Geography
[edit] Physical setting
The Tietê River, and its tributary, the Pinheiros River were once important sources of fresh water and leisure for São Paulo, only to become grossly polluted by raw sewage and industrial effluents in the latter half of the 20th century. However, a substantial clean-up program for both rivers is underway, financed through a partnership between local government and international development banks such as the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.[13] Neither river is navigable in the stretch that flows through the city, although water transportation becomes increasingly important on the river Tietê further downstream (towards South, near river Paraná), as the river is part of the River Plate basin.
There are no large natural lakes in the region, but the Billings and Guarapiranga reservoirs in the southern outskirts of the city are used for power generation, water storage, and leisure activities, such as sailing. The original flora consisted mainly of a great variety of broadleaf evergreens. Today, non-native species are common, as the mild climate and abundant rainfall permit a multitude of tropical, subtropical and temperate plants to be cultivated, with eucalyptus being especially ubiquitous.
[edit] Climate
Rainfall is abundant, amounting to an annual average of 1,317 millimetres (51.9 in).[14] It is especially common in the warmer months, and somewhat scant between June and August. Neither São Paulo nor the nearby coast has ever been hit by a tropical cyclone, and tornadic activity is uncommon. Snow flurries were reported officially on just one occasion, on June 25, 1918. During late winter, especially August, the city is subject to the phenomenon known as "veranico", which consists of a bout of unusually hot and dry weather, sometimes reaching temperatures as high as 28 °C (82 °F). On the other hand, relatively cool days during summer are also fairly common; on such occasions daily high temperatures may not surpass 20 °C (68 °F), accompanied by lows around 15 °C (59 °F) or even below 10 °C (50 °F).
| [hide]Weather data for São Paulo | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 33 (91) | 37 (99) | 38 (100) | 32 (90) | 29 (84) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 33 (91) | 35 (95) | 34 (93) | 35 (95) | 32 (90) | 38 (100) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 27 (81) | 28 (82) | 27 (81) | 25 (77) | 23 (73) | 21 (70) | 21 (70) | 22 (72) | 22 (72) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 26 (79) | 24 (75) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 21 (70) | 18 (64) | 17 (63) | 17 (63) | 18 (64) | 18 (64) | 20 (68) | 21 (70) | 22 (72) | 20 (68) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 19 (66) | 19 (66) | 18 (64) | 17 (63) | 15 (59) | 13 (55) | 12 (54) | 13 (55) | 13 (55) | 15 (59) | 17 (63) | 18 (64) | 16 (61) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 12 (54) | 13 (55) | 12 (54) | 8 (46) | 2 (36) | 2 (36) | 2 (36) | -2 (28) | 3 (37) | 7 (45) | 10 (50) | 12 (54) | -2 (28) |
| Precipitation cm (inches) | 24 (9.4) | 20 (7.9) | 14 (5.5) | 5 (2) | 4 (1.6) | 3 (1.2) | 2 (0.8) | 3 (1.2) | 5 (2) | 14 (5.5) | 12 (4.7) | 19 (7.5) | 135 (53.1) |
| Source: Weatherbase[15] | |||||||||||||
[edit] Law and government
See also: List of Mayors of São Paulo
São Paulo's most recent mayors were:
| Mayor | Entry in | Left Office in | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilberto Kassab | 2006 | - | Democratas |
| José Serra | 2005 | 2006 | PSDB |
| Marta Suplicy | 2001 | 2004 | PT |
| Celso Pitta | 1997 | 2000 | PPB, later PTN |
| Paulo Maluf | 1993 | 1996 | PPB (PP) |
| Luiza Erundina | 1989 | 1992 | PT |
| Jânio Quadros | 1986 | 1988 | PTB |
| Mário Covas | 1983 | 1985 | PMDB |
[edit] Metropolitan region
Main article: Greater São Paulo
Because São Paulo is sprawling like Los Angeles, it has another definition for its metropolitan area. Analogous to the US's CSA (Combined Statistical Area) type definition of metropolitan area, it is the second largest city in the world with 27 million inhabitants (Complexo Metropolitano Expandido),[16] which includes 2 contiguous legally defined metropolitan regions, and 3 microregions.
[edit] Boroughs
The city of São Paulo is divided into 31 neighborhoods and 9 subprefectures[17] (subprefeituras in Portuguese). Each subprefecture is divided into several districts (in most cases, two or three). The subprefectures with the largest number of districts are the boroughs of Sé, in the historical downtown, Butantã, the location of the University of São Paulo, Lapa, Penha and Mooca, all having eleven districts. Together with the administrative division, there is also a geographic radial division established in 2007 by the mayor Gilberto Kassab.The city is divided in ten regions (historical downtown, extended downtown, north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest), each one identified with a distinct color in the buses and in the street plaques. These divisions have no relationship with the subprefectures and districts, and, in some cases, the same district may be in two or more geographic regions. The district where the headquarters of the subprefecture is located receives the same name of the subprefecture, with exception of M'Boi Mirim.
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