Argentina

Argentina


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This article is about the country. For other uses, see Argentina (disambiguation).

"Argentine" redirects here. For other uses, see Argentine (disambiguation).

Argentine Republic[1]

República Argentina



Flag Coat of arms



Motto: En unión y libertad

"In Unity and Freedom"

Anthem: Himno Nacional Argentino



Orthographic projection of Argentina

Capital

(and largest city) Buenos Aires

34°36′S 58°23′W / 34.6°S 58.383°W / -34.6; -58.383

Official languages Spanish

Ethnic groups 86.4% European (mostly Italian and Spanish), 8% Mestizo, 4% Arab and East Asian, 1.6% Amerindian [2][3]

Demonym Argentine, Argentinian, Argentinean

Government Federal presidential republic

- President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner

- Vice President Julio Cobos

- Supreme Court President Ricardo Lorenzetti

Independence from Spain

- May Revolution 25 May 1810

- Declared 9 July 1816

Area

- Total 2,766,890 km2 (8th)

1,068,302 sq mi

- Water (%) 1.1

Population

- 2008 estimate 40,482,000 (33rd)

- 2001 census 36,260,130

GDP (PPP) 2008 estimate

- Total $572.668 billion[4] (23rd)

- Per capita $14,408[4] (57th)

GDP (nominal) 2008 estimate

- Total $324.767 billion[4] (31st)

- Per capita $8,171[4] (66th)

Gini (2006) 49[5] (high)

HDI (2007) ▲ 0.866[6] (high) (49th)

Currency Peso (ARS)

Time zone ART (UTC-3)

- Summer (DST) ART (UTC-2)

Drives on the right (trains ride on the left)

Internet TLD .ar

Calling code +54



Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic (Spanish: República Argentina, pronounced [reˈpuβlika arxenˈtina]), is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico, Colombia and Spain are more populous. Its continental area is between the Andes mountain range in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east. Argentina borders Paraguay and Bolivia to the north, Brazil and Uruguay to the northeast, and Chile to the west and south. Argentina claims the British overseas territories of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It also claims a part of Antarctica, overlapping claims made by Chile and the United Kingdom, though all claims were suspended by the Antarctic Treaty of 1961.



Argentina has the second-highest Human Development Index and GDP per capita in purchasing power parity in Latin America. Argentina is one of the G-20 major economies, with the world's 30th largest nominal GDP, and the 23rd largest when purchasing power is taken into account. The country is classified as upper-middle income or a secondary emerging market by the

Chicago encyclopedia!

Chicago


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Jump to: navigation, search

This article is about the U.S. city in Illinois. For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation).

"Windy City" redirects here. For other uses, see Windy City (disambiguation).

City of Chicago

— City —



From top left: Chicago Theatre, the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower, the University of Chicago, the skyline from the Museum Campus, Navy Pier, the Field Museum, and Crown Fountain in Millennium Park



Flag

Seal



Nickname(s): The Windy City, The Second City, Chi-Town, Hog Butcher for the World, City of Big Shoulders, The City That Works, and others found at List of nicknames for Chicago

Motto: Latin: Urbs in Horto (English: City in a Garden), Make No Small Plans, I Will



Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois

Coordinates: 41°52′55″N 87°37′40″W / 41.88194°N 87.62778°W / 41.88194; -87.62778Coordinates: 41°52′55″N 87°37′40″W / 41.88194°N 87.62778°W / 41.88194; -87.62778

Country United States

State Illinois

Counties Cook , DuPage

Settled 1770s

Incorporated March 4, 1837

Named for Miami-Illinois: shikaakwa

("Wild onion")

Seat Cook County

Government

- Type Mayor-council

- Mayor Richard M. Daley

- City Council Aldermen[show]Manuel Flores

Bob Fioretti

Pat Dowell

Toni Preckwinkle

Leslie Hairston

Freddrenna Lyle

Sandi Jackson

Michelle A. Harris

Anthony Beale

John Pope

James Balcer

George Cardenas

Frank Olivo

Ed Burke

Toni Foulkes

Joann Thompson

Latasha Thomas

Lona Lane

Virginia Rugai

Willie Cochran

Howard Brookins Jr.

