the distance raced has varied, and it is now fixed at 15 km. Registration takes place from 1 October, with the maximum number of entrants limited to 15,000.
The Brazilian Grand Prix (Portuguese: Grande Prêmio do Brasil) is a Formula One championship race which occurs at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Interlagos. In 2006 the Grand Prix was the final round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The Spanish driver Fernando Alonso won the 2006 drivers championship at this circuit by coming second in the race. The race was won by the young Brazilian driver Felipe Massa, driving for the Scuderia Ferrari team.
Volleyball, basketball and tennis are other major sports. There are several traditional sports clubs in São Paulo that are home for teams in many championships. The most important are Esporte Clube Pinheiros (volleyball, swimming, basketball and handball), Clube Atlético Paulistano (basketball), Esporte Clube Banespa (volleyball and handball), Associação Atlética A Hebraica (basketball) and São Paulo Athletic Club (rugby union).
The following international sports events have been held in São Paulo:
The city is crossed by many of the most important roads of the country, such as the BR-116, SP-270, SP-280, Rodovia Anhangüera, Rodovia dos Bandeirantes, Rodovia Anchieta, Rodovia Castelo Branco and Rodovia dos Imigrantes. Some railways also cross the city. They are, however, very old and were constructed intending not to transport people, but to transport coffee to the Santos seaport. However, there are new projects to build new medium-high speed railway tracks from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro (a project has been announced by the Brazilian government to build a high speed railway service in order to link the country's biggest cities, the trains would go as fast as 280 km/h, and would link São Paulo and Rio in about 1 hour and 30 minutes). These works are still waiting to be officially announced by the government. The other important project is the "Expresso Bandeirantes", wich is a medium speed rail service (about 160 km/h) from São Paulo to Campinas, which would make the journey go from the hour and a half nowadays to about 50 minutes, linking São Paulo, Jundiaí, Campinas Airport, and Campinas city center. This service is also going to be connected to the railway service that will link São Paulo city center and Guarulhos Airport. Works on this last railway service between São Paulo city center and Guarulhos Airport were announced to begin until 2010, which is going to be the beginning of the renewal of Brazilian passenger railway service.
São Paulo has three airports. In 2005, about 33 million people passed through the city's airports (mainly from Congonhas and Guarulhos International, the only two operating commercial flights) São Paulo thus contains the most crowded air space both in Latin America and the Southern Hemisphere. Infraero, Brazil's main airport authority, predicts that with the new remodelling of Guarulhos Airport, within five years São Paulo's airports will handle about 45 million. There are also plans to expand the Campinas Viracopos Airport. Campinas is located about 90 km from São Paulo. In about 15 years, São Paulo-Campinas airspace will expand from the 34 million figure nowadays to 100 million. Congonhas/São Paulo International Airport operates domestic and regional flights, mainly to Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and Brasília. Campo de Marte Airport handles some private and small airplanes. São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport, known to paulistanos as "Cumbica", located 25 km north east from the city centre in the neighbouring city of Guarulhos, operates domestic and international flights.
São Paulo has one of the highest per capita helicopter ownership in the developing world. The owners are an elite wealthy class who take advantage of around one hundred helipads and heliports to conveniently avoid heavy traffic.
The city has 60.5 km of underground railway systems (34.6 km fully underground) (the São Paulo Metro, locally known as the Metrô), with 4 lines in operation and 57 stations (33 underground), complemented by another 270 km of CPTM (Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos, or "Paulista Company of Metropolitan Trains") railways. Both CPTM and the underground railway lines carry some 3.5 million people on an average weekday, and a few new underground lines to be constructed are expected to add another million people to the system within the next five years. All the main projects from the São Paulo railway and underground system for the next 10 years can be found on the Metrô website and CPTM (in Portuguese). The projects are said to expand the system from the current 330 km to more than 500 km on the next 10 years.
On Friday January 12, 2007, at 3:15 PM local time, a huge crater opened by an accident in a future line 4 (yellow) station of São Paulo's subway system. Seven people were killed (four of them in a passing shuttle bus which was swallowed and buried by the cave-in). The accident caused serious damage to many houses in the surrounding area, forcing their inhabitants to move to hotels and the homes of relatives. Prior the accident, many reports concerning fissures in the walls of these houses had been noticed. Officials of the company hired by the State of São Paulo Government to build the station blamed excessive rain as a primary cause, although outside pundits say what really happened was insufficient soil analysis, since the station is very close to the Pinheiros River. After the accident, another concern was a large crane that threatened to fall over neighboring homes until it was dismantled.[6][7]
For the history of Sao Paulo tramways[8].
The bulk of the public transport (public and private companies) is composed of approximately 17,000 buses (including about 210 trolleybuses), colored uniformily according to the non-central region served (ex.: light green for the buses that go center-southwest, dark blue for northern area). Until recently, there was a strong presence of informal transportation (dab vans), now fully legalized and operating under the same color scheme of the main system.
São Paulo grew quickly from the 1940s to the 1980s and many roads and buildings were built without major planning. As a result, heavy traffic is common on the city's main avenues, and traffic jams are relatively common on its largest highways. The main means of commuting into the city is by car and by bus. An effective way of avoiding heavy vehicles traffic in the city, such as buses and trucks that crossed the city for other destinations, was planned by ex-governor Mário Covas as a road ring that circles the city, called Rodoanel Mario Covas, and is currently being built by DERSA.[9]
São Paulo has currently three systems of rapid transport systems, which include:
Since the beginning of the 20th century, São Paulo has been the major economic center in Brazil. With the arrival of the two World Wars and the Great Depression, exports of coffee to the United States and Europe were critically affected, leading rich coffee farmers to invest in industrialisation in the city. The new job positions in the industrial sector contributed to attracting many people from other regions of the country, especially from the north east. From a population of merely 32,000 inhabitants in 1880, São Paulo increased its population to approximately 250,000 in 1900, 1,800,000 in 1940, 4,750,000 in 1960 and 8,500,000 in 1980. The effects of this population boom in the city are:
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