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São Paulo

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São Paulo is a massive global metropolis in Brazil.

ISS-67 City lights of São Paulo, Brazil
ISS-67 City lights of São Paulo, Brazil

It serves as the capital of the state of São Paulo. The city is the most populous in South America. It is also the largest Portuguese-speaking city on Earth. This city is a major center for commerce and finance. It also leads in culture, fashion, and technology. UNESCO recognizes it as a "City of Film." People also call it the "World Capital of Gastronomy."

The city is an alpha global city according to the GaWC. This means it has immense international influence.

The history of the region began with the Tupi people. They lived on the Piratininga plains near the Tietê River. These indigenous groups included the Tupiniquim, Guaianás, and Guarani. They lived in organized groups called Caciquedoms. The most notable leader was a cacique named Tibiriçá. He supported the Portuguese colonists. Jesuit priests founded the city on January 25, 1554.

Oscar Pereira da Silva - Fundação de São Paulo, 1909
Oscar Pereira da Silva - Fundação de São Paulo, 1909

They built a mission on a steep hill. This site sat between the Anhangabaú and Tamanduateí rivers. The current Pátio do Colégio is a reconstruction of that original site.

Pátio do Colégio in São Paulo
Pátio do Colégio in São Paulo

For two centuries, São Paulo was a poor and isolated village. It was the only colonial village in the Brazilian interior. This was because travel was very difficult. In the 17th century, the city became the center for the bandeirantes. These were pioneers known as "flag-bearers." They traveled into unknown lands to find gold and diamonds.

Sao Paulo - Monumento às Bandeiras - foto Carlos Alkmin nr 07-13 4282b
Sao Paulo - Monumento às Bandeiras - foto Carlos Alkmin nr 07-13 4282b

They also searched for people to enslave. This movement helped expand the territory of the Portuguese crown. The discovery of gold in Minas Gerais in the 1690s brought new settlers. Later, the city grew wealthy through the coffee cycle. Coffee became the main export crop for the region.

Industrialization in the 20th century changed the city forever. It became a cosmopolitan melting pot of many cultures. São Paulo is home to the world's largest Japanese, Italian, and Arab diasporas.

Liberdade of Sao Paulo
Liberdade of Sao Paulo

You can visit ethnic neighborhoods like Bixiga, Bom Retiro, and Liberdade. People from over 200 different countries live here. The metropolitan area, called Greater São Paulo, has over 20 million people.

ISS-67 City lights of São Paulo, Brazil
ISS-67 City lights of São Paulo, Brazil

The surrounding areas have merged into the São Paulo Macrometropolis. This is the first megalopolis in the Southern Hemisphere. It contains more than 30 million inhabitants.

Today, São Paulo is a massive economic engine. It is the largest urban economy in Latin America. The city produces about 10% of Brazil's total GDP. It is the only Brazilian city to surpass 1 trillion reais in GDP. The city is a global financial center. It is the headquarters for B3, the largest stock exchange in Latin America. Major financial districts exist near Paulista, Faria Lima, and Berrini avenues.

Avenida Paulista 1902 restored version
Avenida Paulista 1902 restored version

The city also hosts many multinational companies. About 63% of established multinationals in Brazil are based here.

Science and education are also very important here. São Paulo is one of the top 50 science and technology clusters globally. It produces about one third of all Brazilian scientific work. The University of São Paulo is a top institution in Latin America.

University sao paulo
University sao paulo

The city is also known for its impressive skyline. It has many tall skyscrapers like the Mirante do Vale.

Matarazzo Building
Matarazzo Building

The city is also green. It is a "Tree City of the World" according to the UN. It is also the ninth most wooded city in Brazil.

Culture and entertainment are everywhere in the city. It hosts the São Paulo Art Biennial and São Paulo Fashion Week. It also hosts the massive São Paulo Gay Pride Parade. This is the second-largest LGBT event in the world.

São Paulo LGBT Pride Parade 2014 (14108541924)
São Paulo LGBT Pride Parade 2014 (14108541924)

Music styles like samba paulista and Brazilian hip-hop come from here. You can visit many museums like the Pinacoteca or the Museum of the Portuguese Language.

Interior do Museu da Língua Portuguesa, São Paulo (SP)
Interior do Museu da Língua Portuguesa, São Paulo (SP)

The city even hosts major sports like the FIFA World Cup. It is a place where history and the future meet.

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🖼️ Images & Media (47)
File:Oscar_Pereira_da_Silva_-_Fundação_de_São_Paulo,_1909.jpg
Oscar_Pereira_da_Silva_-_Fundação_de_São_P...
File:Pátio do Colégio in São Paulo.jpg
Pátio do Colégio in São Paulo.jpg
File:Sao Paulo - Monumento às Bandeiras - foto Carlos Alkmin nr 07-13 4282b.jpg
Sao Paulo - Monumento às Bandeiras - foto...
File:Entrada_Leste_de_São_Paulo_em_1821.jpg
Entrada_Leste_de_São_Paulo_em_1821.jpg
File:Vista_aérea_do_Monumento_à_Independência.jpg
Vista_aérea_do_Monumento_à_Independência.jpg
File:Marc Ferrez - IMS 002001MF005003.jpg
Marc Ferrez - IMS 002001MF005003.jpg
File:Guilherme Gaensly - Estação da Luz, c. 1900.jpg
Guilherme Gaensly - Estação da Luz, c. 1900.jpg
File:Avenida Paulista 1902 restored version.jpg
Avenida Paulista 1902 restored version.jpg
File:Palacetes Prates e Vale do Anhangabaú.jpg
Palacetes Prates e Vale do Anhangabaú.jpg
File:Manifestação_Praça_Patriarca_maio_32.jpg
Manifestação_Praça_Patriarca_maio_32.jpg
File:Werner Haberkorn - Vista parcial do Vale do Anhangabaú. São Paulo-SP 11 restored.jpg
Werner Haberkorn - Vista parcial do Vale...
File:São_Paulo_-_Center.jpg
São_Paulo_-_Center.jpg

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