Ricardo Muñoz

Michael Zalewski

Sharon Denise Dixon.

Daniel Solis

Billy Ocasio

Walter Burnett, Jr

Ed Smith

Isaac Carothers

Ariel Reboyras

Ray Suarez

Scott Waguespack

Richard Mell

Carrie Austin

Rey Colón

William Banks

Emma Mitts

Thomas Allen

Margaret Laurino

Patrick O'Connor

Brian Doherty

Brendan Reilly

Vi Daley

Thomas M. Tunney

Patrick Levar

Helen Shiller

Eugene Schulter

Mary Ann Smith

Joe Moore

Bernard Stone

- State House Representative[show]Susana A. Mendoza (D)

Edward J. Acevedo (D)

Luis Arroyo (D)

Cynthia Soto (D)

Kenneth Dunkin (D)

Esther Golar (D)

Karen A. Yarbrough (D)

LaShawn Ford (D)

Arthur L. Turner (D)

Annazette Collins (D)

John A. Fritchey (D)

Sara Feigenholtz (D)

Greg Harris (D)

Harry Osterman (D)

John D'Amico (D)

Joseph M. Lyons (D)

Michael P. McAuliffe (R)

Robert S. Molaro (D)

Michael J. Madigan (D)

Daniel J. Burke (D)

Barbara Flynn Currie (D)

Elga L. Jefferies (D)

Monique D. Davis (D)

Mary E. Flowers (D)

Milton Patterson (D)

Marlow H. Colvin (D)

Constance A. Howard (D)

Kevin Joyce (D)

Maria Antonia Berrios (D)

Richard T. Bradley (D)

Deborah L. Graham(D)

- State Senate State senators[show]Antonio Munoz (D)

William Delgado (D)

Mattie Hunter (D)

Kimberly A. Lightford (D)

Rickey R. Hendon (D)

John Cullerton (D)

Heather Steans (D)

Ira Silverstein (D)

Jeffrey Schoenberg (D)

James DeLeo (D)

Louis Viverito (D)

Martin Sandoval (D)

Kwame Raoul (D)

Emil Jones, III (D)

James Meeks (D)

Jacqueline Y. Collins (D)

Donne Trotter (D)

Edward Maloney (D)

Iris Martinez (D)

- U.S. House Representatives[show]Jan Schakowsky (D)

Bobby Rush (D)

Luis Gutiérrez (D)

Michael Quigley (D)

Danny K. Davis (D)

Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D)

Area

- City 606.1 km2 (234.0 sq mi)

- Land 588.4 km2 (227.2 sq mi)

- Water 17.9 km2 (6.9 sq mi) 3.0%

- Urban 5,498 km2 (2,122.8 sq mi)

- Metro 28,163.5 km2 (10,874 sq mi)

Elevation 179 m (586 ft)

Population (2008)[1]

- City 2,853,114 (3rd U.S.)

- Density 4,883.8/km2 (12,649/sq mi)

- Urban 8,711,000

- Metro 9,785,747

- Demonym Chicagoan

Time zone CST (UTC-6)

- Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)

Area code(s) 312, 773, 872

Website www.cityofchicago.org



Chicago ( /ʃɨˈkɑːɡoʊ/ (help·info) or /ʃɨˈkɔːɡoʊ/) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the third largest city in the United States. Located on the southwestern shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago is the third-most densely populated major city in the U.S.,[2] and anchor to the world's 26th largest metropolitan area[3] with over 9.5 million people across three states.[4][5]



After a series of wars with the local Native Americans, Chicago was founded in 1833, near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed. The city became a major transportation and telecommunications hub in North America.[6] Today, the city retains its status as a major hub, both for industry and infrastructure, with its O'Hare International Airport as the second busiest airport in the world. In modern times, the city has taken on additional dimension as a center for business and finance, and is listed as one of the world's top ten Global Financial Centers. Chicago is a stronghold of the Democratic Party, and has been home to influential politicians, including the current President of the United States, Barack Obama. The World Cities Study Group at Loughborough University rated Chicago as an alpha world city.[7]



In 2007[update], the city attracted 32.8 million domestic visitors[8] and about 1.15 million foreign visitors.[9] Making use of its abundant resources, Chicago has a heritage for hosting major international, national, regional, and local events that include commerce, culture, entertainment, politics, and sports.



