Santa Cruz do Sul

Município de Santa Cruz do Sul
Municipality

Coat of arms

Location in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Coordinates: 29°43′04″S 52°25′33″W / 29.71778°S 52.42583°W / -29.71778; -52.42583Coordinates: 29°43′04″S 52°25′33″W / 29.71778°S 52.42583°W / -29.71778; -52.42583
Country Brazil
Region South
State Rio Grande do Sul
Founded 31 March 1877
Government
 • Mayor Telmo José Kirst (PP)
Area[1]
 • Total 733.5 km2 (283.2 sq mi)
Elevation 122 m (400 ft)
Population (2006 est.)[1]
 • Total 119,803
 • Density 160/km2 (420/sq mi)
Time zone UTC-3 (UTC-3)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-2 (UTC-2)
Website santacruz.rs.gov.br
São João Batista Cathedral in front of Getúlio Vargas Square in Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Santa Cruz do Sul ( pronunciation ) is a city in central Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The city has approximately 130,000 inhabitants and sits about 150 km (about 93 miles) from the capital city of the state, Porto Alegre. The city enjoys a high standard of living and gross income per capita is 2.5 times greater than that of the state of Rio Grande do Sul as a whole.

Demographics

Chart of population growth

The population of Santa Cruz do Sul has steadily increased, with help from immigration to Brazil during its early history.

Tourism

São João Batista Cathedral

The Cathedral of São João Batista is one of the main tourist draws in the city. The adjacent block in front of the Cathedral, Getúlio Vargas Square, is adorned with fountains and trees. São João Batista Cathedral is one of the largest cathedrals in all of Brazil. The main edifice was built between 1928 and 1932 and the two 82-meter (269 ft) tall towers were added later.

Agriculture

The area around Santa Cruz do Sul is mainly agricultural, and produces large quantities of tobacco and soy beans for animal fodder. Most of the tobacco produced in the area is exported as a raw material for cigarette manufacturing plants all over the world. Soy bean processing plants sell several million tons of animal fodder annually, for domestic use and for export.

Oktoberfest

Santa Cruz do Sul 2003 Oktoberfest logo

Each year, the citizens of Santa Cruz do Sul and visitors from the region celebrate Oktoberfest. The city has a large population of German-Brazilians. Thousands turn out each year for the celebration. The Oktoberfest in Santa Cruz do Sul is the third largest in the world, leaving behind only the Oktoberfest in Munich in Germany and Oktoberfest Blumenal of the state of Santa Cartarina in Brazil as well.

João-de-Barro Bom-Plac House Project

The Prefeitura Municipal de Santa Cruz do Sul won a 2004 Energy Globe Award for the João-de-Barro Bom-Plac House Project.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 (Portuguese) Cidades@, Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, Accessed on 2007-05-04.
  2. ↑ 2005 Energy Globe Awards, accessed 2007-05-19
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