São José dos Campos

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São José dos Campos
Flag Seal
Nickname: "Capital of the Valley, The Airplane Capital"
Motto: Aura Terraque Generosa" (Latin:"Generous are my airs and land)
Location in the state of São Paulo and Brazil
Coordinates: 23°11′11″S, 45°52′43″W
Country	Brazil
Region	Southeast
State	São Paulo
Government
- Mayor	Eduardo Cury (PSDB)
Area
- City	1,099.60 km²  (424.6 sq mi)
- Urban	298.99 km² (115.4 sq mi)
Elevation	660 m (2,165 ft)
Population (2006)
- City	610,965
- Density	545.69/km² (1,413.3/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-3 (UTC-3)
- Summer (DST)	UTC-2 (UTC-2)
Website: São José dos Campos

São José dos Campos is a municipality and a major city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil and one of the most important industrial and research centers in Latin America.

It is located in the Vale do Paraíba (Paraiba Valley), between the two most active production and consumption regions in the country, São Paulo (80 km from the city) and Rio de Janeiro (320 km).

According to a 1999 UN study, São José dos Campos was rated one of the top 25 Brazilian cities for quality of life. With its high per capita income, long life expectancy and high level of infrastructure, São José dos Campos is a safe and secure city that offers a wide variety of stores and services. A native of São José dos Campos is called joseense.

Contents 1 Geographic information 1.1 Area 1.2 Borders 1.3 Cityscape 1.4 Climate 1.5 Topography 1.6 Hydrology 2 History 2.1 The beginning 2.2 Cotton and coffee 2.3 Hydro-mineral retreat and industrialization 3 Demographics 4 Government 4.1 The state administrative region of São José dos Campos 4.2 Important mayors 5 Shopping areas 6 Business, tourism and interesting sites 7 Heritage and culture 7.1 Relevant people 7.2 Sister city 8 Entertainment, leisure and sports 9 Education and research centers 10 Media 11 Infrastructure 11.1 Transportation and Communication 11.2 Health and utilities 12 Economy 12.1 Overview 12.2 Agriculture 12.3 Industry 12.4 Service industry 13 External links 14 Sources

[edit] Geographic information

[edit] Area

• total area: 1099.60 km² (about 425 miles²)
  • urban area: 298.99 km² (27.19%)
  • metropolitan area (east): 45.04 km² (4.09%)
  • metropolitan area (north): 81.18 km² (7.38%)
  • rural: 673.39 km² (61.23%)

[edit] Borders

• Northern Border: Camanducaia, Sapucaí Mirim in Minas Gerais
• Southern Border: Jacareí, Jambeiro in São Paulo State
• Eastern Border: Monteiro Lobato, Caçapava in São Paulo State
• Western border: Igaratá, Joanópolis, Piracaia in São Paulo State

[edit] Cityscape

The municipality is comprised by three districts: São José dos Campos - the city itself, (also the seat), Eugênio de Melo and São Francisco Xavier. The last one is known for its natural sites and ecotourism.

The district of São José dos Campos is also subdivided into 2 subdistricts (São José dos Campos and Santana do Paraíba).

However, for administrative purposes, the city is composed of 7 urban regions: Center, North, South, West, East, Southeast and São Francisco Xavier.

[edit] Climate

The climate is humid and subtropical, with the dry season in winter. The greatest precipitation occurs from November to March, contributing to 72% of the annual volume.

The annual average relative humidity is 76%. Tropical air masses predominate during 50% of the year and colder air masses predominate for the rest of the year

In the summer, the average maximum temperature is 29 °C and in the winter, the average minimum temperature is 12°C. The average annual temperature is 20 °C.

Köppen climate classification: Cfa

[edit] Topography

Highlands predominate in the north region of the municipality, whose altitudes range from 660 the 975 meters. They are called Serra da Mantiqueira (Mantiqueira Range). There are also peaks and mountains that can reach up to 2082 meters.

In the urban area, there are rolling plateaus and hills.

In the south, the ridges of Serra do Mar form the boundary between the coastal plain and the inland plateau (planalto), which has an altitude of 400 to 500 meters.

