São Paulo geography

The state of São Paulo, located at Southeast region, is the most populous and economically productive in the country. Its geographic limits are the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, Mato Grosso do Sul and the Atlantic Ocean. Your total area is 248,219,627 km².

According to IBGE (2010), the state's population consists of 41,262,199 inhabitants. These would then be distributed in the 645 municipalities present in the state. In addition, population growth is 1.1% per year.

The capital city of São Paulo is reputed to be very diverse when it comes to culture. Therefore, leisure can be intense and diverse in the city.

Sao Paulo-SP — Commercial buildings on Avenida Paulista, in the city of São Paulo – SP.

Check now all the details of the geography of the state of São Paulo.

Index

Relief
Climate
Vegetation
Economy
Hydrography
Environmental problems
Natural resources

Relief

The relief of the state of São Paulo is divided into four parts:

Coastal Plain: Depending on the location, it can be very narrow. Its maximum extension is in the valley of the Ribeira do Iguapé river, where it can reach 60km.

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Serra do Mar: The Serra do Mar is located between the flat land coastal and the Highland. This relief forms a wall that goes from Santos to the border with Rio de Janeiro. This wall can either descend vertically over the coastal plain or directly over the sea.

Crystalline Plateau: In this area, one finds mountainous ridges and hills. It is where the Serra da Mantiqueira, the Bocaina massifs and the Pedra da Mina are located.

Western São Paulo Plateau: This area occupies at least half the territorial extension of the state of São Paulo. As the plateau advances towards the east, its altitude drops from 700 to 300 meters.

Climate

The climate in the state of São Paulo varies according to latitude. An example is Campos do Jordão, located at 1,600 meters above sea level. During winter days, the city can reach freezing temperatures.

Frost in Campos do Jordão, São Paulo — Thermometer shows negative temperature in the city of Campos do Jordão, São Paulo.

In the interior of the state, during the summer, the temperature can easily reach more than 33°C.

In the capital, there is a subtropical climate, which is influenced by the altitude. Furthermore, factors such as pollution can also influence temperature changes. This is mostly registered during the winter, when it is very common to thermal inversion.

In the state of São Paulo, the seasons of the year are generally well defined. Less in Serra do Mar, which is drier.

Vegetation

In the state of São Paulo, the vegetation varies according to the region of the state. Next to the sea, you can find the Atlantic forest. On the coast, sandbanks, mangroves and dunes. In the central area, the thick dominates.

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Economy

The state of São Paulo is responsible for one third of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Its most prominent activities are industries. This is because it has the largest companies in metal-mechanics, automobiles, chemistry, food, electronics, information technology and aeronautics.

Automotive assembler in São Bernardo do Campo - SP — São Bernardo attracted automakers and was the capital of the automobile in the 1950s.

In other parts of the state, there is also a strong industrial hub. For example, Campinas, with its IT, telecommunications and petrochemical companies.

In addition to Vale do Paraíba, which also has very diversified industries, ranging from hygiene items to cars or planes.

Still in the area of economy, the state of São Paulo also stands out in the agricultural sector, being one of the largest producers of grains, coffee, milk, poultry and eggs. Furthermore, it has a great technological advance and is a leader in the cultivation of sugarcane and oranges.

Hydrography

In the state of São Paulo there are three hydrographic regions. These are:

Southeast Atlantic Hydrographic Region: In this region there is a great demand for water, mainly because it is one of the areas with the highest population density and industrialization in the country.

This hydrographic region is equivalent to 2.5% of the national territory, and, within it, are located the metropolitan regions of Vitória, Rio de Janeiro and Baixada Santista.

South Atlantic Hydrographic Region: This hydrographic region bathes Rio Grande do Sul, the border between Brazil and Uruguay and São Paulo. But, it is not very relevant in the state of São Paulo, as it only bathes the municipalities of Cananeia and Ilha Comprida.

Paraná Hydrographic Region: In addition to São Paulo, this hydrographic region also bathes other states, such as Paraná, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Santa Catarina, Campinas and Curitiba.

The state of São Paulo has some main rivers, which are:

Tiete river
Big River;
Mogi-Guaçu River;
Paraíba do Sul River;
Paranapanema River;
Piracicaba River;
River Ribeira do Iguapé.

Environmental problems

The main environmental problems found in the State of São Paulo are deforestation and pollution, being atmospheric, water, soil and in the main urban centers.