V Winner Post #24- Cities Of Southern Brazil

Specific Cities in the south region of Brazil


Curitiba- PR(1.788.559)

Porto Alegre-RS (1.440.939)

Londrina-PR (497.833)

Joinville-SC (429.004)

Caxias do Sul-RS (412..052)

Florianópolis -SC(406.564)

Pelotas-RS (346.452)

Canoas-RS (333.711)

Maringá-PR (329.800)

Foz do Iguaçu-PR (309.113)

Ponta Grossa-PR (306.352.)

Cascavel-PR (284.066)

Gravatai-RS (270.763)

Santa Maria-RS (270.396)

Blumenau-SC (265.505)

Novo Hamburgo-RS (258.754)


1.Curitiba

Curitiba is the capital city of the Brazilian state of Paraná and the largest financial center in southern Brazil. The city has a population of approximately 1,788,559 people, being the largest in the Southern Brazil (7th largest nationwide), and has the largest GDP in the Southern Region (ranking 4th nationwide) according to IBGE (2005)
Its metropolitan area comprises 26 municipalities with a total population of over 3.5 million (2006 IBGE estimate). Curitiba is the most important city of Southern Brazil, being a cultural, political and economic center. Curitiba's main airport Afonso Pena International Airport is one of the most modern Brazilian terminals and the most important airport in Southern Brazil 2007 and will be the region's transportation hub according to Minister Nelson Jobim. People from Curitiba are known as Curitibanos.
One theory about the name "Curitiba" comes from the Tupi words kurí tyba, "many pine" due to the large number of Brazilian Pines (Araucaria angustifolia), in the region prior to its foundation.[4] The Portuguese who founded a village in 1693 gave it the name of "Vila da Nossa Senhora da Luz dos Pinhais" (Our Lady of the Light in the Pine Forest). The name was changed to "Curitiba" in 1721. Curitiba officially became a town in 1812, spelling its name as Curityba. An alternative spelling also came up: Coritiba. This spelling looked to become dominant for it was used in press and state documents, but a state decree in 1919 settled the dispute by spelling the city name Curitiba. Growth was based on the cattle trade, being half way between cattle breeding country to the South and markets to the North.
Waves of European immigrants started arriving after 1850, mainly Germans, Italians, Poles, Japanese and Ukrainians. The Universidade Federal do Paraná (Federal University of Paraná), the first in Brazil, was established in Curitiba in 1913, the same year in which electric streetcars were first deployed
Curitiba has a master planned transportation system, which includes lanes on major streets devoted to a bus rapid transit system. The buses are long, split into three sections (bi-articulated), and stop at designated elevated tubes, complete with disabled access. There is only one price no matter how far you travel and you pay at the bus stop. The system, used by 85% of Curitiba's population, is the source of inspiration for the TransMilenio in Bogotá, Colombia, as well as the Orange Line of Los Angeles, California, and for a future transportation system in Panama City, Panama. The city has also paid careful attention to preserving and caring for its green areas, boasting 54 m² of green space per inhabitant.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Alfred Agache, cofounder of the French Society for Urban Studies, was hired to produce the first city plan. It emphasised a star of boulevards, with public amenities downtown, an industrial district and sanitation. It was followed when possible, but was too expensive to complete.
By the 1960s, Curitiba's population had ballooned to 430,000, and some residents feared that the growth in population threatened to drastically change the character of the city. In 1964, Mayor Ivo Arzua solicited proposals for urban design. Architect Jaime Lerner, who later became mayor, led a team from the Universidade Federal do Paraná that suggested strict controls on urban sprawl, a reduction of traffic in the downtown area, preservation of Curitiba's Historic Sector, and a convenient and affordable public transit system. This plan, known as the Curitiba Master Plan, was adopted in 1968. Lerner closed XV de Novembro St. to vehicles, because it had very high pedestrian traffic. The plan had a new road design to minimize traffic: the Trinary Road System. This uses two one-way streets moving in opposite directions which surround a smaller, two-lane street where the express buses have their exclusive lane. Five of these roads form a star that converges to the city centre. Land farther from these roads is zoned for lower density developments, to reduce traffic away from the main roads. A number of areas subject to floods were condemned and became parks.
Today, Curitiba is considered one of the best examples of urban planning world-wide. In June 1996, the chairman of the Habitat II summit of mayors and urban planners in Istanbul praised Curitiba as "the most innovative city in the world."
In the 1980s, the RIT (Rede Integrada de Transporte, Integrated Transport Network) was created, allowing transit between any points in the city by paying just one fare. At the same time, the city began a project called the "Faróis de Saber" (Lighthouses of Knowledge). These Lighthouses are free educational centers which include libraries, Internet access, and other cultural resources. Job training, social welfare and educational programs are coordinated, and often supply labor to improve the city's amenities or services, as well as education and income.

Demographics
According to the IBGE of 2007, there were 3,230,000 people residing in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba. The population density was 4.159,4 inh./km². The last PNAD (National Research for Sample of Domiciles) census revealed the following numbers: 2,503,250 million White people (77.4%), 584 thousand Pardo people (18.2%), 93 thousand Black people (2.9%), 45 thousand Asian or Amerindian people (1.4%).
The majority of the Whites of the city are of Italian, Polish, Ukrainian and Portuguese descent. The Pardos are a mixture of Europeans with the Blacks and/or Amerindians, varying from light to dark complexion. The Blacks are of African descent. The Asians are mostly Japanese and the Amerindians are the indigenous inhabitants.
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As most of Southern Brazil's population, Curitiba is mostly inhabited by Brazilians of European descent. The first Europeans to arrive in the region were of Portuguese origin, during the 17th century. They intermarried with the native people and with the African slaves. In the 19th century, the influx of immigrants from Europe increased. In 1828, the first German immigrants settled in Paraná. However, large numbers of immigrants from Germany only arrived in Curitiba during the 1870's, most of them coming from Santa Catarina or Volga Germans from Russia.] Immigrants from Poland first arrived in 1871, settling in rural areas close to Curitiba. They largely influenced the agriculture of the region. Curitiba has the second largest Polish diaspora in the world, second only to Chicago.[10] Italian immigrants started arriving in Brazil in 1875 and in Curitiba in 1878. They came mostly from the Veneto and Trento regions, in Northern Italy and settled mostly in the Santa Felicidade neighborhood, still today the center of the large Italian community of Curitiba. Large numbers of Ukrainian immigrants settled in Curitiba, mostly between 1895 and 1897, when 20 thousands arrived. They were peasants from Galicia, who immigrated to Brazil to become small farmers. Nowadays there are 300 thousand Ukrainian-Brazilians living in Paraná. Japanese immigrants starting arriving in the region in 1915. Most Japanese settled in the state of São Paulo, but many settled in Northern Paraná, cities such as Maringá and Londrina. Curitiba also received significant numbers of immigrants from Japan. Nowadays, there are about 40 thousand Japanese-Brazilians living in the city.[14] Other immigrants, such as Arabs from Lebanon and Syria, Russians and other Eastern Europeans also settled in Curitiba.
Economy
The GDP for the city was R$ 29,821,203,000 (2005).
The per capita income for the city was R$ 16,964 (2005).




