São Paulo, the largest city in Latin America, is a buzzing metropolis in Southeast Brazil. It also is the 4th largest in the world. It is known for tall buildings, great business opportunities, and diverse ethnicity.
São Paulo is one of the most populous city in America. It boasts of whopping 11 million residents. The city residents are called ‘Paulistanos’ and state residents are known as ‘Paulistas’.
Facts About São Paulo
The city has highest number of Japanese people, outside Asia. The community population is almost 1.5 million who celebrate all festivals, have their street names, and even their own newspaper.
It also has large colonies of Lebanese, Italian, Bolivian, Jewish, and Korean people.
Because of the large Japanese population, it boasts of an exclusive Sumo gymnasium in the Bom Retiro neighborhood. It is the only exclusive one outside of Japan, used for regular practices and competitions.
The city is considered to be the 14th most developed in the world. It also contributes to 12% of Brazil’s GDP and 15% of South America's GDP. Paulista Avenue is the economic core.
The number of cars found here is almost 7 million! The total number of cars is more than Rio de Janeiro’s population!
It has 7th worst transit in the world, as a driver is said to spend almost 102 hours in traffic jams, in a year. The worst jam was for 309 km in 2013!
The city has the largest helicopter fleet with almost 210 heliports. Almost 1,300 aircrafts travel daily and it is estimated that at least 4 helicopters take off or land every 5 minutes.
The 'Mirante do Vale' building near Vale do Anhangabau, standing tall at 558-foot, is the tallest skyscraper in the country! It’s believed that another building named “The Torre Sigma” will match the height.
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Pizza is the love of the residents here! Almost 1 million pizzas are consumed per day. The city has almost 6,000 pizzerias which prove the love!
The city passed the Clean City law in 2006. Since then, there is no ‘visual pollution’ (billboards) in the city.
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Virada Cultural Paulistana, held in the city is the biggest 24-hour festival in the world. It started first in 2005 and is held in the month of May. It includes music concerts, art exhibits, films, and other cultural performances.
The largest Gay Pride Parade in the continent is hosted in the city. It has the largest gay community in Latin America. The government here has preserved the cultural heritage of the LGBT community by creating the Museu da Diversidade.
MASP, Art Museum of São Paulo is internationally renowned for its collection of European art. It is one of the famous landmarks in the city and is famous in Latin America.
Ilha da Queimada Grande, known as Snake Island, is located off the Brazil coast in the Atlantic Ocean. It is administered by Itanhaém in the State of São Paulo.
The island is home to hundreds of the endemic Golden Lancehead Pit Viper. It is not open to public.