Globally recognized,[nb 1] Chicago has numerous nicknames, which reflect the impressions and opinions about historical and contemporary Chicago. The best known include: "Chi-town"; the "Windy City" with reference to Chicago politicians and residents boasting about their city; "Second City,"[nb 2] due to the city generally being the second most prestigious in the nation in terms of culture, entertainment, and finance;[nb 3] and the "City of Big Shoulders", referring to its numerous skyscrapers (whose steel frame designs were largely pioneered in Chicago), described as being husky and brawling.[12]



Contents [hide]

1 History

1.1 Early history

1.2 Infrastructure and regional development

1.3 20th century

1.4 21st century

2 Geography

2.1 Topography

2.2 Climate

3 Cityscape

3.1 Architecture

3.2 Public art and monuments

3.3 Neighborhoods

4 Culture and contemporary life

4.1 Entertainment and performing arts

4.2 Tourism

4.3 Parks

4.4 Cuisine

4.5 Sports

4.6 Media

5 Economy

6 Demographics

7 Law and government

7.1 Crime

8 Education

8.1 Colleges and universities

9 Infrastructure

9.1 Transportation

9.2 Telecommunications

9.3 Health systems

9.4 Utilities

10 Sister cities

11 Bibliography

12 Notes

13 References

14 Further reading

15 External links

East Azarbaijan History and Culture.

History

Monument of the poets, Tabriz. Dozens of Iranian poets are commemorated here. Many of Iran's great names in literature and politics hail from this province.

East Azerbaijan is one of the most archaic territories in Iran. During the reign of Alexander of Macedon in Iran (331 BCE), a warrior known as Attorpat led a revolt in this area, then a territory of the Medes, and thereafter it was called Attorpatkan. Since then this vicinity has been known as Azarabadegan, Azarbadgan and Azarbayjan.
Islamic researchers proclaim that the birth of the prophet Zoroaster was in this area, in the vicinity of Lake Orumieh (Chichesht), Konzak City. Needless to say, this province was subject to numerous political and economical upheavals, attracting the interest of foreigners. The Russians in particular have tried to exert a lasting influence in the region over the past 300 years, occupying the area on numerous occasions. The constitutionalist movement of Iran began here in the late 1800s.
Ethnic tensions in Azerbaijan can visibly trace their origins back to the colonialist policies of the Soviet Union and Imperial Russia. In a cable sent on July 6 1945 by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the local Soviet commander in Russian (northern) held Azerbaijan was instructed as such:

"Begin preparatory work to form a national autonomous Azerbaijan district with broad powers within the Iranian state and simultaneously develop separatist movements in the provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran, Gorgan, and Khorasan".^[2]

Administrative Divisions

Map	Abbreviation in map	County (Shahrestan)
	A	Ahar (Arasbaran)
	B	Bonab
	BA	Bostan Abad
	H	Heris
	HR	Hashtrood
	K	Kalibar
	Md	Marand
	Mn	Mianeh
	Mq	Maraqeh
	S	Sarab
	Sh	Shabestar
	T	Tabriz

Culture

Orosy window of Amir Nezam House in Tabriz

A sample of Tabriz rugs.

silver handcrafts of Tabriz

sample of Tabrizi traditional food. Shown here: Koufteh kofta Tabrizi.