2.Porto Alegre

Porto Alegre is one of the largest cities in Brazil, and the capital city of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Porto Alegre is one of the most important cultural, political and economic centers of Southern Brazil. Porto Alegre held the highest standard of living among all Brazilian capitals for many years and it was the sole Brazilian city listed on Jones Lang LaSalle's World Winning Cities.
The city, located on the Guaiba River, was founded in 1742 by White immigrants from the Azores. Since the 19th century the city has received numerous from other parts of the world, particularly Germany, Poland, and Italy. Located at the junction of five rivers, it has become an important alluvial port as well as one of the chief industrial and commercial centers in Brazil.
The Salgado Filho International Airport connects Porto Alegre with Brazilian cities and also operates international flights.
The city is home to the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul.
The city is located at a delta resulting from the junction of five rivers, officially called Guaíba Lake (popularly mentioned as a river too). Although its origins date from the mid-18th century, when immigrants from the Azores settled in the area, the city was officially established in 1809.
Before this, Porto Alegre was the port of Viamão on the shore of Guaíba Lake. Its ancient name was Porto dos Casais (Port of the couples), and it was initially settled by Azorians. Many families of settlers also came from the city of Rio Grande (Big River) in the litoral Lagunar region, to the south, a military fortress at that time. Today Rio Grande is the most important port of Rio Grande do Sul state.
More than 70 neighborhoods (see below) are part of the city and 2/3 of the population are concentrated in the Zona Norte (Northern Zone), where most of the economic activity, including the city center, takes place.
Porto Alegre was the seat of the World Social Forum in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005. As the second largest city in southern Brazil, it is also an important industrial center in the mentioned geographical area. It also is a center for gaúcho (the popular name for natives of the State) history and culture, famous for its churrasco (barbecue) and chimarrão (a strong and hot tea prepared from erva mate). Important Brazilian universities, such as UFRGS, UFCSPA and PUCRS are located there.
Porto Alegre is also one of the wealthiest cities in Latin America, and one of the most diverse. It has welcomed immigrants from all over the world, the largest numbers coming from Portugal, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland. The are also significant Arab, Jewish and Afro-Brazilian contingents in the population.
Demographics
According to the IBGE of 2007, there were 4,100,000 people residing in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre. The population density was 2.905,3 inh./km². The last PNAD (National Research for Sample of Domiciles) census revealed the following numbers: 3,300,500 million White people (80.5%), 475 thousand Pardo people (11.6%), 299 thousand Black people (7.3%), 24 thousand Asian or Amerindian people (0.6%).
The majority of the Whites of the city is of Italian, German and Portuguese descent. The Pardos are a mixture of Europeans with the Blacks and/or Amerindians, varying from light to dark complexion. The Blacks are of African descent. The Asians are mostly Japanese and the Amerindians are the indigenous inhabitants.
Porto Alegre is mostly composed of Brazilians of European descent. Its colonization started in the mid-18th century, mostly with the arrival of Portuguese colonists from the Azores Islands. From 1748 to 1756, 2,300 Azoreans were sent to the region by the King of Portugal to protect Southern Brazil from neighboring invaders. These colonists, mostly composed of couples, established the city of Porto dos Casais (Port of the Couples), nowadays Porto Alegre. In 1775, 55% of Rio Grande do Sul's population was of Azorean Portuguese origin.
Porto Alegre was composed mainly of Azoreans and their African slaves until the first half of the 19th century. Nowadays, Blacks, Pardo people, who may also have some Amerindian ancestry compose, together, 17.1% of the city's population.
The first non-Portuguese people to settle Rio Grande do Sul were German immigrants. In 1824, the first immigrants from Germany arrived in Porto Alegre, but they were sent to what is now the city of São Leopoldo (28 km far). From 1824 to 1914, 50 thousand Germans arrived in Rio Grande do Sul. Most of them had rural communities in the interior of the State as their first destination. The large rural exodus in Brazil in the early 20th century brought many German-descendants to Porto Alegre and, nowadays, they compose a large percentage of the population.
The other largest group of immigrants who arrived in Porto Alegre are the Italians. They started immigrating to Brazil in 1875, mainly from the Northern Italian Veneto region. As the Germans, Italians were also first sent to rural communities, mainly in the Serra Gaúcha region. After some decades, many of them started to migrate to other parts of Rio Grande do Sul, including Porto Alegre.
Minoritary communities of immigrants, such as Eastern Europeans from Poland and Ukraine; Arabs from Lebanon and Syria; Asians from Japan and Jews also made Porto Alegre their home. The gaucho capital is at a privileged location. Placed at a strategic point within Mercosur, Porto Alegre is the geographical center of major routes of the Southern Cone, and it's located mid-way between the southern cities: Buenos Aires and Montevideo, and the northern cities: São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Porto Alegre is also an important business center and a gateway to major tourist attractions in the region.

Economy
The gaucho capital is at a privileged location. Placed at a strategic point within Mercosur, Porto Alegre is the geographical center of major routes of the Southern Cone, and it's located mid-way between the southern cities: Buenos Aires and Montevideo, and the northern cities: São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Porto Alegre is also an important business center and a gateway to major tourist attractions in the region.
According to the English consultancy firm Jones Lang LaSalle (2004), Porto Alegre is placed second in rural output and industrialization among all Brazilian cities. Due to its geographical location, the city is considered the capital of the South American Common Market.
The GDP for the city was R$ 27,977,351,000 (2005).
The per capita income for the city was R$ 19,582 (2005).

3. Londrina
Londrina is a city located in the northern region of the state of the Paraná, Brazil, and is 369 km away from the capital, Curitiba. Londrina exerts great influence on Paraná and south region. Londrina has approximately 500 thousand inhabitants, being the second largest city of Paraná and the third largest city of the South Region of Brazil.
The city has a population of 497,833 (estimation IBGE, 2007), 742,071 (metropolitan area, estimation IBGE, 2007). It is a regional centre and is made up of commerce, services, agro-industries, and universities, including the State University of Londrina, UEL (Universidade Estadual de Londrina), which is famous for the quality of teaching and attracts students from all over the country. Londrina is also home to the South American Theological Seminary (Faculdade Teológica Sul Americana), an interdenominational Christian seminary.