• Municipality: Elevations 550 m to 2,082 m
• City: Elevations 550 m to 690 m, average of 660 meters

[edit] Hydrology

The municipality is located in the Hydrological Basin of the Paraíba do Sul River that crosses the city longitudinally and names the region as Vale do Paraíba (Paraiba Valley). The river has larger tributaries on the left bank than the right. However, on the right banks, the Jaguari River, Buquira River,and other tributaries are an important part of the city's drainage system. Some of these other creeks are the Comprido River, the Pararangaba River and the Lambari River.

For the water supply of the population and livestock, the Rio do Peixe, tributary of the Jaguari River, stands out. It drains the north portion of the municipality and its waters contribute significantly to the Jaguari Dam, which forms an important reservoir used by CESP for electricity generation.

Along with the mountainous topography, there are a great number of fluvial elements, such as waterfalls.

The quality of the water is excellent, and the artesian wells of the region possess average outflow of 30m³/hour.

[edit] History

[edit] The beginning

The territory of São José was initially occupied by a cattle farm, created through a concession of settlements around 1590 after a request of Jesuits. This farm was located on the banks of the Rio Comprido, the natural division between São José and the city of Jacareí today.

Historical populations
Census year	Population
1940	36,279
1950	44,804
1960	77,533
1970	148,332
1980	287,513
1991	442,370
2000	539,313
2002 est.	559,710
2004 est.	589,050
2005 est.	600,089
2006 est. (IBGE)	610,965

The farm was actually an artifice used by the Jesuits to hide a religious mission from the Portuguese expedition leaders, the Bandeirantes, who were native hunters.

On September 10th 1611, a law, which regulated the settlement of Native communities by the Jesuits, recognized the farm as a mission, which upset the farmers, because it precluded them from utilizing the Natives as slaves, which was the usual practice in the region. A conflict between them led to the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1640 from the region and the consequent extinction of the mission and the dispersion of the inhabitants.

However, after few years, the Jesuits returned and reestablished a new settlement, where the city center is now located. It was about 15 km northeast of the previous mission . There was a privileged view from the higher new place above a geological depression, guaranteeing greater security against invasions and protecting it from flooding as well. Again, despite being a new mission, it was officially treated as a cattle farm.

The initial urban organization of this future village is attributed to the Jesuit priest Manoel de Leão, whose main occupation was really to be an administrator of the community.

In 1692, the settlement was named Residência do Paraíba do Sul and in 1696 the official name was Residência de São José.

At the beginning of the gold mining economic cycle in Brazil, the settlement goes through serious difficulties due to the exit of labor to the mines.

After the expulsion of the Jesuits from Brazil in 1759, all the religious order's assets, such as farms, colleges and villages were taken under the Portuguese Crown's custody. The governor, D. Luis Antonio Botelho Mourão, had as a priority to turn these new properties into productive units. For that, Boutelho Mourão successfully requested authorization from the Viceroy to create parishes and small towns.

Then, on July 27th 1767, the community reached the official status of village, and the name Vila de São José do Paraíba was formalized. But for many years it maintained the same rural characteristics. The main difficulty was the fact that the Estrada Real (Royal Road) passed by its limits, far from the village.

[edit] Cotton and coffee

In the middle of the 19th Century, the village of São José do Paraíba had demonstrated some signs of economic growth through the development of agriculture. Cotton production evolved rapidly in the region. The production reached a peak in 1864.

In the same year, on April 22, the village was elevated to status of town. And in 1871, finally the town acquired the current name of São José dos Campos, followed by the creation of a judiciary district in 1872. Almost simultaneously, there was development of coffee crops in Paraíba Valley, which started to take off in 1870.

However, it was in the year 1886, with support from the railroad which was opened in 1877, that coffee production in São José reached its peak; even though production of this crop started to decay in the region, it managed to run steady until the 1930s.

[edit] Hydro-mineral retreat and industrialization

The call for the municipality of São José dos Campos for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis by sanatoriums became noticed at the beginning of last century, due to its supposedly favorable climate conditions. The city became to be known as the Sanatorium City. However, only in 1935, when the municipality was transformed into a hydro-mineral retreat did São José begin to get official resources which could be applied in the health area. With the advent of antibiotics in the 1940s, tuberculosis begins to be treated anywhere, thus ending the healthcare advantage carried out by São José, whereas the establishment of industries was about just to start.

