Junqueirópolis

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Coordinates: 21°30′53″S, 51°26′01″W

Junqueirópolis
Junqueirópolis
Flag Seal
Location of Junqueirópolis
Coordinates: 22°54′30″S 43°11′47″W / -22.90833, -43.19639
Country	Brazil
Region	Southeast
State	São Paulo
Government
- Prefeitura de Junqueirópolis	Osmar Pinatto (until 2008)
Area
- City	5 km² (1.9 sq mi)
Population (2004)
- Density	28.3/km² (73.3/sq mi)
- Metro	16,644
Time zone	UTC-3 (UTC)
Website: Prefeitura Municipal de Junqueirópolis (in Portugese)

Junqueirópolis is the name of a city and the surrounding municipality in the western region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil.

The population as of 2004 was 16,644. Junqueirópolis has an area of 584.48 km² (5 km² of which is city) and an elevation of 421 m. Rio do Peixe (Fish River) and Rio Aguapeí (Aguapeí River) are major waterways of the region.^[1][2]

[edit] History

At the start of the 20th century this area was largely unexplored and undeveloped. It was not until 1941 that the Companhia Paulista de Estrada de Ferro (São Paulo Locomotive Company) ran railroad tracks through this remote hinterland. ^[3]

Over the next few years Alvaro de Oliveira Junqueira, a wealthy inhabitant of the city of São Paulo, began buying up land here upon which he established coffee plantations. On 1 November 1944 the municipal division of Patrimônio de Junqueira (Junqueira's Patrimony) was established and land development proceeded as lots were sold to investors. ^[3]

Horácio Cajado de Oliveira, Enrique Coutinho and Jose Amatruda were among those that settled here during this period. Another early settler was Torataro Takitami, a representative of the country's growing Japanese Brazilian population. ^[3]

Junqueirópolis was officially founded on 14 June 1949. The place name has been formed by joining Junqueira's surname with the Greek language-derived suffix -polis meaning "city". ^[1][3]

[edit] Agriculture

This is the Vitamin C rich fruit for which Junqueirópolis has been nicknamed Capital da Acerola, the "Acerola Capital".

Outside the urban area, Junqueirópolis is a hilly, agricultural region that produces valuable crops that thrive in a subtropical climate. For this reason the municipality promotes itself as Cidade Verde, "Green City".^[1][3]

Among the fruits grown here, acerola is important enough to the local economy that Junqueirópolis has another nickname -- Capital da Acerola, the "Acerola Capital". In the 1998-1999 season Junqueirópolis produced 2,450 tons of this fruit. The predominant type of acerola produced here is the "Olivier", a variety that is packed with the Vitamin C (1.200mg/100ml of juice and 1.400mg/100g of pulp) for which this plant is primarily cultivated and can be cultivated with little pesticide. ^[1]

Junqueirópolis is also known for its grapes. Among the most widely-cultivated varieties of grape in Junqueirópolis are Itália, Benitaka, Brazil and Ruby. Grapes from this region are made into table wines of excellent quality. ^[1]

Other major crops grown in Junqueirópolis are maize, cotton, and coffee. The importance of produce production to this region is demonstrated in the depiction of the municipal coat of arms shown above which has been illustrated with acerola, grapes, sugar cane, etc.^[1][4]

[edit] Penitentiary

The penitentiary in Junqueirópolis was the site of some of the violence of 2006 that swept the prisons of São Paulo state and involved deadly clashes between Primeiro Comando da Capital (a prison gang) and Polícia Militar do Estado de São Paulo (the state police).^[5]

[edit] References