Jaú
| Jaú | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
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Nickname(s): The Capital of Red Land Heart of São Paulo The Capital of Female Shoes | |||
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Motto: "Ibicá Re Ig" (Tupi) "River that leads to good land" | |||
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| Coordinates: 22°17′47″S 48°33′28″W / 22.29639°S 48.55778°WCoordinates: 22°17′47″S 48°33′28″W / 22.29639°S 48.55778°W | |||
| Country | Brazil | ||
| Region | Southeast | ||
| State | São Paulo | ||
| Founded | 15 August 1853 | ||
| Incorporated | 1889 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Osvaldo Franceschi Junior (PV) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 688,337 km2 (265,768 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 541 m (1,776 ft) | ||
| Population (2006) | |||
| • Total | 135,546 | ||
| • Density | 182.2/km2 (472/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-3 (UTC-3) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-2 (UTC-2) | ||
| Website | Jaú | ||
| HDI (2000) 0.841 – high | |||
- This article is about a city in São Paulo state. For the national park in Amazonas, see Jaú National Park.
Jaú is a municipality in the center of the state of São Paulo, in Brazil. The population in 2008 was 133,333 and the area is 690.18 square kilometres (266.48 sq mi). The elevation is 522 metres (1,713 ft). The place name comes from the Tupi language; the town was formerly known as Jahu, named after a fish species which was found in the only river that runs through the town center.
History
The history of the city goes back to 1853, when a group of people decided to settle and found a village. Not until 1889, however, did it achieve the status of town. Its most widely known inhabitant is João Ribeiro de Barros, the first man to travel from Europe to South America by plane, in 1927, 23 days before Charles Lindbergh's flight.
Economy
Jaú is located in a tropical weather region, known for its very fertile lands, which were once called "terra roxa" (purple land). The city is known as the national capital of female shoes, which are exported to the whole world.
Sports
Esporte Clube XV de Novembro is a traditional sport club of the town, founded in 1924. The club plays its home matches at Estádio Zezinho Magalhães. Jaú is also the birthplace of freestyle swimmer Renata Burgos, who represented Brazil at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.