Demography
The city's population consists mainly of Brazilians from other cities or states, Portuguese, Japanese, Italian descendants and Germans, as well as other groups in lesser scale: Polish, Spanish, aboriginal, Bulgarians, British and Africans.


The first chapel of Londrina.


Economy
Agriculture continues to be basic for Londrina, although its importance has diminished in recent years. Agricultural activity was diversified beyond coffee, and today maize, wheat, cotton, rami, beans, peanut, rice, sugar cane, soy bean, fruit and vegetables also flourish. The industrial sector is not very expressive; even so the city has an increasing park that deals with weaving, confections and agricultural industries.
· Londrina today is noted for its commerce and service industries. It possesses one of the largest universities in the country, the State University of Londrina, as well as other diverse, private colleges. The Londrina name pays homage to the English capital London (Londres in Portuguese), since an English cotton company made the original investment to settle in this area.
· The famous fertile land of the region, the purple land, has this name due to the Italian colonists who called it “terra rossa” (red land, in Italian).
· Located in Southern Brazil, Londrina is a somewhat humid city in Subtropical zone, with temperatures that can range from - 4.7ºC(1975) to 42.8ºC (1998)
· All the fertility of the purple land comes of the biggest volcanic lava spill of the planet, known as Spill of Trapp, that to a large extent occurred of the region center-south of Brazil
· Due to the color of the land, the denomination of its inhabitants as “red-feet” ("pé vermelho" in Portuguese) is common.
· The region, in its golden period, together with part of the West of the Paraná, was once responsible for 60% of the coffee produced in the World.
4. Joinville
Joinville is a city in Santa Catarina State, Southern Region of Brazil. Joinville is Santa Catarina's largest city. In 2006 its population was about 500,000, of whom the majority is of German descent.
Joinville is one of the Brazilian cities that stands out on business tourism, due to the excellent infrastructure to handle the most varied kinds of meetings, conferences and reunions. A multi-use venue of international class is available for large events: Centreventos Cau Hansen. Built in arena shape, inspired on the world´s most advanced architectural projects, the venue features modern equipment and is suitable to receive up to 10 thousand people. Expoville, located at the city´s entrance, is another privileged space for big parties and exhibitions. There are dozens of auditoriums and spaces for shows, dance spectacles and fairs, as well as a wide range of suppliers of equipment and services for events. The structure of electricity, water, sewage, transport, telecommunications, security and banking services is of a high standard, able to meet the highest requirements. Joinville also has other important features which make it stand out. One of them is the Prince of Joinville III yacht; the best equipped tourism vessel in the Brazilian coast, with capacity for 350 passengers. She does tours on the calm waters of the Babitonga Bay archipelago, amidst the rich ecosystem which is a sanctuary for the reproduction of many species. Also it is possible to organise events aboard, giving a special touch to any schedule.
The new Joinville Airport connects Joinville with many Brazilian cities.
The city is home to the University of Joinville Region.
The first inhabitants in the region of Joinville were the Tupi-Guarani people. Joinville was founded on March 9, 1851, by German and Swiss immigrants.
Even though it is considered a German-Brazilian city, its name is French (Joinville was named after François-Ferdinand-Philippe-Louis-Marie d'Orléans, prince de Joinville, son of King Louis-Philippe of France, who married Brazilian princess Dona Francisca, in 1843). The city's former name was Dona Francisca, but was changed to Joinville in 1851.
The land where Joinville is located was part of the French and Brazilian Royal Family Wedding gift, even though the Prince of Joinville and his bride have never been to the land, but a Royal Palace was built in their honor around 1870. In 1851, the French prince, after a money crisis, sold almost all his lands in Southern Brazil to the German senator Mathias Schroeder. The senator was member of the Colonizator Society of Hamburg and started to attract thousands of European immigrants to the region. In 1851, the first 118 German and Swiss immigrants arrived, followed by 74 Norwegian immigrants. Until the 1900's, when the Society was finished, almost 30,000 Germanic immigrants arrived in Joinville.
Joinville's economy is based on industrial activities and commerce. The city is also the center to some of Brazil's largest software companies such as: Datasul] and Logocenter
Joinville is also home to many very well known large corporations in Brazil such as: Tupy, Tigre, Embraco, Dohler, Consul, Wetzel, Busscar, Ciser, Schulz S/A.
The city has one of the highest standards of living in Brazil. Its industrial output is the third largest in the Southern States of Brazil - after the large main cities of Porto Alegre and Curitiba.
Joinville is also the fourth most populated city in the Southern region of Brazil - by the end of the decade it should replace Londrina (PR) as the third largest city in the South of Brazil.
Joinville is famous for its strong German-influenced culture. The city retains many aspects of the German culture, in its architecture, in the local dishes, parties and in the way of life of its inhabitants, known as workaholics.
Joinville is the host city of the "Joinville Dance Festival", which is the world's largest dance event, held every year during the month of July. Joinville is the only city outside of Moscow to have a school of the Bolshoi Ballet, the renowned Russian Ballet Company. The Royal Palace, built in the mid-19th century, nowadays is a museum about the German immigration to Brazil. It has furniture and costumes dating back to the mid 19th century.
For being on a privileged location between the mountains and the ocean, with a population of around 450 thousand inhabitants and an economy based on large industries, Joinville has reached the status of biggest city in the State of Santa Catarina. Also considered the “Catarinense Manchester”, for its economic and technological leadership – the name refers to the English city that is an industrial world reference – Joinville stands out as one of the most important Brazilian cities, being on the tour schedule of visitors from all over Brazil and the World.
Finding refuge to rest for a few hours, away from the urban movement, immersing on the tranquility of the rural area, is an easy task in Joinville. Just look for the rural tourism offered on Bonita Road and on the Piraí, Vale do Quiriri and Serra Dona Francisca areas. Clean air, the green, the streamlets and the mountains are good reasons to leave stress aside. However, if contemplating is not enough, it is not difficult to participate of this humble simplicity; there are many small and well kept properties where the residents sell crafts, colonial and homemade products. And within the delicacies there are breads, cakes, biscuits, jams, treacle, cheeses, sausages, smoked meats, sugar cane spirit and much more. En route, pleasant open air leisure spots celebrate the connection of Man with Nature.

