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Blumenau

 
Dictionary: Blu·me·nau   (blū'mĭ-nou') pronunciation


A town of southern Brazil southwest of São Paulo. It was founded by German immigrants in the 1850s. Population: 271,000.

 

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Blumenau

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Blumenau
Blumenau and the Itajaí-Açu river

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Seal
Nickname(s): Cidade Jardim ("Garden City")
Location in the state of Santa Catarina and Brazil
Coordinates: 26°55′08″S 49°03′57″W / 26.91889°S 49.06583°W / -26.91889; -49.06583
Country Brazil
Region South
State Santa Catarina
Founded September 2, 1850
Government
 - Mayor João Paulo Kleinübing
Area
 - Total 510 km2 (196.9 sq mi)
Elevation 21 m (69 ft)
Population (2007 est.)[1]
 - Total 292,972
 - Density 563.6/km2 (1,459.7/sq mi)
Time zone GMT-3
Website [2]


Blumenau is a city in Vale do Itajaí, state of Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil. It was founded on September 2, 1850 by Dr. Hermann Bruno Otto Blumenau along with 17 German immigrants. A few years later Fritz Müller migrated to Blumenau as well.

Contents

Etymology

A popular etymology derives the name of the city from the German words Blumen meaning "flowers", and "Au" being a suffix used to refer to floodplains. Blumenau hence would mean "Floodplain of Flowers". But, in reality, it just refers to Hermann Bruno Otto Blumenau, who founded the city.

Demographics

As of 2006, Blumenau had an estimated population of 300,000 people, with an area of 510 km². The main ethnic groups of the city are Brazilians of German and Italian ancestries[2]. The city displays many historical and cultural reminders of their heritage, such as houses and other buildings built in a traditional German style, statues, and memorials.

Blumenau, compared to other Brazilian cities, has a high standard of living, with a Human Development Index of 0.855 as of 2000.[3]

Ethnicity

Race/Skin color Percentage Number
Whites 94.55% 247,527
Pardos (brown) 3.50% 9,171
Blacks 1.16% 3,042
Amerindians 0.13% 340
Yellow (Asian) 0.10% 252

Source: IBGE 2000.[4]

Religion

Blumenau's downtown.
Religion Percentage Number
Catholics 73.90% 193,474
Protestants 22.13% 57,935
No religion 1.22% 3,200
Kardecists 0.72% 1,894

Source: IBGE 2000.[5]

Geography and environment

The city is located in a valley bisected by the Itajaí-Açu River, surrounded by hills with forests. The lower areas, including towers and tall buildings in the city center, constantly suffer from the threat of floods. Blumenau's first recorded flood took place in the dawn on September 23, 1880. The worst took place in 1983 and 1984, when the city was completely isolated for weeks. Today, Blumenau is well-prepared against such threats, but many citizens prefer to live in higher areas spread into the nearby hills and plains to avoid flooding. However, this planning could not avoid an even worse flooding in late November 2008, killing over 100 and thousands evacuated.

Blumenau's downtown.

Climate

Blumenau
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
170
 
30
20
 
 
210
 
32
22
 
 
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29
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108
 
25
17
 
 
107
 
22
14
 
 
104
 
19
11
 
 
104
 
18
10
 
 
131
 
19
12
 
 
122
 
19
14
 
 
166
 
24
15
 
 
136
 
27
18
 
 
173
 
29
19
average max. and min. temperatures in °C
precipitation totals in mm
source: Weather Underground

The climate of Blumenau is considered to be subtropical, a climate of transition between the predominantly tropical climate of Brazil and the predominantly temperate climate of Argentina.

Blumenau, like the whole state of Santa Catarina is located below the Tropic of Capricorn; therefore it is mild in the winter with temperatures averaging 16.6°C (61°F) and warm and humid in the summer with temperatures averaging around 30°C (87°F).

Economy

Another area of focus is that of information technology, and the city the headquarters of the so-called Valley of the software, and many software leaders in its segment, some of whom were born in Blusoft and Instituto Gene, incubators of companies in the sector.

Its main economic activity is still the textile industry, responsible for large manufacturers such as Cia Hering, the Karsten and Teka.

Blumenau is also emphasized in other industrial sectors such as metallurgical, mechanical and electrical equipment, and is the largest producer of pole transformers in Brazil.

Has a strong economy, boosted by strong trade, service and tourism events, with exhibitions of international projection, which are generally held in German Village.

A new market, but expanding rapidly is the production of beer craft, such as Eisenbahn.

In 2005, the city has an export of products equivalent to U.S. $ 395,959,436.00, representing 6.1% of exports of the state.

Tourism

The Secretariat of Tourism of Blumenau maintain 4 tour routes covering different aspects of the city. And besides these, another attraction is the festival of the municipality.

Divisions

Blumenau has 2 districts and 33 neighbourhoods:

  • Vila Itoupava (District)
  • Itoupava Central
  • Itoupavazinha
  • Testo Salto
  • Badenfurt
  • Salto do Norte
  • Salto
  • Fidélis
  • Fortaleza Alta
  • Salto Weissbach
  • Fortaleza
  • Tribess
  • Nova Esperança
  • Itoupava Norte
  • Boa Vista
  • Itoupava Seca
  • Escola Agrícola
  • Passo Manso
  • Água Verde
  • Velha
  • Velha Central
  • Velha Grande
  • Vila Nova
  • Victor Konder
  • Ponta Aguda
  • Vorstadt
  • Centro (Downtown)
  • Bom Retiro
  • Vila Formosa
  • Jardim Blumenau
  • Ribeirão Fresco
  • Garcia (District)
  • Glória
  • Valparaíso
  • Progresso

Landmark dates

  • The city was owned by its founder for 32 years, until it was emancipated in March 18, 1882.
  • Blumenau was Brazil's first city to have public electrical lights in the streets. They started working in February 19, 1909.
  • The city was divided in 1934, creating four new towns: Gaspar, Indaial, Timbó, and Dalbérgia (later renamed Ibirama).
  • Cinema began in Blumenau in 1900. Radio arrived in 1935, and television in 1969.
  • Teatro Carlos Gomes, the city's main theatre, was opened to the public in 1939.
  • In 1956 the city's first major church opened. It was later rebuilt in 1963, with the addition of a bell tower.
  • The city's most famous landmark is Moellman's Castle, a replica of the city hall of the German town of Michelstadt. It was inaugurated in 1978.
  • The city's new city hall was inaugurated in 1982.
  • Blumenau's first shopping center opened in 1994.

Famous inhabitants

Actress Vera Fischer is from Blumenau.

Sister city

See also

References

External links

Coordinates: 26°56′S 49°03′W / 26.933°S 49.05°W / -26.933; -49.05


 
 
Learn More
Blumenauer (family name)
Encontro Jobim Piazzolla (Album by Orquestra de Câmara de Blumenau)
Ãngela Barra (Classical Musician)

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Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Blumenau" Read more

 

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