The industrialization process of the municipality takes hold from the installation of the Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology in 1950s and also with the opening of the Dutra Highway (BR-116), thus making possible a faster connection between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo and cutting into the urban area of São José dos Campos. Altogether, these factors allowed the municipality to make strides towards fulfilling its scientific and technological potential.

[edit] Demographics

The built up regions of São José dos Campos and the neighboring city of Jacarei have merged in the last two decades. The estimated population is 835,000.

The large population growth that occurred in the city was a result of continuous migration from other regions of the country. As a consequence, in 1991, people that were born in São José dos Campos represented only 47% of population (according to IBGE). According to a new research from Univap, this number increased to 49.83% in 2004.

In the city, the population (according to census 2000) was spread out with:

• 24.2% under the age of 14
• 20.1% from 15 to 24
• 47.4% from 25 to 59
• 8.2% who were 60 years of age or older.

[edit] Government

São José dos Campos has a "strong mayoral" system in which the mayor is vested with extensive executive powers, as it is in all municipalities in Brazil. The mayor is elected to a four-year term by universal voting. The City Council is elected every four years with the mayor. The current mayor is Eduardo Cury, from the political party PSDB and was elected in 2004.

Address of local government

• Rua José de Alencar 123, Jd. Santa Luzia Cep 12209-530 São José dos Campos - SP - Brazil

[edit] The state administrative region of São José dos Campos

The State of São Paulo is divided politically and administratively into 15 regions. São José dos Campos is the seat and the name of the 3rd Administrative Region, which includes the North Coast of São Paulo state and Paraíba Valley. The region is comprised of 39 municipalities with sharp contrasts. São José dos Campos is a densely populated city, with 490 inhabitants/square kilometers, whereas the quiet municipality of São José do Barreiro has only 7 inhabitants/square kilometer. There are both highly industrialized cities and the others in the region are focused on agriculture and tourism.

It is one of the state's most dynamic areas, the fourth one in terms of population density, and covers 11.3% of the state's territory. The main municipalities are São José dos Campos, Taubaté, Jacareí, Guaratingueta, Caraguatatuba, Campos do Jordão, São Sebastião, Lorena, Pindamonhangaba, Ubatuba and Caçapava.

• Population of the region : 2,243,687 (est. 2006/IBGE)

• Population Density: 288.56 inhabitants per square kilometer

[edit] Important mayors

• João Cursino (1908/1910, 1913/1916, 1919/1930)
• Rui Dória (1931)
• Francisco José Longo (1938/1941)
• Elmano Ferreira Veloso (1949/1950, 1953/1956, 1958/1961, 1966/1970)
• Jorge Zarur (1947 and 1950)
• José Marcondes Pereira (1962/1966)
• Sérgio Sobral de Oliveira (1970/1975)
• Ednardo José de Paula Santos (1975/1978)
• Joaquim Vicente Ferreira Bevilacqua (1978/1982, 1989/1990)
• Hélio Augusto (1986)
• Angela Guadagnin (1993/1996)
• Emanuel Fernandes (1997/2000, 2001/2004)

[edit] Shopping areas

Tourists and locals find complete and diversified shopping areas in São José dos Campos. All the major hypermarkets, supermarket chains and discount and department stores are in city. The largest malls are:

• CenterVale Shopping;
• Shopping Colinas;
• Vale Sul Shopping;
• Shopping Center São José.

Besides those malls, the most important commercial centers include:

• The Old Downtown area including:
  • Rua Sete de Setembro - Calçadão - a popular street shopping area.
  • Rua XV de Novembro - located in Praça Afonso Pena, the town square. This street was the main street in São José dos Campos in the 1950s and 1960s. On the weekends, handcraft exhibitions are held there and in other squares.
  • Other streets: Rua Rubião Júnior, Rua Vilaça, Rua Siqueira Campos and Rua Sebastião Hummel.
  • the Municipal Market (popular groceries, stores);

And newer areas such as:

• Avenida Francisco José Longo and Avenida Nelson D´Ávila (hotels and maintenance services);
• Avenida Nove de Julho (fashionable boutiques and restaurants)
• Rua Luis Jacinto (nightclubs and restaurants);
• Rua São João (with a small mall with exquisite boutiques called Shopping Esplanada, as well as restaurants and schools);
• Avenida Adhemar de Barros, where there are schools and the Santos-Dumont Park.