5.Caxias do Sul
Finding refuge to rest for a few hours, away from the urban movement, immersing on the tranquility of the rural area, is an easy task in Joinville. Just look for the rural tourism offered on Bonita Road and on the Piraí, Vale do Quiriri and Serra Dona Francisca areas. Clean air, the green, the streamlets and the mountains are good reasons to leave stress aside. However, if contemplating is not enough, it is not difficult to participate of this humble simplicity; there are many small and well kept properties where the residents sell crafts, colonial and homemade products. And within the delicacies there are breads, cakes, biscuits, jams, treacle, cheeses, sausages, smoked meats, sugar cane spirit and much more. En route, pleasant open air leisure spots celebrate the connection of Man with Nature.
The history of Caxias do Sul starts before the Italians, when the region was being roamed by cattlemen and occupied by Indians. Back then, the region was called ‘Indians Field’. The Italian immigrants’ occupation, mostly farmers from the Veneto region (Italy), started taking place in 1875 in Nova Milano. Hence, they were in search of a better place to live. They also met people from Lombardy, Trento, and other places. Although they had gotten some governmental support, such as tools, supplies, and seeds, everything had to be reimbursed.
Two years later, the colonial headquarters of the Indians’ Field was given the name Caxias Colony. The town was created on 20 July 1890 and acknowledged in the same year, on 24 August. Many economic cycles marked the evolution of the city throughout that century. The first one is connected to the most peculiar aspect of its cultural identity: the growth of vines and the production of wine for own consumption at first, and later on, for commercialization.
On June 1, 1910, Caxias do Sul was elevated to the category of city. On the same day, the first train arrived connecting the region to the state capital. Although the immigrants were farmers, many of them used to perform other activities. They settled down, urbanized the region, and started a fast paced process of industrialization.
In the countryside, subsistence agriculture concentrates on the cultivation of grapes, wheat, and corn. Home manufactories start to emerge and the overproduction was commercialized. In the beginning, grape and wheat. As time went by, along with the human process the home manufacture became diverse. Then, Caxias do Sul evolved from small home workshops to today’s big factories known internationally.
The University of Caxias do Sul was founded in 1976, a systematical center for culture
Nowadays, Caxias do Sul is the main city of the most diversified region in the country, due to its industrious colonists, vast vineyards, wineries, varied industrial park, and a rich and dynamic market. Those attributes grant this land a greater dimension, the reason why Caxias do Sul, “the capital of the mountains”, “pearl of the colonies”, “hive of work”, is considered the center of the Italian mark in southern Brazil per se.
Along with the immigrants, other ethnic groups shared this path. Miscegenation and acculturation took place. Songs and language, customs and traditions have approached. The Italian cultural heritage and the beautiful southern tradition live together. Barbecue (churrasco) and wine, polenta (porridge made of cornmeal) and roasted spring chicken (galeto), and pasta to the sound of beautiful lyrics translated from the faraway Italy and other local productions, provide hues, sounds, and special flavors to this metropolis’ typical cookery. It’s the southern abundance combined with the so special Italian flavoring.

Economy
In Caxias do Sul, several small, medium, large and multinational companies were founded. The city is recognized as an Entrepreneurial-Exporting Hub in the country. Some of these companies are:
· Marcopolo (buses and truck frames, present in six countries), it is present in its own manufacturing companies in Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and in South African, in addition to the technology that will be transferred to China. One of the largest manufacturers of bus bodies in the world, it has recently also begun to operate in the segment of LCV (Light Commercial Vehicles), parts and components, and plastic products. It also has over 10,000 employees and a commercial and after-sales network spread over the 5 continents;
· Randon S.A. - Implementos e Participações is a mixed holding company, leader of a group of seven companies that employ a workforce of 6,6 thousand employees. They operate in the sectors of road equipment / railway wagons / specialty vehicles/ auto parts/ automotive systems, and services;
· Agrale S/A which owns 4 industrial plants, being the only Brazilian company with 100% national capital making vehicles, tractors and diesel engines; Tramontina silverware company based in Carlos Barbosa with plants throughout Brazil;
· Grendene, a manufacturer of shoes based in neighboring Farroupilha;
· Todeschini, a manufacturer of furniture based in nearby Bento Gonçalves, the wine capital of Brazil;
· Florense based in Flores da Cunha, (furniture, tailor-made kitchen cabinets) among others and several textile factories and wineries.
The per capita income in Caxias do Sul is one of the highest in Brazil according to IBGE.
Culture
Culture in Caxias do Sul was not greatly favoured by the first Italian settlers, as they were mostly involved with survival concerns in an area until then unexplored. In the beginning of the 20th century, however, there was some cultural interest developing, and some sculptors, painters and decorators made a significant career in the city and around, like as Pietro Stangherlin, Francisco Meneguzzo and the Zambelli family. They left the first exemples of artworks worth of mention, specially in sacred art and building decoration. Virgilio Calegari and Ulysses Geremia, both photographers, also deserve close attention for their huge collection of images of the old city and in the field of portrait.
As of historical architecture we unfortunately find just few, yet fine, eclectic houses built for rich families, public buildings and neogothic churches, like as the Cathedral and the Chapel of Santo Sepulcro (Sacred Tomb). The first houses of the immigrants, made of stone, and later traditional wooden buildings, nearly all disappeared under a long wave of modernization, remaining very few relics.
This state of relative neglect didn't change very much along the greater part of the last century, but recently it has been noticed a big and sudden flourishing of the local culture, and now the city offers a broad range of cultural attractions and many official institutions are developing programs for historical researches on and preservation of important collections and architectonic sites, as well as supporting contemporary art, music, dance, theatre and popular cultural expressions.
The city nowadays has many intensely active museums and cultural centers, both private and official, and a great university which sponsors an art gallery, a museum, a huge library and a symphonic orchestra.
6.Florianopolis
Florianópolis (also known by its nickname Floripa) is the capital city of Santa Catarina State in southern Brazil. It is composed of one main island, the Island of Santa Catarina, one continental part and the surrounding small islands. It has a population of 406,564 (2006/IBGE). Its metropolitan area has a population of over 821,552 inhabitants. Florianópolis was among Newsweek's 10 Most Dynamic Cities.
Florianópolis is one of the three Brazilian states capitals on an island (the others are São Luís and Vitória). It is surrounded by smaller islands with forts, which protected ships in the 17th century. Most of the population lives on the island's northern half. The southern half is more isolated and less developed. Although originally settled by the Portuguese (from the Archipelago of Azores), the city has a strong German and Italian influence, like the rest of the state. Florianópolis is a popular destination for South American tourists, because of its location and white sand beaches.
The Hercílio Luz International Airport connects Florianópolis with Brazilian cities and also operates international flights.
The city is home to the Federal University of Santa Catarina.
Demographics
According to the IBGE of 2006, there were 406,564 residing in the city. The city has the 4th best HDI in Brazil, and the best life quality of Brazilian capitals. Florianópolis is mostly composed of Brazilians of European descent. Its colonization started in the mid-18th century, mostly with the arrival of Portuguese colonists from the Azores Islands. Florianópolis was composed mainly of Azoreans, Germans and Italians. Further south, some districts also preserve their countryside village identity, and the heritage left by their ancestors (who came from the Portuguese archipelago of Açores during the 18th century) is noticeable in their manner of speaking, in their handicraft activities, and typical feasts. On the other side, the city has taken on a cosmopolitan air with the arrival of Brazilians from other States and foreigners who chose to live there. The island, which in the beginning of the colonization period, was an important whale hunting centre, is today the technological pole of the IT industry. A State Capital of interest to tourism, Florianópolis is currently inhabited by about 400 thousand people, a number that triples every summer.

