Cruzeiro, São Paulo

Cruzeiro

city

Flag

Coat of arms

Map of the state of São Paulo, Brazil pointing Cruzeiro

Coordinates: 22°34′38″S 44°57′30″W / 22.57722°S 44.95833°WCoordinates: 22°34′38″S 44°57′30″W / 22.57722°S 44.95833°W

Country

Brazil

State

São Paulo

Meso-region

Vale do Paraíba Paulista

Microrregions

Guaratinguetá

Government

• Mayor

Ana Karin (PR)

Area

• Total

167.38 km² (64.63 sq mi)

Elevation

508 m (1,667 ft)

Population (2004/2001)

• Total

74,986

• Rank

Ranked

• Density

450/km² (1,200/sq mi)

• Urban

71,129

• Rural

2,123

• Literacy rate

95.23%

Demonym

Cruzeirense

Postal code

12700-xxx

Area/distance code

(00)55-12-31xx-xxxx

Distance from state capital

210 km (130 mi)

Website

www.cruzeiro.sp.gov.br

Cruzeiro (Portuguese meaning the Southern Cross, the Brazilian national symbol that is used in its coat of arms and its flag) is a city in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. It is located about 220 km (137 mi) from the state capital. The population reached 70,000 in 2000 and the 2004 population read 74,986 and the area is 331 km² (128 sq mi).

Distances

São Paulo - 210 km (130 mi)
Rio de Janeiro - 213 km (132 mi)
Caxambu - 98 km (61 mi)
Campos do Jordão - 101 km (63 mi)
São José dos Campos - 120 km (75 mi)

Population history

Year	Population	Change	Density
2000	73,492	-	241.27/km²
2004	74,986	+1,494 or 2.03%	246.18/km²

Coat of arms

Its coat of arms features a shield with blue on the top and white at the bottom with its part of a flag in the top left and the Southern Cross which has its golden stars on the right.

Flag

Its flag colors are red on the top left with four golden stars with a white circle and its state (São Paulo) where the city is located in the middle and with 13 stripes, seven of them are blue and six of them are white. It has a red tag reading in Portuguese Cultura Civismo meaning Civic Culture on the left, Paz meaning Peace in the middle and Liberdade e Trabalho meaning Freedom and Work on the bottom and a golden crown on the top.

Geography

Its geography is considered one of the largest investments in Brazil, it is located in the radius of 200 km (124 mi) and a population of around 40 million people. The municipality is situated at the foot of the Serra da Mantiqueira which has the elevation of 517 m (1,696 ft), the mountains of the north reaches its elevations up to 2,800 m (9,186 ft). By the area around the president Dutra Highway, the area features cliffs which divides the state of Minas Gerais. At the division is the Serra da Mantiqueira, the lowest point near the pass with the Serra da Mantiqueira. The rio Paraíba do Sul flows into the city.

History

Cruzeiro was founded at the junction of the railway lines of three states (São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro), the railway, as well as coffee production were important in the 19th century.

The first owner of the Cruzeirense lands was Major Novaes, a resident of Fazenda Dona Tita, now a city museum.

The city also features a tunnel called the Mantiqueira which was used for troops during the important battle between the Federalists and the Constitutionalists.

Today, the city contains an economic focus on the area in the commercial and metallurgical industry. The old FNV (Fábrica Nacional de Vagões) now run by Maxion Rodas e Chassis, a division of an international company that makes rail components, makes up a large part of the fragile economy.