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Home > Travel Central America > Central America Destinations > Campinas
Campinas
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is variably defined either as being a region of the Americas in its own right or as the southern portion of North America. Physiographically, Central America is a tropical isthmus that connects North and South America. It includes 7 countries and many small offshore islands. Overall, the land is fertile and rugged, and dominated through its heart by a string of volcanic mountain ranges with a few active volcanos.
Campinas is a city and county located in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The county area is 797 square kilometers, and population is of 1,017,000 in 2004, with over 98 percent in the urban region. Its metropolitan area, defined in 2000, has some 19 cities and a population of 2.3 million people. Campinas is also the administrative center of the meso-region of the same name, with 3.27 million inhabitants and 43 cities. It is the third largest city in the state, after Sao Paulo and Guarulhos.
The city was founded on July 14, 1774, by Barreto Leme. It was initially a simple outpost on the way to Minas Gerais and Goias serving the Bandeirantes were in search of precious minerals and Indian slaves. In the first half of the 19th century, Campinas became a growing population center, with many coffee and sugarcane farms. The construction of a railway linking it to the city of Sao Paulo and Santos seaport, in 1817, was very important for its growth. In the second half of the 19th century, with the abolition of slavery, farming and industrialization attracted many foreign immigrants to replace the lost manpower, mainly from Italy. Coffee became an important export and the city became wealthy.
Campinas is a major transportation and telecommunications hub for the State of Sao Paulo, as it is located on the major highways that connect the capital to the Northwest and Northern parts of the State.
Today, one can also learn about its history, from its earliest times and gain enthusiasm in its natural beauty and populace. Campinas enjoys a very positive reputation with worldwide travelers.
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