Itu

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the location. For the article on the telecommunications group, see ITU (International Telecommunication Union).

Map

Coat of Arms	Flag

Statistics
State:	São Paulo
Meso-region:	Paulista Macro-Metropolitan Meso-Region
Microrregions:	Sorocaba
Anniversary:	February 2
Location:	23.963/23°15'51" S, 47.296/47°17'57" W
Area:	641.68 km²
Population:	149,758 (2004) Ranked 273rd
Population density:	234/km²
Elevation:	583 m
Postal code:	13300-xxx
Area/distance code:	(00)55-15
Climate:	Subtropical
Name of habitants or denomym:	Ituano
Website:	www.itu.sp.gov.br
Population Statistics
Urban:	123,942
Rural:	11,424
Other
Literacy rate:	92.53%
Distance from the state capital:	88 km

Itu is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2004 is 149,758 and the area is 641.68 km². The elevation is 583 m. This place name comes from the Tupi language. Itu is linked with the highway numbered the SP-75 and are flowed with two rivers, Tietê and Jundiaí. Itu also contains five hospitals and eleven bank agencies and one shopping center, the Plaza Shopping Itu.

Itu was founded by the Portuguese in 1610 by Domingos Fernandes. It became a parish in 1653. In 1657, it was elevated to a town and municipality. It became a part of Brazil in 1822. It became a city in 1843.

Itu was the birth place of the Brazilian Republic and has a very interesting museum.

Itu became a famous town after "Simplicio" a well known Brazilian comedian, born in Itu, was made Tourism Secretary and to increase tourism promoted it as the "capital of large things". For example, the town square holds a giant 4mt high yellow phone-booth "orelhão". The Itu popsicle is about 30 cm (1 feet) tall. And a giant christmas tree.

With the increase in domestic tourism the infrastructure soon developed to attract foreign visitors as well as international meetings, seminars and congress events. In 1999 and 2003 the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement held their international delegation session in Itu bringing people from over 80 countries to the city at each event.

1 Geography
2 Population history
3 Demographics
4 Transportation
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Geography

Its climate is subtropical, temperatures varies from 16° and 22°. The summer is warm and dry, and the winters are moderately cold and dry.

It is located between the crystalline plateau and sedimentary areas.

[edit] Population history

Year	Population	Change	Density
2001	135,366	-	211.51/km²
2004	149,758	14,392 or 10.63%	234/km²

[edit] Demographics

According to the 2000 IBGE Census, the population was 136,366, of which 123,942 are urban and 11,424 are rural. Its life expectancy for the city was 71.53 years. The literacy rate was at 92.53%.