From top left to right: city center panorama;Metropolitan Cathedral of Campinas; Culture Station; Castro Mendes Theater; Castle Tower; Jequitibás Palace; and Prefecture Ex Municipal Market.
Campinas meansgrass fields in Portuguese and refers to its characteristic landscape, which originally comprised large stretches of dense subtropical forests (mato grosso or thick woods in Portuguese), mainly along the many rivers, interspersed with gently rolling hills covered by low-lying vegetation.[7]
Campinas' official crest and flag has a picture of the mythical bird, thephoenix, because it was practically reborn after a devastatingepidemic ofyellow fever in the 1800s, which killed more than 25% of the city's inhabitants.
Campinas in 1878 during theEmpire of Brazil.Maps of railways in Campinas in 1929
The city was founded on July 14, 1774, by Barreto Leme.[8] It was initially a simple outpost on the way toMinas Gerais andGoiás serving the "Bandeirantes" who were in search of precious minerals andIndianslaves. In the first half of the 19th century, Campinas became a growing population center, with manycoffee,cotton andsugarcanefarms.
The construction of arailway linking the city ofSão Paulo toSantos' seaport, in 1867, was very important for its growth. In the second half of the 19th century, with the abolition ofslavery, farming andindustrialization attracted many foreignimmigrants to replace the lost manpower, mainly from Italy.[9]
Coffee became an important export and the city became wealthy. In consequence, a large service sector was established to serve the growing population, and in the first decades of the 20th century, Campinas could already boast of anopera house, theaters, banks, movie theaters, radio stations, aphilharmonic orchestra, two newspapers (Correio Popular andDiário do Povo), a good public education system (with the Escola Normal de Campinas and theColégio Culto à Ciência), and hospitals, such as the Santa Casa de Misericórdia (acharity for poor people).
And the Casa de Saúde de Campinas (for the Italian community, formerly known asCircolo Italiani Uniti), and the most important Brazilian research center in agricultural sciences, theInstituto Agronômico de Campinas, which was founded by EmperorPedro II. Finally, the construction of the first Brazilian highway in 1938, between Campinas and São Paulo, theAnhanguera Highway, was a turning point in the integration of Campinas into the rest of the state.
The area of the city, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, is 795.697 square kilometres (307.220 square miles); 238.3230 square kilometres (92.017 square miles) of this is the urban area and 557.334 square kilometres (215.188 square miles) remaining constitute greater Campinas. It is located at 22°54′21″S, 47°03′39″W and is at a distance of 96 kilometres (60 miles) northwest of São Paulo. Its neighboring cities are Paulínia, Jaguariúna and Pedreira, north; Morungaba, Itatiba and Valinhos in the east; Itupeva, Indaiatuba and Monte Mor, south, and Hortolândia in the west.
Most of the original vegetation of the city was largely eliminated. Like 13 other municipalities in the metropolitan region of Campinas, the city is subject to someenvironmental stress, and Campinas is considered one of the areas liable toflooding andsilting; it now has less than 5% ofvegetation cover in total area.[13]
Trying to reverse this situation, several projects have been and are being conducted and planned, such as building corridors, and the regulation of the Management Plan of Environmental Preservation Area (APA) in Campinas. There are also several environmental projects to combat the destruction ofriparian forests located along the banks of theAtibaia river, which has a high level ofpollution. Today, Campinas houses thearea of relevant ecological interest (ARIE)Mata de Santa Genebra, 251 acres (1.02 km2), established in 1985 by the city of Campinas'Fundação José Pedro de Oliveira and regulated by the Brazilian Environment and Renewable Natural Resources Institute (IBAMA). This is the now second-largesturban forest of Brazil, behind only theTijuca Forest, inRio de Janeiro.[13]
The city also has smaller urbanforestgroves andreserve parks, such as the Bosque dosJequitibas (installed in1881), the Bosque dos Italianos (transl. Italian's Grove), the Bosque dos Alemães (transl. German's Grove), Guarantã's Park, as well as the larger Parque Portugal (Taquaral Lagoon, transl. Park and Lagoon of Bamboos), "Dom Bosco" Ecological Park and Monsenhor "Emílio José Salim" Ecological Park.[13]
Winters are generally dry and mild (rarely too cold), and summers rainy with warm to hot temperatures. The warmest month is February, with an average temperature of 24 °C, an average maximum of 29.1 °C and average minimum of 19.0 °C. The coldest month, July, sees respective temperatures of 17.8 °C, and 24.2 °C and 11.4 °C average maximum and minimum. Fall and spring are transitional seasons.