Ghorabiye cookies of Tabriz

The most outstanding features from a cultural point of view are the language, Azari, and folklore of this region. According to Dehkhoda Dictionary, the language of Azerbaijan is originally "a branch of the Iranian languages known as Azari" (see Ancient Azari language).^[3] Apart from this, the province also boasts numerous learned scholars, gnostics, several national poets such as Mowlana Baba Mazeed, Khajeh Abdol Raheem Aj Abadi, Sheikh Hassan Bolqari, and Abdolqader Nakhjavani, to name a few, and the contemporary poet Ostad Mohammad Hossein Shahriyar. The current leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, also originally comes from this region.
Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization has registered 936 sites of historical significance in the province. Some are contemporary, and some are from the antiquity of ancient Persia. "Zahak Citadel", for example, is the name of an ancient ruin in East Azerbaijan, which according to various experts, was inhabited from the second millennium BC until the Timurid era. First excavated in the 1800s by British archeologists, Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization has been studying the structure in 6 phases.[2]
East Azerbaijan hails from a rich compendium of Azeri traditions. Many local dances and folk songs continue to survive among the various peoples of the province. As a longstanding province of Iran, Azerbaijan is mentioned favorably on many occasions in Persian literature by Iran's greatest authors and poets:
گزیده هر چه در ایران بزرگان
زآذربایگان و ری و گرگان
All the nobles and greats of Iran,
Choose from Azerbaijan, Ray, and Gorgan.
--Vis o Ramin
از آنجا بتدبیر آزادگان
بیامد سوی آذرآبادگان
From there the wise and the free,
set off to Azerbaijan
--Nizami
بیک ماه در آذرآبادگان
ببودند شاهان و آزادگان
For a month's time, The Kings and The Free,
Would choose in Azerbaijan to be
--Ferdowsi

Maqbaratoshoara

Maqbaratoshoara

Maqbaratoshoara, inside

Shahryar tomb, Maqbaratoshoa

East Azarbaijan Province

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

This article is about the Iranian province; for similar uses, see Azerbaijan (disambiguation).

East Azerbaijan Province استان آذربایجان شرقی
Location
Info
Admin. Center:  • Coordinates:	Tabriz  38°04′36″N 46°16′48″E / 38.0766°N 46.2800°E / 38.0766; 46.2800Coordinates: 38°04′36″N 46°16′48″E / 38.0766°N 46.2800°E / 38.0766; 46.2800
Area :	45,650 km²
Population(2006):  • Density :	3,603,456[1]  78.9/km²
No. of Counties:	19
Time zone:	IRST (UTC+3:30)
-Summer (DST):	IRST (UTC+4:30)
Main language(s):	Azeri Persian

East Azerbaijan or East Azarbaijan (Persian: آذربایجان شرقی, Āzarbāijān-e Sharqi; Azeri: شرقی آذربایجان) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. It is in the northwest of the country, bordering Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the provinces of Ardabil, West Azerbaijan, and Zanjan. Its capital is Tabriz.

Contents [hide] 1 Geography 2 History 3 Administrative Divisions 4 Culture 5 Notables of East Azerbaijan 6 East Azerbaijan today 6.1 Colleges and universities 7 See also 8 References 9 External links 10 Sources

Geography

The province covers an area of approximately 47,830 km², it has a population of around four million people. According to the latest divisions of the country in 1996, the counties of this province are:Ahar, Ajabshir, Bostan Abad, Bonab, Tabriz, Jolfa, Sarab, Shabestar, Kaleybar, Maragha, Marand, Malekan, Miyana, Heris, and Hashtrood. The historical city of Tabriz is the most important city of this province, culturally, politically, and commercially. The province has common borders with the current Republics of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Nakhchivan. A fine network of roads and railways connect East Azerbaijan to other parts of Iran and also to neighboring countries.
The highest peak of East Azerbaijan is Sahand Mountain at 3,722 m of elevation, lying south of Tabriz, whereas the lower lying areas are around Garmadooz (Ahar). The heights of the province may be classified into three sectors, namely: the Qara Daq Mountains, the Sahand and Bozqoosh Mountains, and the Qaflan Kooh Mountains.
Generally speaking, East Azerbaijan enjoys a cool, dry climate, being in the main a mountainous region. But the gentle breezes off the Caspian Sea have some influence on the climate of the low-lying areas. Temperatures run up to 8.9 °C in Tabriz, and 20 °C in Maraqeh, in the winter dropping to -10-15 °C at least (depending on how cold the overall year is) . The ideal seasons to visit this province are in the spring and summer months.

Arg-e Tabriz	Tabriz Municipality	Blue Mosque, inside	A timcheh in bazaar of Tabriz
Shohada Mosque	Catholic church of tabriz	Saheb ol Amr Mosque	Blue Mosque
Arasbaran Forests, a UNESCO reserved biosphere.	Moghan Plain	Zonouzakh	St. Stepanous Cathedral, Jolfa
kandovan	Red bridge(Qizil kopru) in Zonouz	Zonouz	Zonouz

Geography São Paulo

Geography

[edit] Physical setting

Pico do Jaraguá is the highest mountain in the city.