Economy
Florianópolis has its economy consolidated basically in the activities of the commerce, installment of public service, industry of transformation and tourism. Lately, the clothing industry and Internet Technology are also becoming sectors of exceptional development. Civil construction is also another important economic activity of the city, with highlight for the beaches of the north region of the island (Jurerê, Jurerê Internacional, Canasvieiras and Ingleses).
The GDP for the city was R$ 6,259,393 (2005).
The per capita income for the city was R$ 15,776 (2005).
Tourism is one of the staples of Florianópolis' economy; it is considered by many inhabitants and tourists that Floripa has a singular beauty endowed with strong lines of Azorean culture, observed in the buildings, workmanship, folklore, culinary and religious traditions. In addition to its popular sugar soft white sand beaches Florianópolis' offers many historical attractions, including the sites of the original Azorean colonists, the Lagoa da Conceição lagoon, and Saint Antonio of Lisbon. Tourism in Florianópolis has grown significantly over the past 10 years, with increasing numbers of visitors coming from other large cities in Brazil (particularly Porto Alegre, Curitiba, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro) as well as other South American countries (particularly Argentina, with direct flights offered daily from Buenos Aires). During the past several years a greater number of international tourists have also began to frequent the island (particularly from Europe and the United States), and 2006 marked the opening of the city's first multinational hotel, a Sofitel, and first US-based specialty tour operator, Nexus Surf. Barra da Lagoa, a quaint, primitive fishing village with a canal linking the lagoon to the sea now boasts a new luxury inn, The Villa Vilalva. Additionally Barra da Lagoa is the "bunny slope" of surfing lessons on the island.

7.Pelotas
Pelotas is an important Brazilian city, the third most populous of the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. Pelotas is located 271 km (168 mi) from Porto Alegre, the capital city of Rio Grande do Sul, and 150 km (93 mi) from the Uruguayan border. The Lagoa dos Patos lies to the east and the São Gonçalo Channel lies to the south, separating Pelotas from the city of Rio Grande.
In the 19th century, Pelotas was Brazil's leading center for production of dried meat (charque), a staple food made by slaves and destined to feed the slaves of sugarcane, coffee and cocoa plantations across the country.
Currently Pelotas hosts two major universities, the Federal University of Pelotas,[5] and the Catholic University of Pelotas.[6] Together, they account for a population of 22 thousand students in higher education.
The city claims three football clubs: Grêmio Esportivo Brasil (also known as Brasil de Pelotas; founded 1911),Esporte Clube Pelotas (founded 1908)[8] and Grêmio Atlético Farroupilha (founded 1926).
The history of the city begins in June 1758, through a donation that Gomes Freire de Andrade, Count of Bobadela, made to Colonel Thomáz Luiz Osório, giving him land that lay on the banks of the Lagoa dos Patos. In 1763, fleeing the Spanish invasion, many inhabitants of the village Rio Grande sought refuge in the land belonging to Osório. Later, there also came refugees from Colônia do Sacramento, which had been handed over by the Portuguese to the Spanish in 1777.
In 1780, the Portuguese rancher José Pinto Martins established himself in Pelotas. The prosperity of his establishment stimulated the creation of other ranches and growth in the region, creating a population that would define the early city.
The Civil Parish of São Francisco de Paula, founded on June 7, 1812, by Father Pedro Pereira de Mesquita, was elevated to the category of town on April 7, 1832. Three years later, in 1835, the town was declared a city, bearing the name Pelotas.[10]
In Brazil, 'pelota' can refer to a leather raft, and the name of the city comes from the boats made of cork oak covered with animal skins, used to cross rivers in ranching times.
In the first years of the 20th century, progress was stimulated by the Banco Pelotense (Bank of Pelotas), founded in 1906 by local investors. Its liquidation, in 1931, was devastating to the local economy.[11]
The State Complementary Law number 9184, of 1990, created the Urban Agglomeration of Pelotas, which, in 2001, became the Urban Agglomeration of Pelotas and Rio Grande, and in 2002 the Urban Agglomeration of the South. The goal is to firmly integrate the participating cities and is the beginning of a future metropolitan region. It would include the cities Arroio do Padre, Capão do Leão, Pelotas, Rio Grande and São José do Norte, which have a joint population of approximately 600,000 inhabitants.

Demographics
The first immigrants to the region were the Portuguese, coming mostly from the Azores, something which profoundly influenced the culture of the city, especially in its architecture and cuisine.
Another important immigration was that of the Germans (the majority from Pomerania), even though they preferred to settle in rural areas, unlike the Portuguese, who settled in the city itself. Also worthy to mention are other ethnicities that settled in Pelotas, such as Africans (descendents of slaves), Italians, Poles, French, Jews, Lebanese Arabs, etc. The number of descendants from indigenous peoples, despite being unknown, is probably very small.
In a 2005 study there were 280,897 whites, 34,172 blacks, 25,395 of mixed ethnicities, 998 native Brazilians, 498 Asians, and 998 with an unknown ethnicity.
Economy
The economy of Pelotas is mostly agricultural and commercial. The latter is largely represented by Arabs, mostly Lebanese (erroneously referred to as Turks) and a few other foreigners.
The region is the largest producer of peaches for the country's storehouse industry, along with other products such as asparagus, cucumber, fig and strawberries. The city also is a great producer of rice and cattle products. Pelotas produces more milk than anywhere else in the state.
Pelotas has industries tied to agriculture, textile, leather tanning and bread-making. Reforestation for the production of paper and cellulose has been a rising economic activity in the whole region.
The city is a large commercial center in the region, attracting shoppers to its sidewalk and neighborhood galleries and shops.
The rural area, also called the "colony", due to the fact that German immigrants built isolated farming communities there, is characterized by the production of fruit, rice, and livestock.
In times past the production of charque, or dried beef, was economically important.]The work was usually done by slaves. The charqueadas, as the livestock ranches were called, are still popular tourist attractions, the most famous being the Charqueada Santa Rita and the Charqueada São João