The average annual rainfall is 1424.5 mm and the driest month in August, when there is only 22.9 mm. In January, the rainiest month, the average is 280.3 mm. In recent years, however, the hot, dry days during the winter have been increasingly frequent, often surpassing 30 °C, especially between July and September. In August 2010, for example, the rainfall in Campinas was only 0 mm. During the dry season and long dry spells in the middle of the rainy season are also common records of fires in the hills and thickets, especially in rural areas of the city, which contributes to deforestation and the release of pollutants into the atmosphere, further worsening air quality.The lowest temperature recorded in the city was −1.5 °C on June 25, 1918. The highest temperature was 39.0 °C, observed on 17 November 1985. The highest cumulative rainfall recorded in 24 hours in the city between June 1988 and October 2008 was 143.4 mm in 25 days May 2005. Between 1890 and 2004 there were 41 occurrences of frost in Campinas. The most recent was on July 18, 2000, when the minimum temperature reached 2.2 °C. There are also occasional episodes of strong winds, with gusts exceeding 100 km / h, and training records were made in the city day May 4, 2001 and March 9, 2008.
The wet season is from mid-October to mid-April, with heavier rains particularly in December, January, February and early March, and the dry season is from mid-May to mid-September. Averagerainfall is 24.3 mm in August and 267.8 mm in January. Averagehumidity ranges from 37% (August) to 56% (January).
According to the2022 Census, as of August 2022, Campinas had a population of 1,139,047 and a population density of 1.433,54 (inhabitants / km ²). Infant mortality levels were at up to 1 year (per thousand): 14.05 and life expectancy in the city was 72.22 years. The fertility rate was at 1.78 children per woman. 96.01 of the populace could read.
Administrative micro-region of Campinas. The outlying municipality names in red are also part of the Metropolitan Region of Campinas.Metropolitan Region of Campinas.
As of 2010[update], Campinas became an official metropolitan region (RMC — Região Metropolitana de Campinas), with 19 municipalities, with a total of 2.8 million inhabitants and a total land area of 3,348 square kilometres (1,293 square miles) (data as of 2010[update]), adjacent to theSão Paulo metropolitan region (RMSP) andSão José dos Campos (RMVale). The Campinas Metropolitan area also comprehends a gross domestic product (GDP) of R$70.7 billion (around U$42 billion).
Parque Dom Pedro is the largest mall in Latin America.Royal Palm Convention Center and Resort.Cargo Terminal ofViracopos International Airport.
Campinas is the richest city in the metropolitan region of Campinas and the 10th richest city in Brazil, showing a gross domestic product (GDP) of 36.68 billionreais (2010), which represents almost 1% (0.998%) of all Brazilian GDP. Currently, the city concentrates 10% of industrial production ofBrazil.[23] The paper highlights the high-tech industries and metallurgical park, considered the capital of Silicon Valley Sterling.
The petrochemical complex is centered in the Southeastern section, a few miles from Campinas, near the refinery of Petrobras Planalto Paulista (Replan), the largest in Brazil one of the largest in Latin America, and has companies likeDupont,Chevron,Shell,Exxon, GroupIpiranga, Eucatex,Rhodia, and others. It is the hub of companies and Blue Trip. The largest companies have a global turnover of more than $80 billion, larger than many Latin American countries.[25]
The city has several shopping malls, two of the largest being Iguatemi Campinas and Shopping Parque Dom Pedro. Campinas has, within its metropolitan area, the largest cargo airport for import/export,Viracopos International Airport, a significant entity in the international transport of cargo.
