Piracicaba

The place name comes from a word in the Tupi language that means "place where the fish stops", and it is formed by the junction of the terms pirá ("fish"), syk ("stop") e aba ("place").[3]. The name refers to the waterfalls of the Piracicaba River, which bisects the city, which is a point where the "piracema"—fish swimming upstream to reproduce— are stopped.[4]

In 1766, Antonio Correa Barbosa, charged with the task of establishing a settlement on the estuary of Piracicaba river, opted for a location about 90 kilometres (56 mi) from it.[5] The settlement was officially founded on August 1, 1767, as a povoação subordinated to the vila of Itu.[6] In 1784, Piracicaba got emancipated from Itu, becoming a freguesia.[6]

In 1821, the freguesia was promoted to vila, known as Vila Nova da Constituição. In 1856, Vila Nova da Constituição was promoted to city status and in 1877 it was officially named "Piracicaba", following a law by the then councilman and future Brazilian president Prudente de Morais.[6]

In 1944, the city was made the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Piracicaba.[7]

Piracicaba is home to the oldest agricultural university in Brazil, the Luiz de Queiroz School of Agriculture of the University of São Paulo.[8] Founded in 1901, the school is located on a farm with a large collection of trees and plants. It is also recognized as a leader in the field of precision agriculture. Other universities based in Piracicaba are the Methodist University of Piracicaba (UNIMEP)[9] and the University of Campinas' School of Dentistry.[10]

Piracicaba is known by the nickname "Noiva da Colina",[11], meaning "Bride of the Hill", and is the annual host to the "Festa das Nações" (Nations' Party, where people may find foods from all over the world),[12] and to the "Salão Internacional do Humor" (International Humor Exhibition), where cartoonists from around the world display comic drawings.[13][14]

Piracicaba is famous for its sugarcane plantations,[15] traditional cachaça production,[16] and traditional music.[17]

Upscale houses in the city

Avenues in Piracicaba

The city is an important and traditional producer of sugarcane.[18] The harvest of sugarcane allows for the production of many derivates, including sugar, oil, and ethanol.[19] Copersucar, a large company that has a center of research on genetic improvement of sugarcane, participates in this growing industry.[20][21]

Another characteristic economic feature is the presence of large industries, the main ones being Caterpillar,[22] ArcelorMittal,[23] Raizen and Hyundai.[24]

Farms

Piracicaba's altitude is 554 meters.[25] Temperatures through the year vary from average highs of 30 °C to average lows of 12.0 °C, [26] and Piracicaba experiences an average annual rainfall of 123 centimeters.[27] The area of the city is 1,378 square kilometers, making it the 13th largest city in the State of São Paulo.[28] The urban area of Piracicaba is 233.36 square kilometers.[29]

The population in 2019 was 404,142. The Human Development Index for the city was 0.710 in 2000, and 0.785 in 2010, both falling in the "high" category.[30]

As of 2010, water and power are supplied at a level approaching 100% of the households.[31] As of 2019 there were 2.15 inhabitants per car in the city,[32] and, in 2022, roughly 0.72 inhabitants per mobile phone line, with 99% of the city's population calculated as having access to a mobile phone.[33]

• José Altafini, also known as "Mazola", a professional footballer.
• Jonathan Cafú, footballer
• Erik Cardoso, sprinter
• Cassiano Leal, swimmer
• Evaristo Conrado Engelberg, engineer and inventor
• André Cypriano, professional fotographer and documentarist
• Ronaldo Guiaro, footballer
• Marcos Pizzelli - footballer who played for the Armenian national team.
• Rubens Ometto Silveira Mello, the owner of Cosan.

• Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
• Santa Ana, El Salvador