Valinhos is a city and municipality (municipio) in the state of São Paulo

São Paulo

São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...

, Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

. It is the birthplace of Adoniran Barbosa

Adoniran Barbosa

Adoniran Barbosa, artistic name of João Rubinato , was a famous Brazilian traditional samba singer and composer.-Early years:...

. Valinhos is famous for its purple fig, the theme of its annual Fig Fest. It is geographically close to Campinas

Campinas

Campinas is a city and municipality located in the coastal interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. is the administrative center of the meso-region of the same name, with 3,783,597 inhabitants as of the 2010 Census, consisting of 49 cities....

. The city's estimated population in 2009 was
107,481. Its area is 148.96 km² while its elevation is 660 m (2,165.35 ft). Its name means 'little valleys' in Portuguese.

History

Name: Valinhos (in Portuguese) derives from the topographic characteristics of the region.
The city was founded in the 2nd December of 1732 by Alexandre Simoes Vieira. A throughway between São Paulo and Valinhos passing through Jundiai had been opened. As known nowadays, Campinas region, was in the past a neighbourhood belonging to the city of Jundiai. The town of Valinhos was created with the goal of starting coffee, fig and grapes plantations. Later on, a railway was created to transport the products to the Santos’ seaport.
Since the fig has been the symbol of the city, they usually have the traditional Fig Fest which more than 75,000 people attend each year. The city is mainly composed by closed neighbourhoods, formed mostly by houses and without any tall buildings. There is also a very famous school called Visconde de Porto Seguro, which is an attraction to people from other cities and have a relaxing life around this small town.
Politics

It is a usual politic democratic system, as in the rest of Brazil is.
Actually the mayor of the City is Marcos Jose da Silva from the party PMDB.

Geography

Mostly two thirds of the area is a rural community scattered around 89 km² (34 sq mi), however, the urban area is growing as soon as the neighbourhoods are built. Around the city are the most important highways of the state of São Paulo, which are named Anhanguera, Bandeirantes and Dom Pedro I. They connect all parts of the state and are considered the best highways in the country.

Economy

There are small centres of chamber commerce as all cities have, such as banks, hotels, motels, streets and city hall.
Industry (commerce)
Since 2005, many industries have been built by other entrepreneurs from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro mostly, when they are invited to come to the interior and start a new life. There are many natural resources in the region too.

Demography

• 2009: 107,481 citizens

Population (in percentage)

• Urban 95%
• Rural 5%

Area

• Urban 65.9 km² (25.4 sq mi)
• Rural 88 km² (34 sq mi)

Population	Men	Women	Voters
107.453	50.112	49.216	59.934

Health, Security and Education

These three sections are provided by the government and are well designed in the town, as well as the children and teenagers have the chance to learn, have their free time, play some sports and are within a secure area. There are two new hospitals in the town that looks after partly two thirds of the population, where it's not paid. However, there is another one, which is private that attends the other third.

International Relations

Twin towns - Sister cities

Valinhos is twinned

Town twinning

Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...

 with: Bethlehem

Bethlehem

Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...

, Palestinian Authority