The city of Sao Paulo, Brazil is located in the state of Sao Paulo. The population of just the city itself is given at over 12 million people. However, when measured by Metropolitan Statistical Area, Sao Paulo MSA is ranked as the 10th largest in the world at 21.1 million people. This metropolitan area includes Guarulhos, Sao Bernardo, do Campo, Santo Andre, and Osasco. However, the entire state of Sao Paulo has a population of about 45 million, of which about 15 million are of Italian descent. Also there are descendance living in the state of Sao Paulo from Portugal, Africa, Germany, Spain, Japan, China, Greece, and Arabia. In addition, there have been indigenous peoples living in the area for over 12,000 years. The State of Sao Paulo is a major industrial complex, representing over one-third of Brazil’s entire economy.
Sao Paulo is considered the “heartland” of the Brazilian automobile industry, including General Motors, Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Toyota, Volkswagen, etc. Brazil produces well over three million vehicles per year. Sao Paulo has about 42 % of the total Brazilian production of automobiles. However, Sao Paulo buys about half of all the automobiles that are sold in Brazil. Of course, the Brazilian rubber industry must be large to support the rather large automobile industry in Sao Paulo and the rest of Brazil. For example, Pirelli alone has five tire plants in and around Sao Paulo. Also, there is the significant presence of Bridgestone, Goodyear, Michelin, and Continental as well. The Brazilian economy is self sufficient and somewhat independent. It is in fact, the large, independent rubber and automotive economy that is south of the Equator; but is somewhat the “mirror image” of some of the other large economies that are north of the Equator. Brazil even grows its own natural rubber in the Sao Paulo area at a latitude which minimizes the Brazilian blight problem. As can be seen, many of the names for the suppliers and manufacturers of the Brazilian rubber industry are the same as what was given for some of the other rubber industries north of the Equator. It is like a “parallel universe” in some ways.
Every two years the Brazilian Congress organizes the EXPOBOR (Brazilian Rubber Expo) which usually meets in Sao Paulo. This expo is almost as large as the major Rubber Division Expo and Conference held in Cleveland, Ohio in the October of every odd year. Expobor use to be held every two years in April, but now is held in June instead. Also, the International Rubber Conference (IRC) sometimes will meet in Sao Paulo. The IRC was held in Sao Paulo in 2011. The Brazilian Rubber Technology Association (ABTB) in Sao Paulo is dedicated to developing and spreading rubber technology throughout Brazil. They have a website.
Points of interest in Sao Paulo are given below:
- Museum of Art of Sao Paulo Assis Chateaubriand
- Municipal Theatre of Sao Paulo
- Sao Paulo Museum of Modern Art
- Football Museum
- Patio do Colegio