Tubarão

Infobox City
official_name = Tubarão, Santa Catarina
nickname = Cidade Azul ("Blue city in portuguese")
motto =


imagesize =
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map_caption = Location in Santa Catarina Brazil
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = Region
subdivision_type2 = State
subdivision_name = flagicon|BRA Brazil
subdivision_name1 = South
subdivision_name2 = flagicon|Santa Catarina Santa Catarina
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Carlos José Stüpp (PSDB)
established_title = City Emancipation
established_date = May 27, 1870
area_magnitude = 1 E8
area_total_km2 = 300.273
area_total_sq_mi = 117.1
area_land_km2 =
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area_water_km2 =
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area_water_percent =
area_urban_km2 =
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area_metro_km2 =
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population_as_of = 2006
population_note =
population_total = 95339
population_metro =
population_urban =
population_density_km2 =
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timezone = UTC-3
utc_offset = -3
timezone_DST = UTC-2
utc_offset_DST = -2
latd= 28
latm= 28
lats= 00
latNS= S
longd= 49
longm= 00
longs= 25
longEW= W
elevation_m = 7
elevation_ft =
website = [http://www.tubarao.sc.gov.br/ Prefeitura Municipal de Tubarão]
footnotes = Tubarão is a Brazilian city located in southern part of Santa Catarina state. It coordinates are 28º28'00" S and 49º00'25"W. The population, according to the 2001 Brazilian Census was 88,470. It is the main city of the Tubarão River basin region, which comprises 20 municipalities and a population of 350,000 inhabitants.

History

Tubarão was named after a native tribal chief called Tubanharô, which means ferocious father in guaraní language. Thus, it does not have any relation to the word tubarão (shark in Portuguese language).The first settlement, which later became the city, was founded in 1773 by troopers as a halfway point between Laguna and the uplands. Coal was discovered in Tubarão outskirts in the 18th century. The city emancipated from Laguna in 1870. In the following years Italian and German immigrants came to this region and the Tereza Christina Railway was inaugurated in 1884. One of the worst natural catastrophes in Brazil took place in Tubarão, on March 28, 1974. The Tubarão River waters flooded about 80% of urban area. The flood made 199 fatal casualties and left about 45,000 people homeless.

Geography

The city is located 133 kilometers southward bound Florianópolis, the state capital, in the South Brazilian coast plans. Its urban area is crossed by the Tubarão River and, parallelly, the BR-101 federal highway. Some lakes and swamp areas are found in the surrounding areas, although its landscape has been modified several times by human acts. The climate is subtropical (Köppen climate classification).Neighbor cities are Laguna, Capivari de Baixo, Gravatal, Pedras Grandes, Jaguaruna, São Ludgero, Orleans and Treze de Maio.

Economy

The main economy is based on agriculture (rice plantations), furniture industry and ceramic tiles. Tourism is also important due to its thermal water resources in Rio do Pouso and Guarda da Margem Esquerda localities.

Culture

Painting

Willy Zumblick (1913–2008)

Literature

Alberto Cargnin (1925–2007) - "romancist and journalist"

Walter Zumblick (1908-1989) - "historian"

Demography

The main ethnic groups are Portuguese-Azorians, German and Italian descendants and Afro-Brazilian. Tubarão is 12th largest city in the state. The total estimated population (IBGE/2006) was 95,339 people.

The most illustrious citizen was Willy Zumblick, German descendant painter. There is a Museum in downtown area named after him.

External links

* [http://www.tubarao.sc.gov.br/ City hall site]
* [http://www.unisul.br/ UNISUL - Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina, local university]
* [http://www.belasantacatarina.com.br/tubarao/ Tubarão Touristic site] (in portuguese)
* [http://www.notisul.com.br/ Notisul - Local newspaper] (in portuguese)
* [http://www.diariodosul.com.br/ Diário do Sul - Local newspaper] (in portuguese)