The Vila Ema neighborhood has the most interesting sites for nightlife including bars and restaurants.

[edit] Business, tourism and interesting sites

The city is an important business center that attracts thousands of visitors. Several fairs and expositions are done at the 2 pavilions located in the city.

The occupancy rates of the hotels are high throughout the year. A diversity of hotels are offered including Accor Hotels (Ibis São José, Ibis Colinas, Mercury, Novotel and Space Valley Parthernon Flat), Caesar Business, Blue Tree Towers, Shelton Inn, Urupema, Carlton Plaza, Intervale Othon, Comfort Inn and Di Giulio. The following sites attract visitors:

• CTA and MAB (Brazilian Aerospace Memorial)
• Embraer
• Burle Marx Municipal Park with the Olivo Gomes residence
• São Francisco Xavier
• Santos Dumont Park (total area: 46.347 m²)
• Municipal Market
• Augusto Ruschi Ecology Reserve
• Banhado
• Sanatorium Vicentina Aranha
• Old Cathedral
• Municipal Public Library (former Theatro São José)
• Espaço Mario Covas (former City Council seat)
• São Benedito Church
• Nossa Senhora Aparecida Chapel
• Medieval Village

[edit] Heritage and culture

In 1985, the municipality established the Cassiano Ricardo Cultural Foundation, named after the Brazilian poet. It aims to promote and sponsor cultural activities and events, spreading and extending knowledge among the population. Furthermore, the public foundation stimulates creation and emerging of new artists in different sectors. The foundation was also charged with the preservation and expansion of the Municipal Public Archives and to provide support to the Municipal Historic Preservation Council (COMPHAC). Several cultural centers are maintained by the foundation including Cine Santana , Centro Cultural Clemente Gomes, Espaço Cultural Chico Triste, Helena Calil Arts Center and Espaço Cultural Mário Covas

The São José dos Campos Symphony Orchestra, fomented by Cassiano Ricardo Cultural Foundation, is an already respected orchestra in the country. The city also houses important choirs (such as Libercanto, Vocalis, Vozes and ITA), with popular and eclectic performances.

São José is an important center for dance. It is the headquarters for several dance schools (Cristina Cará, Ana Araújo, Rosilene Sánchez, Damares Antelmo), that already have taken part in several international contests. Jazz, step dance, ballet, techno, aerobic, among other dance forms, are presented to the public in December every year at municipal competitions. The Cassiano Ricardo Foundation is also starting a dance company.

Popular parties are also important events. Perhaps the most distinguished is the so called Festa Junina (Saint John's Festival). It is mainly celebrated on key days following the Catholic feast days of Saint Anthony, John the Baptist and Saint Peter. It happens at different churches, schools and parks in June.

The Sports Museum was opened on July 30, 1999. In exhibition are trophies, medals, photos and newspapers about the history of sports of São José dos Campos since 1910.

City Anniversary Run - a 12 kilometer run taking place on the streets of the city center in the morning, with hundreds of athletes from the city and from the Vale do Paraíba region on July 27.

[edit] Relevant people

• Antoninho da Rocha Marmo
• Cassiano Ricardo
• Fabíola Molina
• Nelson D'Ávila
• Ozires Silva
• Rodolfo Komorek
• Roque Júnior
• Rui Dória

[edit] Sister city

• Kadoma, Osaka

A Japanese garden is open for visits within the Santos-Dumont Park, celebrating the sister cities.

[edit] Entertainment, leisure and sports

Although São José is an industrial center, the city still preserves green areas and quiet town districts, which guarantees quality of life and leisure to the population. Around 62% of the area from the municipality is characterized as an environmental preservation area. On the oustskirts of the urban area, Augusto Ruschi Ecology Reserve has many local plant species. The natural reserve has 2,5 millions m², being a government protect area for the local flora. São Francisco Xavier is a community the offers many of those attributes as well.

