Atibaia

Infobox City
official_name = Estância de Atibaia

---

imagesize = 280px
image_caption = Central Atibaia
nickname ="Atibaia"
motto =


image_shield = Brasão de atibaia.gif

---

mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Atibaia
pushpin_mapsize =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = Region
subdivision_type2 = State
subdivision_name = flag|Brazil
subdivision_name1 = Southeast
subdivision_name2 =
leader_title =
leader_title =
leader_name =
established_title = Founded
established_date = January 1655
area_note =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 49
population_as_of = 2007
population_metro =
area_metro_km2 =
population_total = 119,029
population_density_km2 =
population_density_metro_km2 =
timezone = UTC-3
utc_offset = -3
timezone_DST = UTC-2
utc_offset_DST = -2
latd= 23 |latm=07 |lats=01 |latNS=S
longd= 46 |longm=33 |longs=01 |longEW=W
elevation_m = 803
elevation_ft =
blank_name =
blank_info =
Postal Code =
website = [http://www.atibaia.com.br/ Atibaia City]
footnotes =

Atibaia (or "Estância de Atibaia") is a Brazilian city located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The name is derivated from an indigenous language called Tupi, and means "healthy water river". Its name has changed through the time, from the primitive Tupi word Tybaia, to Thibaia, Atubaia, Thibaya, and finally the city's modern name, Atibaia.

Its strawberry crops are one of the most well-known characteristics of the place. These crops are cultivated mainly by Japanese descendants, since the city was a common Japanese immigrant center.

History

In 1665, Jerônimo de Camargo and his expedition found a hill near a river named Tubaia (later called Atibaia River). Jerônimo de Camargo was a Bandeirante explorer [http://www.planetware.com/brazil/atibaia-bra-sp-a.htm Atibaia, Brazil ] ] . Their main objective was to search the interior lands of Brazil for rich mineral resources, such as gold, silver and emeraldsin present-day state of Minas Gerais.

Camargo had his men build a chapel by the Tubaia river, which served as shelter to "tropeiros"--interior explorers on horsebacks-- as well. The area was already occupied by Mateus Nunes da Siqueira, a priest that had already established contact with the Guarulhos tribe.

In June 1665 a farm was established and later Father Mateus built a village with the help of enslaved natives. The village was called Atibaia.

Atibaia was a very important settlement at that time, because it was part of the route to Minas Gerais. São Paulo, probably the second most important city in Brazil at that time, was south of Atibaia, and the mining region north of it, locating Atibaia midway between those two important points.

As time passed, Atibaia became very important. Even the king of Portugal, D. João VI, visited the small town and slept over. Many famous artists lived in or visited Atibaia, such as Benedito Calixto, a famous church fresco painter. The city boasts two of his paintings. Alberto Santos-Dumont, an aviation pioneer, also visited Atibaia.

In April 1864, Atibaia was officially promoted to the status of city, due to the increased size of its population.

An important thoroughfare that divides the city is now called Avenida Jerônimo de Camargo.

Geography

Atibaia is located 69 km NE of São Paulo (city), 88 km SE of Campinas two major urban centres in the region.

The city is located on a strategic highway crossing: the junction of Rodovia D. Pedro I and Rodovia Fernão Dias, having direct access to important cities, such as São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Campinas and Jacareí.

Atibaia has 491 square kilometers of area, 40% of this area is urbanized. The average altitude is 800 meters.

Atibaia is known as the city with the second best climate quality in the world after Lausanne, Switzerland. [ [http://wikimapia.org/526690/ Atibaia ] ] English usage edited by Sean Cyrillo aka Cirilo Paulino, a Sao Paulo State native, Columbia University graduate & English/Reading Specialist teacher in New York.

Demographics

According to the census of 1996, executed by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), Atibaia has approximately 121,000 inhabitants. However, 30,000 of these are people who own lands in the city, cottages and summer houses, but don't have fixed residence (floating population).

There is not a great industrial activity in Atibaia, and so there is a huge labour offer. According to the IBGE census, 65% of the population (95,342 inhabitants) is part of the economical active age group.

Economy

In 2005 The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) loaned Atibaia R$ 2 million, to try and help it improve its city hall management. [ [http://www.bndes.gov.br/english/news/not198_05.asp BNDES lends R$ 2 million to improve Atibaia' s City Hall management ] ] The funds will be invested in information technology; human resource qualification; specialized technical services; equipment to support tax auditing; and infrastructure.

ites of interest

There is a museum is Atibaia called the "Museu João Batista Conti", it was installed in 1954, it contains arms, armor, furniture, historical objects, coins and works of religious art along with important documents on the colonial and imperial periods in Brazil. [ [http://www.planetware.com/atibaia/atibaia-museu-joao-batista-conti-bra-sp-am.htm Atibaia Museu Joao Batista Conti, Atibaia ] ]

External links

* [http://www.atibaia.sp.gov.br City Hall website] pt icon
* (Coord|23|07|02|S|46|33|02|W|region:BR_type:city_scale:100000|display=inline,title [ [http://wikimapia.org/#lat=-23.129468&lon=-46.547699&z=13&l=9&m=h&v=2 Wikimapia View] ] ) Geo-Links for Atibaia

References