Brazil Eco Adventure Tours
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São Paulo

 São Paulo   San Pablo   São Paulo 
São Paulo (S 23° 32′ / W 46° 37′) is the capital of São Paulo State in Southeast Brazil. It is located 440 km (270 miles) southwest of Rio de Janeiro and 400 km (245 miles) northeast of Curitiba. The Atlantic coast is 80 km (50 miles) to the south, crossing the Serra do Mar mountain range.

The Tropic of Capricorn (22,5°S) north of the city divides Brazil in a northern tropical and a southern subtropical climate zone. The São Paulo basin which is located 760 m above sea level is surrounded by several conservation units such as the Cantareira State Park constituting the São Paulo City Green Belt Biosphere Reserve.
 
São Paulo´s history officially began on January 25, 1554 when the Jesuit missionaries Manuel da Nóbrega and José de Anchieta celebrated a mass at today´s Patio do Colégio in the historic center. In the Roman Catholic calender of saints, January 25 is the feast day of the Conversion of St. Paul.

Even 300 years after its foundation, São Paulo counted only 15.000 inhabitants, which were mostly Portuguese conqueror and African slaves. After the abolishment of slavery at the end of the 19th century this number was increased to 240.000 by European, Asian and Arab immigrants. Only during the last 100 years, São Paulo´s population exploded to 11 million people (19 million in the Greater São Paulo area) representing nowadays the most populous metropolitan area in the southern hemisphere.

See also: city tours.
 
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