Nova Friburgo

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Flag of the municipality

Nova Friburgo is a municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil. It is located in the northern mountainous region of the state, 136km from its capital Rio de Janeiro (city). The town is 846m (2,776 feet) above sea level and encompasses a total area of 938.5 km² (362.4 mi²).

Commonly referred to as just "Friburgo", the town has an estimated population of 178,102 people, known as "Friburguenses". It was settled by 2,006 Swiss emigrants from the canton of Fribourg, transferred to the region by royal decree from D. João VI in 1818, and was also the first town in the country to be colonised by Germans. It contains the districts of Riograndina, Campo do Coelho, Amparo, Conselheiro Paulino, Lumiar and São Pedro da Serra.

1 History
2 Demographics
3 Colleges and universities
4 Economy and industry
5 Sports
6 External links

[edit] History

On 16th May 1818, Prince Regent John VI of Portugal issued a decree allowing the Swiss representative of the Canton of Fribourg, Sebastian Nicolau Gachet, to establish a colony in Cantagalo. The purpose of this was to further encourage development within the Kingdom of Brazil and the area was chosen as it greatly resembled Swiss climate and geographical features. 100 Swiss families were to settle in the Fazenda do Morro Queimado (Farm of the Burnt Hill) where the colony of Nova Friburgo was later founded. From 1819-1820 a total of 261 families formed the original settlement nucleus and on the 17th of April 1820 the government elevated its status to that of a village.

Following the Proclamation of Brazil’s Independence (1822) the Imperial Government continued a policy of populating the nation by attracting European colonisation. 80 German families led by Pastor Frederick Sauerbronn, previously assigned to settlements in the Province of Bahia, ended up in Nova Friburgo on the 3rd and 4th of May 1824 and were warmly welcomed. Similar arrivals of Italians, Portuguese and a minority of Syrians led to such population increases that the once village was elevated to city status on 8th January 1890.

Agriculture was the basis of economic activity until 1910. The arrival of industrialists such as Julius Arp, Maximilian Falck e William Peacock Denis pioneered the development of an industrial sector still thriving to the present day. Of similar importance was the settlement’s relative proximity to Niteroi and Rio de Janeiro and improvement of transport and communication links such as the paved roads and telegraphs. This encouraged a small tourist industry to grow which, together with local commerce, became the main source of income for Friburguenses.

[edit] Demographics

Total Population: 178,102 people
Urban: 151,820
Rural: 21, 501
Male: 84,248
Female: 89,073

The population density is 182.56/km² (472.8/mi²).

[edit] Colleges and universities

Colégio Anchieta
Colégio Nossa Senhora das Graças
Escola Fribourg
Externato Santa Ignez
Faculdade de Filosofia Santa Doroteia
Universidade Federal Fluminense - UFF (Antiga FONF)
Colégio Nossa Senhora das Dores
Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro - UERJ (Instituto Politécnico)
Universidade Estacio de SÁ
Universidade Cândido Mendes – UCAM
Colégio Nossa Senhora das Mercês
Colégio Estadual Canadá

[edit] Economy and industry

Manufacturing/wholesale/retail of female underwear and lingerie
Tourism (locally famous for its scenic mountains, preserved wildlife and characteristic Alpine architecture)
Textile mills
Metallurgic industries