8.Canoas
Canoas, which won city status in 1939, is the fourth largest city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Its population is over 300,000 people. The city is adjacent to the capital of the gaúcho state: Porto Alegre. Canoas is the center of some important industries and the Canoas Air Base, used by the Brazilian Air Force.
According to the IBGE, Brazil's Geography and Statistics Institute, Canoas currently has no rural areas, but it started as a village of large landowners. The first of them was conquistador Francisco Pinto Bandeira, who received from the Portuguese Crown, in 1740, an area north of the Gravataí River.
History has that 1871 was the beginning of the village of Canoas, when the first section of the railway that would link Porto Alegre to São Leopoldo was inaugurated. Canoas was then part of the municipalities of Gravataí and São Sebastião do Caí. Soon large farms would lose space to small properties.
After obtaining city status, Canoas experienced rapid growth, especially after 1945. Today, many call it a "cidade-dormitório" (Portuguese for "bedroom city"), because thousands of people commute to neighboring Porto Alegre to work, as happens with all cities in the greater Porto Alegre metropolitan area.
Canoas consists of mostly large sprawling neighborhoods and a lively business district, as well as numerous large factories that provide the city with the second highest GDP in Rio Grande do Sul, among them the Refinaria Alberto Pasqualini (REFAP), a Petrobras oil refinery. In addition, a new high-end district is gradually emerging in the suburbs. As happens with many Brazilian cities, there can arguably be seen two different countries in the same municipality: it does not take too long for one to drive from an impoverished slum to a rich neighbourhood.
The city's poorest neighbourhoods are completely unplanned. The Guajuviras subdivision, the old Guajuviras Farm that was developed by the government, was originally settled by squatters before the government officially opened the property for inhabitation. Poorer favelas or slums fill some of the forest or green space areas in the subdivision).
Canoas has one of the richest and most important universities in southern Brazil: the Ulbra (Lutheran University of Brazil), as well as Unilasalle and Faculdades Ritter dos Reis. The enormous wealth, manifest in the Ulbra, and crushing poverty, manifest in the slums of the city, are characteristic of the economic divide of Brazil. Many wealthy citizens in Canoas and the greater Porto Alegre metropolitan area fail to acknowledge the existence of poverty in their cities and most have never walked through the slums of their own cities.
9.Maringa

Maringá is a city in southern Brazil that was founded on May 10, 1947. Maringá is the third largest city in the state of Paraná. The city has a population of 298,828 (estimation IBGE, 2002), 490,030 (metropolitan area, estimation IBGE, 2002). It is a regional centre and is made up of commerce, services, agro-industries, and universities, including the State University of Maringá.
In 1925 middle the Land Company was established North of the Paraná, current Company Improvements North of the Paraná. It was responsible for the settling of more than 500,000 alqueires in the Region North of the State, where today some of the biggest cities of the Paraná meet.
The process of settling and populating of the paranaense north was facilitated by the interest of the São Paulo colonists in acquiring new areas for production because of the high productivity of the land in the region. The north of the Paraná encloses an approach area of 100 a thousand kilometers squared. It is bathed by the Rivers Paranapanema, Paraná, Ivaí and Piquiri. The region is divided in three areas, in accordance with the time and the origin of its settling: Old north, New North and Latest North.
The beginning of the execution of workmanships foreseen in the urbanistic project requested for the British Company Improvements North of the Paraná(Cia de Melhoramentos) and based in the lines of direction elaborated for the city planner Jorge Macedo Vieira, defined the tracing of the new city that came to be raised to the category of city in 14 of February of 1951. The Cia. still if worried about the ambiental question that certainly would suffer great impact with the deforestation proceeding from the occupation foreseen in the urbanistics projects. Thus, three great ecological areas had been reserved inside of the limits of the urban headquarters: the Forest Horto, the Park of the Ingá and Forest II. The sector of services is what more it is distinguished in Maringá with 76,74%, followed of the indústrial with 22,29% and finally is the farming one with 0,97%. In the industry, the sectors of the alimentary, chemical products predominate and textile (source: Paraná City).
The productive structure of Maringá, contemplates 6,152 companies in service, 5,553 in commerce and 1,327 in the industry; 8 in farming and the 1 in the mineral extraction. In percentile terms, 47.2% services, 42.6% commerce and 10.2% industry. In transport terms, 15 great companies use 16,878 people; 142 averages 14,746 people; 859 small 19,526 people and the 12,016 microcompanies use 30,868 people. (Source: Economic census, 2001) Most of the occupying immigrants of the Region North of the State, proceeds from São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo. Nearly 40% of the local population has Italian origins, mainly from Veneto and the the Italian Southern regions Calabria, Napoli, Basilicatta among other regions.
The peak of the São Paulo migration to Paraná occurred in the decade of 1940 to 1950. With the great expansion of the coffee plantation in the State and the consequent increase of the hardworking classrooms, the demographic density of the region increased of 8,9 for 75,9 hab/km². With the implantation of the coffee plantation in the north of the Paraná, the Japanese immigration began to constitute one of the biggest groups of descendants of immigrants in the region. Beyond these, other ethnic groups had been responsible for the cultural formation of the north in the State, for example, the Portuguese, Italians, Spanish, French, British, Polish, Ukranians, Swiss, Germans and Arabs.
Maringá holds one of the most important universities of Paraná, the State University of Maringá (UEM) The city has an increasing student community with other institutions CESUMAR, the biggest private University in Maringa, Faculdades Maringa, Faculdades Nobel, Uninga, Uniandrade and a campus of PUC PR with several Faculties.


10.Foz do Iguacu
Foz do Iguaçu is the 4th largest city of Paraná state, Brazil and the 11th largest of the Brazil's Southern region, with a population of 309,000 habitants . It is located approximately 650 km (400 mi) west of Curitiba, Parana's capital city. The inhabitants of the city are known as iguaçuenses. It is situated at 25°50′S, 54°30′W.