Campinas also boasts the largest number of high-techbusiness incubators and industrial parks (a total of eight), such as the CIATEC I and II, Softex, TechnoPark, InCamp, Polis, TechTown, Industrial Park of Campinas, and others.[32]
The presence of one of the largestoil refineries in Latin America (350,824 barrels (55,776.6 m3) ofcrude per day), operated byPetrobras in the neighboring county ofPaulínia, has attracted many petrochemical companies to the Campinas area, includingDuPont, Rhone-Poulenc, andRoyal Dutch Shell.[33]
The Brazilian Pró-Álcool Program was developed in Campinas: a whole industry based on the use of ethanol as a combustible for motor vehicles, going from a newsucrose-richsugarcane, to alcohol refineries, a huge distribution system, and, most recently, aninternal combustion engine capable of using eithergasoline orethanol.[34]
the Bosque dos Jequitibás, an urban preserved wooded area reminiscent of the original rain forest that covered the region in the past: it has a small zoo with localfauna and a natural history museum;
the cathedral, which was built in the 19th century; its interior is entirely made ofjacaranda wood sculptures and works. It was made using a technique called "taipa de pilão" using clay and rocks – it is one of the largest buildings in the world using this construction technique;[36]
the Central Market, with typical stall stands full of the fresh products of the region;
the old Central Railway Station, now converted to a cultural center;
Centro de Convivência, a cultural complex of theater, an openarena for concerts and spectacles, and a plaza where Campinas Symphony Orchestra often plays to the public, during on Sundays this place receive many art exhibitors known by most people as Prefeitura Municipal de Campinas Hippie Fair;[37]
Swimming in the Tennis Club of Campinas (TCC).Old tramway in operation at Parque Portugal (also known as Parque Taquaral)
theCastelo (Castle) Water Tower, which provides views over the downtown;
the Historical Railway Society of Campinas, which maintains the Anhumas station, a set of steamlocomotives and full carriages and which promotes regular trips along a picturesque region dotted with old coffee farms;
theLagoa do Taquaral Park, a much-beloved urbanlagoon and adjacent wooded park, includes: aplanetarium, ascience museum, an indoor sports stadium and swimming pool,kart racing (now deactivated) andmodel airplane areas, an open concert auditorium, a floatingcaravel replica, an electrictramway (streetcar line),pedalos, plus facilities for several types of sports, including a long track for running and walking;
the Rural Exhibition of Campinas is an annual agricultural fair that showcases the region's agricultural products and traditions;[38]
the region is rich in bird species, attracting birdwatchers from all over the world;[38]
Campinas' readers of theCorreio Popular newspaper and the Cosmo Website voted in July 2007 for the "Seven Wonders of Campinas".[39]
The mountain region around Campinas has better travel and stay opportunities, such as in the spa cities ofSerra Negra andÁguas de Lindóia; and inHolambra, a rural region which was populated by immigrants from the Netherlands, with an annualflower festival and typical buildings and restaurants.
Campinas is home to two football clubs nationally recognized:Associação Atlética Ponte Preta andGuarani Futebol Clube, who perform "Campineiro derby" match that is considered one of the most traditional of the state occurring since 1912. There is alsoRed Bull Brasil, which was created in November 2007 and lately has gained significant prominence. Women's football also has been outstanding, albeit amateur. In the story also revealed other clubs, such as Mogiana Sports Club, which was created on June 7, 1933, and came into bankruptcy in the 60s.
The city also has three major venues:Estádio Brinco de Ouro da Princesa, owned by Guarani, which opened in 1953 and today has a capacity of around 29,130 people, Sport and Recreation Centre in Campinas Dr. Horacio Antonio da Costa (Cerecamp Stadium or Mogiana Stadium), which belongs to the state of São Paulo and was opened in 1940, right by theEstádio Moisés Lucarelli, owned by Ponte Preta, which was built by its own supporters, and founded in 1948 and has the capacity to 19,728 visitors. It is popularly known as "Majestoso" (The Majestic One), for being the third-largest stadium in Brazil as the year of its foundation (1948), smaller only thanPacaembu, inSão Paulo andSão Januário, inRio de Janeiro.
Moisés Lucarelli Stadium.
