Guia ING

GETTING TO KNOW THE
STATE OF SÃO PAULO
Located in the Southeastern region of the country, the State of São Paulo is
surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and borders other four Brazilian States: Paraná, Minas
Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Mato Grosso. The State offers the best roads in the country, in
addition to 36 airports, two of them being international.
The State of São Paulo is the most populous in the country, with more than 40
million inhabitants, which represent over 20% of the national population (IBGE, 2010). With
an area equivalent to the United Kingdom – it has about 248,000 km² – it is divided into
645 municipalities. Its capital, the city of São Paulo, is home to not only great part of the
wealth of the State, but also to the largest population, with about 11 million inhabitants.
The diversification of its population is notorious, descending especially from Italian and
Portuguese immigrants, but also from Africans, Arabians, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, and
Germans.
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Caraguatatuba
Arquivo APRECESP
History
The history of São Paulo starts with the foundation of Vila de São Vicente, in 1532,
considered the oldest village in Brazil. The Jesuits, who arrived to catechize the Indians, were
accountable for the creation of a school in the area of Vila de Piratininga, in 1554, and brought
up the village which later would become the city of São Paulo.
In the 17 th century, the period of Bandeiras Paulistas [followers of the banner] started,
responsible not only for land expansion, but also for the discovery of gold and gemstones.
Bandeirantes, the so-called men who were part of the excursions, were going after native