Economy
The city is one of the most visited by tourists in Brazil. Most tourists are Brazilians and Argentinians, but Americans, British, Germans, Italians, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese tourists are also numerous. The city has about 100 hotels and "pousadas". The main attractions are:
· The Iguassu Falls, (with a flow capacity equal to three Niagara Falls). Part of the falls are in the Brazilian side, others (including the "Garganta do Diabo", the tallest of the falls, 97 m, 318 ft high) are in the Argentinian side.
· Parque Nacional do Iguaçu (Iguazu National Park), in both Brazil and Argentina, where the falls are. It is protected by the IBAMA.
· Itaipu Dam, the largest generator of hydro-electric power in the world, in the Parana river, between Brazil and Paraguay.
· The Tríplice Fronteira (Triple Frontier) location where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet. Each side has its own Marco (landmark).
· The Omar Ibn Al-Khattab mosque, the largest outside Middle East.
· The Bird Park (Parque das Aves), with a reasonably big collection of wild birds, and the "Bosque Guarani", the city's zoo.
The Itaipu Dam produces about 20% of Brazil's electricity needs, and employs (directly and indirectly) about 5000 Iguaçuenses.
Many people who live in the city work in its neighbor, Ciudad del Este. All trade between Brazil and Paraguay uses the Friendship Bridge (called Ponte da Amizade in Brazil). There is another bridge, the Fraternity Bridge (Ponte da Fraternidade, or Ponte Tancredo Neves, in Brazil), which connects Foz do Iguaçu with its Argentinian neighbor, Puerto Iguazú. The Fraternity Bridge, however, is far less important than the Friendship Bridge. Recently, the Friendship Bridge has faced problems such as traffic congestion as well as protests and blockades.
The city is strategically positioned, seeing its position in Mercosul, and it is expected that its importance will increase following the formation of the SACN (South Community of Nations).
Foz do Iguaçu has few industries apart from electrical energy generation; mostly, basic textiles. Because of the importance of tourism, domestic and international crises can affect the city's economy through reducing tourist numbers and by bringing fewer consumers to Ciudad del Este (a duty-free city where Brazilians import cheaper goods from Paraguay).
In 1549, a Spanish explorer, Cabeza de Vaca, found the falls while trailing down the river. Very impressed, he named them "Quedas de Santa Maria". But later the name changed to Quedas del Iguazu, this name is a native name from the Guarani Indians who once lived there.
Until 1860, it was in Paraguayan territory, but given its defeat in the War of the Triple Alliance, and big loses of territory to the winners, the falls passed to Brazilian control in the north side and Argentinian control in the south side.
The region was almost uninhabited, there was only a military colony until 1897, with the creation of a postal office in the region. Given the little attention of the political authorities, the region was very predated by foreigners, mainly Argentinians.
In 1910, the colony's status was upgraded to the position of "vila" (town or village), named "Vila Iguazu", and, in 1914, to city. At that time, the city was known as Foz do Iguassu.
In 1916, Alberto Santos-Dumont visited the region and, impressed with the beauties of the region, suggested more attention of the government to the area and asked for the appropriation of the land where currently is the Parque do Iguaçu (Iguazu Park). Until 1917, this region had an owner, Jezus Val. The state appropriated the land in the next year, and, in 1939, the Parque Nacional do Iguaçu was created.
In 1945, an agreement between the Brazilian Academy of Letters and the Academy of Lisbon changed the city name to Foz do Iguaçu.
The city experienced a big economical boom in the 1960s to the late 1980s, first with the construction of the Friendship Bridge, concluded in 1965, and the Itaipu Dam, finished in the beginning of the 1990s. However, the city suffered with the world economy's recession, that resulted in fewer tourists and fewer consumers of Ciudad del Este's imported goods.
In 2004, the city's economy started again to grow up, after a long time of recession.
On October 19, 2005, was considered changing the city name to Foz do Iguassu. The proposal was approved in first debate and then denied in second debate, at the Town Hall (Câmara Municipal), by four votes for and eight against, a billPSDB's city councillor Djalma Pastorello was the author of the proposal. The purpose of changing the city name is to make the city's spelling return to the original, when the city was founded in 1914 by the name Foz do Iguassu, but in 1945 Brazilian Portuguese passed through an orthography reform, but proper names didn't have to change. Another reason for the change is that 146 of the 198 countries homologated by ONU don't have the "ç" character in the alphabet, this way would make easier the search for the city in search engines, since Foz do Iguaçu is world wide known by its falls, which by the way is commercially divulgated as Iguassu Falls. This change, according to Djalma Pastorello, will improve the city's tourism, however, he estimates that 70% of the city's population were against the name change because the local midia antecipated the change showing this in a distorted way, making population unable to see the advance that this will make to all.
Demographics
The city has a population of 309,000 inhabitants, and the Triplice Fronteira (Tri Frontier) zone (Ciudad del Este, Hernandarias, Puerto Iguazú and rural areas inside the municipality areas) has a total of 800,000. The city is very heterogeneous. There are many colonies of immigrants there, most Arabs, Chinese, Germans, Italians, Lebanese, Paraguayans, Argentines, Palestinians, French, Swedes, Portuguese and Ukrainians.
The city has the second largest Chinese colony of immigrants in Brazil (approx. 25,000, second only to São Paulo), and the third largest islamic colony of immigrants (approx. 20,000, behind São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro).
The city is predominantly Roman Catholic, Protestant and Spiritist, but a relative large minority of Muslims and Buddhists are present in the city as well. The city itself has a large Muslim mosque (largest outside the Middle East) and a Buddhist temple (the largest in Brazil).
Fenartec is an annual event held in the city's convention centre commemorating the city's multicultural diversity, usually in May.


11.Ponta Grossa
Ponta Grossa is a city in the state of Paraná, Brazil. With a population of over 300,000 inhabitants, it is the 5th most populated city of Paraná. It is the second industrial pole in the State, being only exceeded by Curitiba—the State's capital and largest city. Ponta Grossa, also known as the Princesa dos Campos—Princess of the Fields, is the home of the Ponta Grossa State University (UEPG). Ponta Grossa is also home town to the Parque Nacional da Vila Velha (National Park of Old Town), a park made up of rock formations formed over millions of years. Each rock formation has its own name, depending on which object/animal they look like. Ponta Grossa is also the site of the Munchen Fest - A National Beer Festival that lasts a whole week. Ponta Grossa is the birth place of the famous medical doctor Italo Ribeiro de Paula Filho, who is married to Nicole Grillo. Italo is known for his research in many topics, including mentall illness.

12.Cascavel
Cascavel is a city and municipality in western Paraná state, Brazil. The population is 284,083 inhabitants.
The city is on a plateau 781 meters above sea level. It is 504 km west of the state capital of Curitiba and 605 km west of the sea port of Paranaguá, 140 km from the 3 borders (Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil) at 24° 58' South, 53° 26' West.
Settlement in the area started in March 1928 when José Silvério de Oliveira known as Nhô Jeca, leased the land from José Elias. Many colonists started settling from the south of Brazil when the cycle of yerba mate ended, dedicating themselves to the logging and swine breeding. The name of the city means rattlesnake in Portuguese. The legend tells that a group of settlers camped one night in the region and they were woken by the sound of a rattle. Afterwards they realized they set up the camp next to a rattlesnake
Economy
Cascavel is responsible for 26% of the total production of cereals in the state of Paraná. The main crops are soybeans, wheat, corn, rice, cotton, and beans. It is also a big producer of poultry, swine, and beef cattle.
Participation in the municipal GDP: Livestock raising: 5,95% Industry: 16,63% Services: 77,42%
The main industries are food processing, chemicals, metallurgy, and beverages.
Cascavel has one of the most advanced medical centers of the state, especially in videosurgery. Both Genisis and Salete Hospitals have centers for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Videosurgery that works with multiple departments. The Centers offer a wide range of general surgical procedures, including videoesophagogastric fundoplasty, videolaparoscopic cholecystectomy, videolaparoscopic colon resection, videosurgical applications in any gynecology problems, obesity management, and treatment of trauma. The Instituto da Visão is nationally known in Ophthalmology and is devoted specifically to eye care. This eyecare center is a mark of excellence in Cataracts surgery, Diabetic retinopathy, Vitreous and Retinal destachment, Glaucoma and damaged Cornea.

