Olímpia | |
|---|---|
| Municipality of Olímpia | |
  .JPG)   .jpg) | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nicknames: Folklore's National Capital, The Lady Girl City | |
 Location in São Paulo | |
| Coordinates:20°44′14″S48°54′53″W / 20.73722°S 48.91472°W /-20.73722; -48.91472 | |
| Country |  Brazil |
| Region | Southeast |
| State |  São Paulo |
| Mesoregion | São José do Rio Preto |
| Established | 2009 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Geninho Zuliani |
| Area | |
• Total | 802.6 km2 (309.9 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 506 m (1,660 ft) |
| Population (2020[1]) | |
• Total | 55,130 |
| • Density | 62.32/km2 (161.4/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−3 (BRT) |
| Postal Code | 15400-000 |
| Area code | +55 17 |
| Website | Olímpia's Prefecture |
Olímpia is a municipality in the state ofSão Paulo,Brazil, in theMicroregion of São José do Rio Preto. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 55,130 inhabitants. The city has a total area of 802.6 km2 (309.9 sq mi).
The oldest archaeological evidence in the territory dates back to the centuries9th or10th. In the early 1990s, workers of construction found four funerary urns containing bones, bead necklaces, and pots inside, which was later linked to theTupi, andMacro Je people. Although it is known that Latin America was inhabited by nomadic tribes, this is actually the oldest evidence of human presence in the area prior to European colonization.[2][3]
In the 19th century, the foundation of Olimpia (formerly knows as Fazenda Olhos d'Água, and then, Vila Olímpia) is related to thecoffee industry during theEmpire of Brazil, when plantation owners meet the demand of labor.[4]
With the exhaustion of the gold mines, people abandoned their previous sites in search of a better one. The new settlers focus on the unexplored areas to dedicate themselves to agriculture and cattle raising.[citation needed]
The first reports indicate that a farmer named ''Antônio Joaquim dos Santos'' was the first settler to establish a farm in the 19th century. He named his property as ''Fazenda Olhos D'Água'' (Portuguese for ''Water holes farm'') due to the amount of water springs in the area.[5]
The increasing numbers of migrant colonials settling in the area and the need for a collectivized farming led the local community the decision to create the village.[6] In 1903, the landowners invitated theEnglish immigrants Robert John Reid, and William Leatherbarrow, to separate the lands and establish the city.[7]
The town was elevated to a district ofBarretos on December 18, 1906, and named as "Vila Olímpia" in honor to Maria Olímpia Rodrigues Vieira, who was the daughter of Antônio Olímpio Rodrigues Vieira. Vieira was one of the founders of the city.
Nowadays, a range of buildings reveal the timeline of Olimpia's history and were declared historical landmarks, such as the old railway station, and the first hospital of the city ''Beneficiência Portuguesa''.[7]
The city was separated from Barretos on December 7, 1917.[8]
In July 2014, it was approved by theSão Paulo State Legislative Assembly, a bill that turned Olímpia into aTouristic Municipality.[9]
The name of the city comes from ''Maria Olímpia Rodrigues Vieira'', daughter of one of the men who founded the city.
Theservice sector is the largest employer. Trade and Services accounted 65.5%, followed by theIndustry representing 26% andthe primary sector accounting 8.2% of the GDP.[10]
Olimpia is home toThermas dos Laranjaiswater park, one of the most visited water parks in the world. The park was opened in 1987 and is home to the largest complex of thrillingwaterslides in Brazil occupying an area of 358.797 sq. yd. (300 km2).[11]
It boasts more than 55 attractions. These include waterslides, surfing facilities, pools, rivers, and family-friendly offerings.[12]
According toThemed Entertainment Association (TEA), by 2019 the park received 1.8 million visitors.[13]
Olímpia is known as ''The capital of Folklore'' promoting every year theNational Folklore Festival of Olimpia, when Brazilian folklore groups meet themselves to perform on stage their local dances ranging fromGaucho tradition groups to Amazonian dances.[14]
In telecommunications, the city was served byCompanhia Telefônica Brasileira until 1973, when it began to be served byTelecomunicações de São Paulo.[15] In July 1998, this company was acquired by Telefónica, which adopted theVivo brand in 2012.[16]
The company is currently an operator of cell phones, fixed lines, internet (fiber optics/4G) and television (satellite and cable).[16]
The city is home toOlímpia Futebol Clube.
Christianity is present in the city as follows:
The Catholic church in the municipality is part of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Barretos.[17]
The most diverse evangelical beliefs are present in the city, mainlyPentecostal, including theAssemblies of God in Brazil (the largest evangelical church in the country),[18][19]Christian Congregation in Brazil,[20] among others. These denominations are growing more and more throughout Brazil.
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