São Paulo (state)

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Estado de São Paulo
State information
Capital: São Paulo Area: 248,808.8 km² Population: Total: 40,442,795 (in 2005) Density: 160.06 per km² Time zone: UTC -3
Map

City of São Paulo, capital of the state.

São Paulo (Portuguese: Saint Paul) is a state in the Southeast Region of Brazil. Its capital city is called São Paulo too.

Geography and economy

São Paulo is located in the south-east region of Brazil, with close to 248,000 square kilometers of area. (For comparison, Oregon State in the United States of America has 251,000 square miles).

It borders the state of Minas Gerais to the north, the state of Rio de Janeiro and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the state of Paraná to the south and state of Mato Grosso do Sul to the west.

The capital of São Paulo is the city of São Paulo.

São Paulo is the state in Brazil with the highest economical output.

It has the second highest per capita income of Brazil, second only to the Federal District, where Brasilia is located.

With the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul it shares the highest standard of living in Brazil, despite of pockets of blight poverty in its largest cities.

The robust economy of São Paulo is based in industrial production, to include automobile and aviation, agriculture, services and tourism.

Demographics

São Paulo is the Brazilian state with the largest population and also is the most ethnically diverse.

Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Arab, Asian and other descents chose São Paulo as their home, due to its thriving economy.

Also migrants from other Brazilian states (especially from the Northeast Region) come to São Paulo in search of a better life. Because there are not enough jobs, these people usually want to back to their states.

Transportation

Sé Station, the biggest Metro station in São Paulo

São Paulo is the state in Brazil with the largest and most efficient transportation system.

The city of São Paulo relies on undergound train and also suburban at-grade rail systems. City buses complement the public transportation system.

Air traffic is the busiest of all Brazil.

Harbors along the state's ocean front receive and ship a great share of Brazil's export and import goods.

Sports

São Paulo is a vibrant place when it comes to sports. Football (soccer) is king but the state has human resources and facilities to produce some of the best athletes in the world in many other fields.

The state has many professional soccer clubs but also volleyball has found a niche here.

Auto racing is a staple of the paulista's way of life. The state has produced several racing drivers that have attained international fame.

Main cities

São Paulo, Campinas, Guarulhos, Osasco, Ribeirão Preto, Santo André, Santos, São Bernardo do Campo, São Carlos, São José dos Campos and Sorocaba.

Other websites

• Official site (Portuguese)

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São Paulo

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São Paulo State