São Vicente (after Saint Vincent of Saragossa, the patron Saint of Lisbon, Portugal) is a coastal municipality in southern São Paulo and the first city of Brazil. It is part of the Metropolitan Region of the Baixada Santista. The population is 329,911 (2022 census) in an area of .

São Vicente is one of the 15 municipalities in São Paulo considered seaside resorts by the state of São Paulo, as they meet certain prerequisites defined by State Law. This status guaranteed the municipality a larger budget from the State to promote regional tourism. Furthermore, the municipality acquires the right to add, next to its name, the title of "Estância Balneária" (Balneary Resort), a term by which it is designated both by official municipal records and by state references. Historical tourism and beach tourism are among the most relevant sectors of its economy.

History

left|thumb|237x237px|Foundation of São Vicente ([[Benedito Calixto)]]

It was the first permanent Portuguese settlement in the Americas and the first capital of the Captaincy of São Vicente, roughly the present state of São Paulo. Established as a proper village in 1532 by Martim Afonso de Sousa on what was then the Porto dos Escravos ("Port of the Slaves"), operated by three Portuguese colonists who trafficked on slaves captured by allied tribes, São Vicente is titled Cellula Mater (Mother Cell) of Brazil for being the first organized town in the country. The first City Council of all the Americas was democratically elected and established in São Vicente on August 22, 1532.

Geography

São Vicente is located on the western half of coastal São Vicente Island, being mostly a bedroom community for the larger and wealthier neighbouring port and commercial city of Santos on the island's eastern half.

Population history

{| class="wikitable"

! Year !! Population

|-

| 2003 || 314,312

|-

| 2004 || 321,474

|-

| 2015 || 355,542

|-

|2022

|329,911

|}

Transport

The Baixada Santista region is connected to Greater São Paulo by highway through the Anchieta-Imigrantes System. The Imigrantes Highway reaches the municipality, crossing the urban island area and heading towards Praia Grande by crossing the Canal dos Barreiros via the Ponte do Mar Pequeno. Towards the South Coast, starting from the Imigrantes Highway, there is the Padre Manoel da Nóbrega Highway, which crosses the entire continental portion of the municipality between Serra do Mar and the Samaritá plain. The municipality is crossed from east to west on the island and on the continental part by the lines of América Latina Logística - ALL (former network of Ferrovia Paulista - FEPASA), which, heading west, connects São Vicente with Praia Grande, Mongaguá, Itanhaém and Peruíbe; heading east with Santos and heading north, it reaches the Planalto Paulistano, to the south of Greater São Paulo, in Embu-Guaçu.

The Suspension Bridge was built in 1914 and was designed by engineer Saturnino de Brito, who at the time applied German sewage drainage technology to the Itaipu Bridge. Today, it connects the island of São Vicente to the mainland, providing access to the municipality of Praia Grande, and is also one of the city's main tourist attractions due to its beauty.

Media

In telecommunications, the city was served by the Telecomunicações de São Paulo. In July 1998, this company was acquired by Telefónica, which adopted the Vivo brand in 2012. The company is currently an operator of cell phones, fixed lines, internet (fiber optics/4G) and television (satellite and cable).

Notable people

  • Wlamir Marques, basketball player, Olympic medallist and World Champion
  • Cosmo Alexandre, kickboxer and mixed martial artist
  • Larissa Pimenta, judoka
  • Jefferson, footballer
  • Robinho, footballer

International relations

São Vicente is twinned with:

  • Naha, Okinawa, Japan

See also

  • List of municipalities in São Paulo

Bibliography

References

  • São Vicente's official home page
  • Portal Nosso São Paulo
  • São Vicente São Paulo Brazil