Balneário Camboriú

Balneário Camboriú is a city and a major beach resort in the Brazilian southern state of Santa Catarina. The town, with its steep hills dropping down to the sea, is popular amongGaúchos. The main ocean boulevard is called Avenida Atlântica (Atlantic Avenue). Balneário Camboriú is famous for the cable car which (uniquely in the world) links the two beaches of Balneário Camboriú and Laranjeiras. The town is located 10 km (6.2 mi) south of the city of Itajaí and 80 km (49.7 mi) north of the state capital, Florianópolis, and has a population of 97,954 (2006 census office estimate), which swells to 700,000 in the summer. Balneário Camboriú means "Golfo do Mar(Sea Golf)",in an Indian language. One important person who lives in Camboriu is the well known O Paulista.

Balneário Camboriú has an island that directly affronts the city beach, Ilha das Cabras (Goats Island), which is too small for inhabitation but is lit at night. Sailing from nearby Laranjeiras Beach are the Pirate ships, sightseeing vessels of a 17th-century appearance, that goes around the island before returning to Laranjeiras. The city also has a statue similar to the Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) in Rio de Janeiro, called Cristo Luz, but rather the one in Balneário Camboriú portrays Jesus with a broad-brimmed hat on his shoulder, which houses a spotlight that shines out to sea. The Cristo Luz is lit at night as well, but with lights that change colors periodically. Another common sight in the city are the paragliders that fly along the beach, by the buildings, from the gliderport in nearby Praia dos Amores, located 1 km (0.6 mi) to the north of the city. The western extent of the city is defined by the Camboriú River, which meets the ocean at the southernmost limit of the central portion of the city, where the cable car (teleférico) mentioned above is located.

Human Development Index: 0,874 - High (2002)