Guarulhos is a big city. It is in Brazil. It is near the city of São Paulo. A very large airport is there. Many people live in this place. It is a busy spot. Do you want to visit?
Guarulhos is a big city in Brazil. It sits near the city of São Paulo.
A very large airport is there. It is the biggest in South America. This airport helps many people travel.
The city has many people living there. It is a very busy place. Many people work in big factories.
There are also green parks nearby. These parks help protect the water. This keeps the water clean for people.
It is a place with lots of life.
Do you want to see this busy city?
Guarulhos is a large city in Brazil. It sits in the state of São Paulo. The city is just northeast of São Paulo city.
Many people live in Guarulhos. It has about 1,345,364 people. It is the second largest city in its state. It is also the largest city in Brazil that is not a state capital. The city is a busy place with many factories. These factories make things like food, rubber, and even clocks.
A very important airport is located here. It is the São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport. It is the largest airport in South America.
Guarulhos also has green spaces. Part of the Cantareira State Park is in the city. This park helps protect the water for the region. The city also has a special area to protect the Paraíba do Sul river. The weather here is often warm. It gets rain at different times throughout the year.
The map shows how big roads connect the area.
This map shows another major road nearby.
Guarulhos is a very large city in Brazil. It sits in the state of São Paulo. The city is located just northeast of the capital city.
It is the second most populous city in the state. It is also the largest city in Brazil that is not a state capital. About 1,345,364 people live there as of 2024. This makes it the tenth largest suburb in the whole world.
The city is a very busy place for business and travel. It is home to the São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport. This is the largest airport in South America.
Many people use the Rodovia Presidente Dutra highway to travel between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. There is also a commuter rail system called Line 13–Jade. This train connects the airport to Engenheiro Goulart. New metro lines are even being planned for the future.
Guarulhos has a long and interesting history. A Jesuit priest named Manuel de Paiva founded it in 1560. He named the place Nossa Senhora da Conceição. The name Guarulhos likely comes from the indigenous Guaramomis people. In their Tupi language, the name means "Eaters" or "big-bellied people." The city eventually took its current name in 1906. It used to be a strategic spot near the Tietê and Cabuçu de Cima rivers.
Many different industries grew in the city during the 1940s. Factories began making things like food, rubber, and footwear. They even made vehicles and clocks there.
The city has around 2,000 of these establishments. Because of these jobs, the population grew very quickly. It went from 35,000 people in 1950 to over 532,000 by 1980. Today, the city has a very strong economy. It ranks second in wealth for the state of São Paulo.
Even with all the buildings, there is still plenty of nature. The city contains part of the Cantareira State Park. This park was created in 1962 to protect water supplies.
There is also a special area to protect the Paraíba do Sul river. The weather in Guarulhos is usually warm. It gets rain fairly evenly throughout the year. This is called a humid subtropical climate. It is a place where many people work and live together.
Guarulhos is a major municipality in Brazil. It is located within the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo. Specifically, it sits northeast of the state capital, São Paulo. The city is a massive urban center. It is the second most populous city in the state of São Paulo. Nationally, it is the 13th most populous city in Brazil. Interestingly, it is the most populous city in the country that is not a state capital. As of 2024, the population reached 1,345,364 people.
The city serves as a vital hub for international travel. It is home to the São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU). This facility is the largest airport in South America. It also serves as the primary airport for the city of São Paulo. The airport is officially known as the International Airport of São Paulo–Guarulhos Governor André Franco Montoro. Because of this, the city is a gateway to the continent.
Guarulhos has a deep history rooted in the 16th century. A Jesuit priest named Manuel de Paiva founded the settlement on December 8, 1560. He originally named the location Nossa Senhora da Conceição. In its early years, the area was a strategic military location. It helped defend the boundaries of the São Paulo de Piratininga Village. The settlement was surrounded by the Tietê and Cabuçu de Cima rivers. This position was important for protecting against the Tamoios, an indigenous tribe. The name "Guarulhos" likely comes from the Guaramomis or Maramomis people. In the Tupi language, this name means "Eaters" or "big-bellied people."
The city's identity changed through several legal milestones. In 1880, it separated from São Paulo. At that time, it was named Nossa Senhora da Conceição dos Guarulhos. The modern name, Guarulhos, was officially adopted on November 6, 1906. The early 20th century brought significant technological growth. The arrival of the railway and electricity changed the landscape. New industries, telephone networks, and passenger transport services soon followed. These developments laid the foundation for a modern urban economy.
Industrialization drove a massive population boom in the mid-20th century. During the 1940s, many different sectors began to grow. These included metallurgy, plastics, food, rubber, footwear, and vehicles. The city even produced clocks and leather goods. There are currently around 2,000 industrial establishments in the municipality. This economic surge caused the population to rise rapidly. In 1950, there were only 35,000 residents. By 1980, that number had climbed to 532,726. Between 2000 and 2006, the population grew three times as fast as the rest of São Paulo State.
Guarulhos is also a center of economic strength. As of 2021, it ranked 10th in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) among all Brazilian cities. Within the state of São Paulo, it ranks second. The GDP per capita for the municipality was R$55,084.22 in 2021. This wealth is supported by a highly active workforce. The city is also recognized as the tenth largest suburb in the world.
Despite its urban density, the city contains important natural protections. It includes part of the Cantareira State Park, which was created in 1962. This park is essential because it protects a large part of the water supply for metropolitan São Paulo. The city also contains part of the Mananciais do Rio Paraíba do Sul Environmental Protection Area. This area was established in 1982 to protect the sources of the Paraíba do Sul river. The climate is classified as a Humid Subtropical Climate, or "Cfa." This means there are relatively high temperatures and rain is spread evenly throughout the year.
Transportation networks connect the city to the rest of Brazil. The Rodovia Presidente Dutra is the main highway serving the area. It connects São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro. For rail travel, Line 13–Jade of the commuter rail system connects the international airport to Engenheiro Goulart. Looking toward the future, construction is set to begin on Line 19–Sky Blue. This will be the first line of the São Paulo Metro to serve Guarulhos. These connections ensure the city remains a central node in the region's infrastructure.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (2)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🔬 Go deeper
More advanced topics to explore
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.