Furthermore, there is easy access to the mountain cities (Campos do Jordão , Santo Antônio do Pinhal) and to the beaches of the Northern Coast of São Paulo.

The city has three parks and several sport and country clubs. Important clubs are Clube Luso Brasileiro, Tenis Clube São José (important center for amateur sports such as volleyball and basketball), Associação Esportiva São José (including its country club Clube Santa Rita, which has a golf course) and Thermas do Vale.

Tenis Clube and Associação Esportiva São José have hosted the 35th Banana Bowl International Tennis Federation Juniors Circuit in 2005 and 2006.

A soccer stadium, called Estádio Martins Pereira, is the home ground of São José Esporte Clube, a professional soccer team.

Important teams from the city:

Club	Sport	Arena	Foundation of the Club	Logo
Associação Esportiva São José	Basketball	Ginásio Linneu de Moura	1918
Associação Esportiva São José	Swimming	Ginásio Linneu de Moura	1918
São José Esporte Clube	Soccer	Estádio Martins Pereira	1933
Tenis Clube São José	Basketball	Ginásio Municipal José Edvar Simões	1948
Tenis Clube São José	Volleyball	Ginásio Esportivo Manoel Bosco Ribeiro	1948
São José Rugby Clube	Rugby	Estádio Martins Pereira	1987
Clube Atlético Joseense	Soccer	Estádio Martins Pereira / Estádio ADC Parahyba	1998
Scott/Marcondes César/Fadenp	Cycling	na	na	na

There are 19 movie theaters and 2 theaters including one inside the Univap - University of Vale do Paraíba.

[edit] Education and research centers

São José dos Campos has a pivotal role as research center in Brazil. The Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE) has its headquarters there. It coordinates intensive research and development in areas such as Earth observation, space sciences and space technologies. Also the Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology (CTA) has its facilities in the city. There are 53 secondary schools, 54 primary schools and 109 preschools.

Universities and colleges

• IBTA - Instituto Brasileiro de Tecnologias Avançadas
• Unip - Universidade Paulista
• Unifesp - Federal University of São Paulo
• Univap - University of Vale do Paraíba
• Faap - Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado
• Unesp -Universidade do Estado de São Paulo
• Fatec -Faculdade de Tecnologia de São José dos Campos
• ITA - Aeronautics Technological Institute
• Instituto de Filosofia Santa Terezinha
• Faculdades de Ciências Aplicadas
• EEI - Escola de Engenharia Industrial de São José dos Campos
• INPG - National Postgraduation Institute
• Inea - National Advanced Instruction Institute

Research centers

• INPE - The Brazilian National Institute for Space Research
• Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology (CTA) with its four institutes: Aeronautics and Space Institute (IAE), Institute for Advanced Studies (IEAv), Industrial Foment and Coordination Institute (IFI) and ITA

Technical schools

• ETEP - Escola Técnica Everardo Passos
• CETEX - Expoente Technical Center

[edit] Media

Radio

• AM Radio

Frequency (kHz)	Name	Format
750	Piratininga AM	country
1120	Bandeirantes	n/a

• FM Radio

Frequency (MHz)	Name	Format
90.1	RD 90	country, pop music
90.3	Rádio Planeta	pop music, country, news
94.3	Jovem Pan	pop music, news
97.5	Band FM	pop music, mpb, classic rock
99.7	Piratininga FM	gospel
102.9	Band Vale	news, classic rock, mpb
103.9	Stereo Vale	pop music, news
105.9	Logos FM	gospel

Newspaper

Founded on January 2, 1952, ValeParaibano is the most important daily newspaper in São José dos Campos. The reported circulation data were around 20,000 on weekdays and 30,000 on Sundays in 2002.

Television Stations

• 2 local television stations (Band Vale and TV Vanguarda)

[edit] Infrastructure

[edit] Transportation and Communication

Number of Vehicles
1996	138,540
1997	147,290
1998	161,154
1999	172,800
2000	185,560
2001	198,182
2002	207,367
2003	216,787
2004	225,386
2005	234,786

The city has 2 bus stations, having lines to cities in all regions of the country and international routes to Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile.