São Paulo is located in Southeastern Brazil, in southeastern São Paulo State, approximately halfway between Curitiba the Capital of Parana' State, previously part of São Paulo State and Rio de Janeiro, formerly capital of Brazil and now capital of the State which bears the same. The city is located on a plateau that is part of the Serra do Mar (Portuguese for "Sea Range"), itself a component of the vast region known as the Brazilian Highlands, with an average elevation of around 799 metres (2,620 ft) above sea level - though at a distance of only about 70 kilometers (43 mi) from the Atlantic Ocean. This distance is covered by two highways, the Anchieta and the Imigrantes, (see "Transportation" section below) that roll down the range, leading to the port city of Santos and the beach resort of Guarujá. Rolling terrain prevails within the urbanized areas of São Paulo except in the North of the city, where the Serra da Cantareira Range boasts higher elevations and a sizable remnant of the Atlantic Rain Forest. The entire region is very stable tectonically, and no significant seismic activity has ever been recorded.

See also: Water management in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo

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

Skyline from Jardins Neighborhood.

According the Köppen climate classification São Paulo has a humid subtropical climate. Temperatures seldom reach 30 °C (86 °F) during summer, while frost is rare during winter due to it being an urban heat island. All-time record temperatures are 35.3 °C (95.5 °F) on November 15, 1985 and −2.1 °C (28 °F) on August 2, 1955 (both at the Mirante de Santana National Weather Station, in the north region). In the mountains around the city (Horto Florestal), −3.9 °C (25 °F) was recorded also in August 2, 1955 (unofficially).
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

Conde Matarazzo Building is headquarters of São Paulo City Hall.

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

Satellite view of Greater São Paulo.

The nonspecific term "Grande São Paulo" ("Greater São Paulo") denotes any of São Paulo's metropolitan area definitions. The legally defined Região Metropolitana de São Paulo consists of 39 municipalities in total, and a population of more than 19 million inhabitants (as of 2005, according to IBGE).
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.

History São Paulo

History

Paulista Avenue in 1902.

Tibirissa' Chief and the Jesuit missionaries Manuel da Nóbrega and José de Anchieta founded the village of São Paulo dos Campos de Piratininga on January 25, 1554. The clergymen established a mission at the Colégio de São Paulo de Piratininga aimed at converting the Tupi-Guarani indigenous Brazilians to the Catholic faith, as well as make it easier for the Portuguese crown to rule them. Anchieta is said to have killed a native, which brings a degree of protest from Indian rights groups against his canonization by the Vatican. The Jesuits were later also often at odds with the Portuguese authorities, mainly the Marquis De Pombal, who eventually expelled them from Brazil for protecting converted natives in their missions. Located just beyond the Serra do Mar cliffs, above the port city of Santos, and close to the Tietê River, the new settlement became the natural entrance from the South East coast to the vast and fertile high plateau to the West that would eventually become the richest Brazilian state.
São Paulo officially became a city in 1711. In the 19th century, it experienced a flourishing economic prosperity, brought about through coffee exports, which were shipped abroad from the port of the neighboring city of Santos. After the abolition of slavery in 1888, waves of immigrants from Portugal, Italy, Spain and other European countries emigrated to São Paulo in order to "bleach the race," as Luso-Brazilian authorities feared Brazil's black population would grow far more than the other society's groups. Many of them were granted lands as incentives to immigrate and some worked in an indentured fashion at the enormous coffee plantations established in the State. Newcomers and their descendants ended up "making the America," as they said in Italian and Portuguese and some of Brazil's greatest entrepreneurs have Italian, Portuguese, and German last names: Mattarazzo, Diniz, and Mueller. At the beginning of the 20th century, the coffee cycle had already plummeted due to, among other factors, a sharp decline in international coffee prices. With the New York Stock Exchange 1929 crash, coffee barons started losing their influence and status. Many committed suicide and the Paulistan economy looked for other alternatives such as sugar cane planting and the production of alcohol. With the difficulties brought about by World War II, when industrialized items were more difficult to reach Brazil, and following the national incipient trend of import-substitution, São Paulo began industrializing itself for domestic consumption.Brazil already showed a pattern of huge importation of most fashionable and industry-manufactured products from Europe, which was maintained well into the late twentieth century, and created huge trade deficits despite the equally huge and lucrative coffee and sugar exports.
Local entrepreneurs then started investing in the industrial development of São Paulo, attracting new contingents of immigrants to the city, mainly Italians. In addition to Europeans, Japanese and Syrian and Lebanese immigrants arrived in large numbers in the first half of the 20th century. Along the 20th century, the booming economy of the city also attracted huge waves of migrants from the poorest regions in Brazil, such as the Northeast. São Paulo maintained a high growth rate through the 1920s, driven by interrelated streams of immigration, rapid industrialization, and investment. In the early 1920s the Sampaio Moreira Building reached an unprecedented 14 stories, and by the end of the decade the Martinelli Building attained more than twice that height. Growing fleets of automobiles and diesel buses allowed hordes of service workers to commute from their outlying homes to jobs in the city center.

