Atibaia

Estância de Atibaia

Central Atibaia

Flag

Coat of arms

Nickname(s): Atibaia

Location of Atibaia

Estância de Atibaia

Location in Brazil

Coordinates: 23°07′01″S 46°33′01″W / 23.11694°S 46.55028°W

Brazil

Founded

June 24, 1665

Area

• Total

479 km² (185 sq mi)

Elevation

803 m (2,635 ft)

Population (2010)

• Total

126,140

• Density

260/km² (680/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC-3 (UTC-3)

• Summer (DST)

UTC-2 (UTC-2)

Postal code

12490

Area code(s)

(+55) 11

Website

Atibaia City (Portuguese)

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

Its strawberry crops are well known. 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.^[1] Their main objective was to search the interior lands of Brazil for rich mineral resources, such as gold, silver and emeralds in 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 horse back—as well. The area was already occupied by Mateus Nunes da Siqueira, a priest who established contact with the Guarulhos tribe.

In June 1665, a farm was established and 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. 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.

The correct denomination for the native people is "atibaiano", but "atibaiense" is common.

Geography

Atibaia is located 64 km north-east of São Paulo^[2] and 88 km south-east of Campinas^[1] two major urban centres in the region.

Atibaia, general view from Pedra Grande

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

Demographics

According to the census of 2007, executed by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), Atibaia has approximately 119,166 inhabitants. However, 30,000 of these are people who own land or summer homes in the city, but do not reside there. Atibaia have a Gini index average = 0,43 according to 2007 IBGE data.

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 to help it improve its city hall management.^[3] The funds will be invested in information technology; human resource qualification; specialized technical services; equipment to support tax auditing; and infrastructure.

Sites of interest

There is a museum in Atibaia called the "Museu João Batista Conti". Begun 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.^[4]

Atibaia also has an evangelic seminary of the Word of Life organization or as known in Portuguese "Palavra da Vida". SBPV - Seminário Bíblico Palavra da Vida, founded in 1965, is located on the outskirts of Atibaia.^[5]

Sister city

Melipilla (Chile)

References

External links

State of São Paulo, Brazil

Government	Governors Senators

Transport	Highway system List of highways

Education	Universities

Sports

Auto racing	Autódromo José Carlos Pace Ayrton Senna

Football	FPF Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Série A2 Série A3 Segunda Divisão Copa Paulista Corinthians Palmeiras Ponte Preta Portuguesa Santos São Paulo

Cities of São Paulo by population

Capital	São Paulo

1,000,000+	Campinas Guarulhos

500,000+	Osasco Ribeirão Preto Santo André São Bernardo do Campo São José dos Campos Sorocaba

200,000+	Americana Araraquara Barueri Bauru Carapicuíba Cotia Diadema Embu das Artes Franca Guarujá Hortolândia Indaiatuba Itapevi Itaquaquecetuba Jacareí Jundiaí Limeira Marília Mauá Mogi das Cruzes Piracicaba Praia Grande Presidente Prudente Santos São Carlos São José do Rio Preto São Vicente Sumaré Suzano Taboão da Serra Taubaté

100,000+	Araçatuba Araras Assis Atibaia Barretos Birigui Botucatu Bragança Paulista Catanduva Cubatão Ferraz de Vasconcelos Francisco Morato Franco da Rocha Guaratinguetá Itapecerica da Serra Itapetininga Itu Jandira Jaú Mogi Guaçu Ourinhos Pindamonhangaba Poá Ribeirão Pires Rio Claro Salto Santa Bárbara d'Oeste Santana de Parnaíba São Caetano do Sul Sertãozinho Tatuí Valinhos Várzea Paulista Votorantim

Southeast Region, Brazil

Authority control	VIAF: 123598564 GND: 4614666-0

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