The city is still home to several sporting events in other modalities, such as Corrida Integração (Integration Race), which is held since 1983 by Pioneer Broadcasters Television (EPTV), being divided into two modes (a 5 km-dedicated to disabled people and wheelchair users, and another 10 km, for non-disabled people).
Campinas also has a tradition in the Open Games of the Interior, created in 1936, and competition involving various sports. Four times, hosted the competition (1939, 1945, 1960, and 1994), and ten times the city came out as the winner of the competition (1939, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979), being the third city which has won the most competition.
In tennis, there is the Tennis Club of Campinas (CBT), which was created in 1913, offering, in addition to the blocks of the sport, swimming pools, courts for basketball and soccer, as well as rooms suitable for the practice of judo, gymnastics, and dance. Club de Regatas Campineiro and Swim (CCRN) also provides space for the practice of various types of Olympic sports.
Jequitibás Palace, Campinas City Hall.Municipal Chamber of Campinas.
The municipality is subdivided into one main district and four subdistricts, Joaquim Egídio,Sousas,Barão Geraldo and Nova Aparecida. There are also 14 regional administrations.
The Secretariat of International Cooperation (SMCI) was created on April 28, 1994. It is one of the 18 Secretariats of the City Hall of Campinas and it is currently located in that building.[40]
Its main goals are:
the attraction and facilitation for the arrival of new investments to the city;
the expansion of the companies activities that are already established in the city;
the perpetuation of the relations between the city, its international community, and partners, such as the Sister-Cities.
The Secretariat also acts as a supporter to other secretariats in the City Hall, often through: the identification of national and foreign potentials investors; keeping systematic contacts with executives in Brazil and abroad, Embassies, Chambers of Commerces and relevant International Organizations; presenting Campinas to the cities and interested investors.
Campinas is a major transportation and telecommunications hub for the State ofSão Paulo, as it is located on the major motorways that connect thecapital to the Northwest and Northern parts of the State. The city is served by the Campinas Beltway (Anel Viário) and the following main motorways:
The main airport of the city isViracopos International Airport, located 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) from Downtown Campinas and 99 kilometres (62 mi) from the city ofSão Paulo. The airport serves as the main hub forAzul Brazilian Airlines, transporting 11.8 million passengers in 2022.[42] It also operates the second-largestcargo terminal in Brazil. It is one of the fastest-growing airports in the country, and since it was turned over to the private sector in 2012, a number of improvements and innovations have been implemented through the Viracopos Brazil Airports concession.[43]
The average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit in Campinas, for example to and from work, on a weekday is 77 min. 21% of public transit riders, ride for more than 2 hours every day. The average amount of time people wait at a stop or station for public transit is 23 min, while 52% of riders wait for over 20 minutes on average every day. The average distance people usually ride in a single trip with public transit is 7.9 km, while 16% travel for over 12 km in a single direction.[44]
Portuguese is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. But English and Spanish are part of the officialhigh school curriculum.
Three daily newspapers are published in Campinas, all owned by media companyRede Anhangüera de Comunicação:Correio Popular,Diário do Povo andNotícia Já (a tabloid). Several other local newspapers with weekly or monthly circulation are also published. Several magazines are also published in Campinas, the largest one beingMetrópole, which circulates on Sundays as a supplement toCorreio Popular.
The city has also a large number ofradio stations as well as several localTV stations, includingTV Universidades andFenix TV (both not-for-profit), distributed byNet Campinas, the local cable distributor.
Campinas[permanent dead link] was the first city in Brazil, outside the capitals of Brazilian states, which received the transmission indigital signal for TV, byEPTV, an affiliate ofRede Globo, on October 3, 2008.[45] It currently has the second TV station that also broadcasts the signal by TVB, now an affiliate ofRede Record, since February 2011 (beforeSBT, when it began on May 8, 2010).[46]
In telecommunications, the city was served byCompanhia Telefônica Brasileira until 1973, when it began to be served byTelecomunicações de São Paulo [pt].[47] In July 1998, this company was acquired by Telefónica, which adopted theVivo brand in 2012. The company is currently an operator of cell phones, fixed lines, internet (fiber optics/4G) and television (satellite and cable).[48]