São José dos Campos boasts an extensive bus system. Operated by three companies (Viação Capital do Vale, Viação São Bento and Viação Real), these lines serve nearly all areas in the city with 319 buses. São José dos Campos also has an alternative system with minivans to supplement the regular buses.

The city uses a ring road system, that interconnects it to important national and state highways:

• BR-116 (federal highway), which crosses the urban area of São José. It runs in a north-south direction in the country, near but not on Brazil's coastline. The section that connects Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo is known as Presidente Dutra. It is widely used inside the urban area of São José dos Campos for commuting purposes;

• SP-070 (state highway) also known as Rodovia Carvalho Pinto which connects São Paulo to Taubaté;

• SP-065 Connects Sao Jose dos Campos to Campinas

• SP-099 (state highway) also known as Rodovia dos Tamoios which connects São José to the coastal lowlands of the city of Caraguatatuba;

• SP-050 (state highway) - the old road which connects São José to Campos do Jordão and the southern region of Minas Gerais.

The city is also served by a railway (the former Central do Brasil), administered by MRS Logística, which today only carries freight.

The ports of São Sebastião and Santos can be reached by the highways SP-099, SP-155, and BR-101.The transportation of cargo to the domestic and foreign markets is made through both ports.

The São José dos Campos Regional Airport (IATA: SJK, ICAO: SBSJ) has a heavy passenger flow, mainly business trips during weekdays, and it is an important connection between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. With a 3000m runaway, the airport also serves people who come to visit the tourist city of Campos de Jordão. The airline OceanAir flies from São José dos Campos to Rio de Janeiro and to São Paulo. It is also used for the transportation of cargo from the several industries located in the so-called Cone Leste Paulista ("São Paulo's East Cone"). Infraero and the Federal Revenue Agency are also introducing a new concept called airport-industry, that will offer fiscal incentives and fast importation and exportation procedures. The municipality has also a Customs Station for the Hinterland (dry port), controlled by the Federal Revenue Agency.

São José dos Campos receives natural gas from two gas pipelines, and large companies such as General Motors, Kodak, Monsanto and Embraer are among the main users. The city is the 3rd largest in the country referring to the distribution net of natural gas for residential use.

It has also a large network of fiber optics, with broadband services covering 75% of the city. There is 1 telephone for each 3 inhabitants and a vast service network of cellular telephones.

[edit] Health and utilities

The city is also well known for the excellent quality of urban services: 96% of the residences have running water and 89% are connected to the sewage system. Around 45% of the sewage and 97% of the water from the city are treated. Sabesp has been doing new investments. The city counts on a selective domestic waste collection, for recycling.

In the health sector, São José dos Campos is the focal point of the Northern Coastline and Southern Minas Gerais regions. It has 18 hospitals, 15 emergency centers, 33 health attendance posts and 9 specialized clinics.

[edit] Economy

See also major companies in São José dos Campos area.

[edit] Overview

Economic statistics
GDP	BRL 17.6 billion (2004)
Value added	BRL 14,795 million (2005)
GDP per capita	BRL 29,950 (2004)
Labour force	267,332 (2003) (from 45% to 50% of pop.)
Labour force by occupation	industry (19.4%), commerce (17.3%), services (50.9%), construction (2.2%), public sector (9.6%), other (0.5%) (2003)
Main industries	aerospace, defense, automotive, chemical, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, components, consumer durables, oil and petrochemical
Foreign commerce
Exports	BRL 4,947 million (2005)
Imports	BRL 2,619 million (2005)
Public finances
Municipal Budget	BRL 868 million (2005)
Announced investments	$0.436 billion (2004)
Social statistics
Human Development Index (UNDP)	0.849 - high (2000) versus Brazilian HDI of 0.792 - medium (2003)
Literacy rate	96.3% (2003)

Bisceted by the Federal Highway BR-116 Dutra, which links it to the main economical centers of the country, São José dos Campos is a city that continuously tries to develop its infrastructure and technology, improving the quality of life of its citizens and opening new opportunities for business. The presence of educational and research centers in the city was a major key for its fast economical development. It occupies the 9th position among the 100 best Brazilian cities for business, according to a study of the magazine Exame published in 2002. In another study, made by Cushman & Wakefield, an American company in the area of real estate business, São José dos Campos was appointed worldwide as one of the seven best cities with opportunities of investment in real estate.