13. Gravatai

Gravataí (Tupi-guarani: gravatá, a kind of flower common in the region; y, river.) is a city near Porto Alegre at the Rio Grande do Sul State. Its population is approximately 270,000 people.
There is a General Motors factory, one of the most modern in the world. GM's factory had a very controversial settle down, because the Rio Grande do Sul government huge fiscal incentive (about U$ 200 millions, in 1995). The factory produces the Chevrolet Celta / Suzuki Fun car.
As is usual in this case, there are also a number of automotive sub-contractors and suppliers installed in Gravataí (for example, Johnson Controls).

14.Santa Maria
Santa Maria is a municipality in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil. It is known for the presence of a federal university (Universidade Federal de Santa Maria) and a number of private universities and faculties. Due to their presence, the city has a relatively young population.
The name of the city means "Saint Mary" in Portuguese. Santa Maria is also known in the region by being the host city of a big religious festival dedicated to Nossa Senhora Medianeira called "Romaria da Medianeira" (Medianeira is a name of Our Lady that was created in Venice, Italy). Every year, tens of thousands of people from many cities join the festival.
Santa Maria has a population of 270,073 and a total area of 1,823.1 km² (source: IBGE). It has a humid subtropical climate and its annual average temperature is 19.2°C.
The municipality contains 10 districts. The city of Santa Maria itself is located in the urban Seat District (Distrito Sede), which is divided into 8 regiões administrativas (administrative regions), further subdivided into 41 bairros (neighbourhoods).
Santa Maria is often referred to as the "heart of Rio Grande do Sul" (from Portuguese: "cidade coração do Rio Grande"), due to its central localization in the state—the geographical center of the state is located in the rural District of Passo do Verde. It is also called the "culture city" (Portuguese: "cidade cultura") mostly because of the local universities, which host a large number of students and young adults who engage in many cultural and political ations, social entrepreneurs, and a certain number of academic researchers of international reputation.

Blumenau
Blumenau is a city in Santa Catarina state in southern Brazil. It was founded on September 2, 1850 by Dr. Otto Hermann Blumenau along with 17 German immigrants. A few years later Fritz Müller migrated to Blumenau as well.
The name of the city is of German origin, with Blumen meaning "flowers", and "Au" being a suffix used to refer to floodplains. Blumenau hence means "Floodplain of Flowers".

Demographics
As of 2006, Blumenau had an estimated population of 300,000 people, with an area of 510 km². The main ethnic groups of the city are Germans and Italians. The city displays many historical and cultural reminders of their heritage, such as houses and other buildings built in a traditional German style, statues, and memorials.
Blumenau has a high standard of living, with an Human Development Index of 0.856 as of 2004. The crime rate is very low and the illiteracy rate is under 2.85%.
Economy
The municipality's economy is based on industry, commerce, and tourism. The city is a major textile center of Brazil. The headquarters of Hering and Karsten are located there. Recently, Blumenau has also become important in software development, with Senior Sistemas, WK Sistemas, and Benner as its main software employers. Another recent economic development is beer production, with the micro-brewery Eisenbahn.
The principal commercial streets are found in the central area, with XV de Novembro being the most important thoroughfare. Blumenau also has many shopping centers, with Neumarkt being the biggest, its tower easily visible against the city's skyline.
The most significant period for tourism is during Oktoberfest, a traditional Bavarian beer festival. Oktoberfest was created in 1984 after the second major flood to celebrate the resilience of its people. In 2005 there were 365,288 tickets sold, and 266,811 liters of beer were bought at its pavilions. The record for public attendance was set in 1992, when over 1 million tickets were sold.
The city is located in a valley bisected by the Itajaí-Açu River, surrounded by hills with forests. The lower areas, including towers and tall buildings in the city center, constantly suffer from the threat of floods. Blumenau's first recorded flood took place in the dawn of September 23rd, 1880. The worst took place in 1983 and 1984, when the city was completely isolated for weeks. Today, Blumenau is well-prepared against such threats, but many citizens prefer to live in higher areas spread into the nearby hills and plains to avoid flooding.

16.Novo Hamburgo
Novo Hamburgo is a city in the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Its population is 250,800 (2005). The city covers an area of 217 square kilometers, and the average temperature is 19°C, a mild one for the region. The Sinos River (Rio dos Sinos) runs through it. The city is the industrial center of the Sinos River Valley, the economy of which is based mainly on the manufacture of shoes and the associated leather goods supply chain. It is considered a rich city by Brazilian standards, although it has some impoverished areas.
The area of the city was first settled by Portuguese immigrants in the mid 18th century, but it would grow to the status of village only with the arrival of the first German immigrants in 1824. At that time, Novo Hamburgo was part of São Leopoldo, the cradle of German immigration in Brazil. The Germans established a prosperous agricultural colony and eventually started to supply the state's main urban centers at that time with food. Some of the immigrants also brought handicraft skills, valuable for a self-sufficient, isolated economy, as the valley and the state were at that time. In Novo Hamburgo, the first urban agglomeration appeared around the Hamburger Berg, circa 1870, where there was a little commerce. The city was emancipated from São Leopoldo on April 5, 1927, and soon joined the rest of Brazil in its run to industrialization.

Economy
Novo Hamburgo is one of 13 charming cities on the Rota Romântica, a scenic bypass of Brazilian cities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul with heavy Germanic influence. Other cities on the Rota Romântica are São Leopoldo, Estância Velha, Ivoti, Dois Irmãos, Morro Reuter, Santa Maria do Herval, Presidente Lucena, Picada Café, Nova Petrópolis, Gramado, Canela and São Francisco de Paula.
Those immigrant German craftsmen eventually started to manufacture shoes and machinery on a large scale and in the 1960s began to export goods, a process that transformed the city into a magnet for internal immigrants from impoverished areas around the state and the country. This caused large demographic growth that was not accompanied by the needed structure to accommodate the recently arrived population; favelas then formed, which are the source of many of today's social problems. Today's Novo Hamburgo depends heavily upon shoe exports, although it diversified its industrial and commercial base in the early 1990s.

- A. Jonathan Buhalis