Além Paraíba

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Além Paraíba
Porto Novo Old Railway Station
Porto Novo Old Railway Station
Location in Minas Gerais
Location in Minas Gerais
Coordinates: 21°53′16″S 42°42′14″W / -21.88778, -42.70389
Country Brazil
Region Southeast
State Minas Gerais
Founded September 28, 1883
Government
 - Mayor Sérgio Antônio Ribeiro Ferreira
Area
 - Total 511.199 km² (197.4 sq mi)
Elevation 140 m (459 ft)
Population (2006)[1]
 - Total 35,589
 - Density 69.6/km² (180.3/sq mi)
Time zone UTC-3 (UTC-3)
 - Summer (DST) UTC-2 (UTC-2)

Além Paraíba is a city in the southeastern Zona da Mata region of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The name indicates its position on the far bank (from Rio de Janeiro) of the Rio Paraíba do Sul. It was known as São José d'Além Parahyba until 1923.

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[edit] Railways

Além Paraíba was at the junction of the Estrada de Ferro Central do Brasil (1871) and the Estrada de Ferro Leopoldina (1873). The grand but somewhat ruinous main station (Porto Novo) now houses a small railway museum dedicated to the EF Leopoldina.

The Empreza Ferro Carril Além Parahyba followed in 1895 with a 4 km mule railway to Saúde which ran along the main streets and was electrified in 1925 but closed following a fatal accident in 1939. The tracks are still in existence.

[edit] Districts

The city comprises the following districts:

  • São José
  • Vila Laroca
  • Porto Novo
  • Vila Caxias
  • Vila Santa Rita

[edit] See also

Coordinates: 21°52′S, 42°41′W

[edit] References