High and positive economy indicators show that this municipality has a great share in the state and in the country's economy.

In 2004, the municipality had the eleventh Gross Domestic Product on national terms and the third GDP withing the State. It was the second exporter only to the city of São Paulo (revenues of USD 4.7 billion) in 2004.

Its estimated per capita income value, in nominal terms, was US$ 10,715 (far higher than the national average or even São Paulo's).

Discussions about how to diversify the activities in the city have been held. Around 66.6% of the local economy still comes from the manufacturing sector. Many economists, such as Roberto Koga, consider the city still heavily dependent from few sectors, especially the aerospace and defense industry.

Despite these arguments, the city was appoínted as the 3rd best employer among Brazilian non-capital cities by magazine Você S/A , published in July 2005

[edit] Agriculture

The municipality cultivates different crops: rice, tomato, potatoes, orange and many vegetables; cattle are raised for beef and milk supply. There are also farms for production of eggs and chicken.

[edit] Industry

In contrast to the rural town in 1950s, today São José is an important manufacturing center and holds a large array of industries. Over 1251 industries are in the municipality and nearby 47,000 inhabitants work for industries. The three main industries are automotive, oil/petrochemical and aerospace. There are significant pharmaceutical, consumer durables, chemical, and telecommunication companies in the city.

It is also known as the "Brazilian aeronautics capital" because it is home to one of the biggest regional aviation aircraft manufacturers in the world, Embraer. It owes much of its economic success to Embraer's presence.

[edit] Service industry

Since the 1990s, the local economy has been evolving in a different direction. The manufacturing economy has been downsized or replaced by tertiary and quartenary sectors of industries.

For instance, the Entrepreneurial District of Chacaras Reunidas concentrates companies of micro, small and medium size, which are mainly the result of downsizing from old large local industries. Yet even though most of these are industries, these companies provide service as well.

Two technological parks and five (one in project) business incubators have been created within universities or industrial facilities.

There are incubators with technological start-up companies installed at Univap and at Henrique Lage Refinery of Petrobrás. The CTA houses other incubator, Incubaero, specialized in the aeronautical field.

Univap features a technological park with capacity for around 40 small to medium sized innovating companies in the areas of materials, electronics and telecommunications, information technology, aerospace, energy, environment control, biotechnology, bioinformatics, chemical engineering, and software among others. A new technological park, managed by the municipality and the state government of Sao Paulo, will house two new think tanks: the Institute for Technological Research (IPT) and the ItecBio (Instituto de Tecnologias Biomédicas).

As a result of its geographical location, the city became an important distribution center, having several logistics providers. Activities like purchasing, transport, planning and warehousing have employed many people recently.

Commerce and real estate ventures have developed in the last years, reflecting the changes in the economy. For instance, the largest shopping mall in the region was an old manufacturing facility. Serving the region's population of approximately one million, the city is the regional hub for shopping and services for the Vale do Paraíba, the northern coast of São Paulo and southern Minas Gerais.

The city has 34 hotels (1784 hotel rooms) and several auditoriums for meetings and conventions. There are 77 bank branches and 8 internet providers.

Advertising agencies have been established alongside television stations.

[edit] External links

• (Portuguese) Official website
• (Portuguese) Page About São José dos Campos City
• Old Postcards from Brazil
• (Portuguese) Companies in Vale do Paraíba
• (Portuguese) Portal São José dos Campos
• (Portuguese) Cassiano Ricardo Cultural Foundation
• (Portuguese) Hélio Augusto de Souza Foundation (FUNDHAS)
• (Portuguese) Brazilian Aerospace Technical Center (CTA)
• (Portuguese) Tourism Municipal Council (COMTUR)

[edit] Sources

• The City Hall of São José dos Campos.
• Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica - IBGE
• Fundação Seade
• Jornal ValeParaibano
• The State Government of São Paulo.