Correios Palace in 1922.

However, due to competition with many other Brazilian cities, which sometimes offer tax advantages for companies to locate manufacturing plants there, São Paulo's main economic activities have gradually left its industrial profile in favour of the services industry in the late 20th century. The city is home to a large number of local and international banking offices, law firms, multinational companies and consumer services. Although a modern face had emerged in São Paulo's better areas by the 1930s, larger portions were basically unchanged. São Paulo had lacked any city plan before 1889, and no zoning law was passed until 1972. Indeed, well into the 20th century much of the city retained a colonial aspect, with narrow unpaved streets, shabby buildings, and a few old churches of Jesuit and Franciscan styles.
Between 1920 and 1940 the population more than doubled, reaching 1.3 million. Although Rio de Janeiro had itself grown spectacularly during this period, São Paulo trailed it by only 460,000 inhabitants and would leapfrog ahead within two decades. During 1939–45 the engineer-mayor Francisco Prestes Maia built the multilane Avenida 9 de Julho and widened numerous other streets despite resistance from displaced residents. By 1947 the new star of São Paulo's skyline was the São Paulo State Bank building, and, starting with the Mário de Andrade Municipal Library, the city's architecture moved beyond the short period of Art Deco design. By 1950 São Paulo had grown to a metropolis of 2.2 million compared to Rio's 2.4 million, but a decade later São Paulo led with 3.7 million to Rio's 3.3 million, thus solidifying its reputation as one of the world's most dynamic urban centres. Famed architect Oscar Niemeyer was lured from Rio to design the sinuous curves of the Copan Building, and the Itália Building became its towering neighbour. The highly imaginative São Paulo Art Museum (begun in 1956 and completed in 1968) was built over the juncture of Avenida 9 de Julho and eight-lane Avenida Paulista.

Anhangabaú Valley in 1920.

In the 1960s São Paulo came to include almost half of the population of the State of São Paulo (Brazil's most populous state) and to account for about one-third of the country's total industrial employment. Because automobiles were becoming a São Paulo family staple, expressways were built along the canalized Tietê and Pinheiros rivers in 1967, and the Bandeirantes expressway provided access to the city center. Highway expansion continues to be an ongoing process because the roads running alongside the rivers are among the heaviest used in the country. However, no amount of highway construction and street widening could more than briefly alleviate the intolerable traffic congestion. Construction of a subway system was begun in the late 1960s in hopes of improving the situation, and new subway lines continue to be expanded and added.
Despite its many woes, São Paulo remains a business hub of Latin America. Having prospered first with the coffee industry, and later with industrialization, in the early 21st century it expanded into the tertiary, or services sector. Its huge market (over 20 million people in greater São Paulo) is a magnet for multinational corporations. Thanks to events such as the Feira Bienal Internacional de Arte, and its reputation for hosting cutting-edge music concerts, it has become something of a cultural center as well. Economic growth and exportation of goods has lifted employment and wages. The murder rate has dropped by almost a quarter since its peak.
The historic center profited with the return of the city's government and the arrival of private universities, although businesses continue to move out to new boom neighborhoods such as Itaim and Berrini. São Paulo also claims to attract more visitors (mostly, but no longer exclusively, on business) than Rio de Janeiro, testimony of the intense rivalry between the two metropolises.