Nova Friburgo - Brasil

Flag of the municipality

Nova Friburgo (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈnɔvɐ ˈfɾibuχˈɡu], English: New Fribourg) is a municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil. It is located in the northern mountainous region of the state, 136 km from its capital Rio de Janeiro (city). The town is 846m (2,776 feet) above sea level and encompasses a total area of 938.5 km² (362.4 mi²).

Commonly referred to as just "Friburgo", the town has an estimated population of 178,102 people, known as "Friburguenses". It was settled by 2,006 Swiss emigrants from the canton of Fribourg, transferred to the region by royal decree from D. João VI in 1818, and was also the first town in the country to be settled by Germans. It contains the districts of Riograndina, Campo do Coelho, Amparo, Conselheiro Paulino, Lumiar and São Pedro da Serra.

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History

Center of Nova Friburgo seen from UERJ. Nova Friburgo during the January 2011 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslides, which killed at least 214 people in the municipality and at least 610 in total.

On 16 May 1818, Prince Regent John VI of Portugal issued a decree allowing the Swiss representative of the Canton of Fribourg, Sebastian Nicolau Gachet, to establish a colony in Cantagalo. The purpose of this was to further encourage development within the Kingdom of Brazil and the area was chosen as it greatly resembled Swiss climate and geographical features. 100 Swiss families were to settle in the Fazenda do Morro Queimado (Farm of the Burnt Hill) where the colony of Nova Friburgo was later founded. From 1819-1820 a total of 261 families formed the original settlement nucleus and on the 17 April 1820 the government elevated its status to that of a village.

Following the Proclamation of Brazil's Independence (1822) the Imperial Government continued a policy of populating the nation by attracting European colonisation. 80 German families led by Pastor Frederick Sauerbronn, previously assigned to settlements in the Province of Bahia, ended up in Nova Friburgo on the 3rd and 4 May 1824 and were warmly welcomed. Similar arrivals of Italians, Portuguese and a minority of Syrians led to such population increases that the once village was elevated to city status on 8 January 1890.

Agriculture was the basis of economic activity until 1910. The arrival of industrialists such as Julius Arp, Maximilian Falck e William Peacock Denis pioneered the development of an industrial sector still thriving to the present day. Of similar importance was the settlement's relative proximity to Niteroi and Rio de Janeiro and improvement of transport and communication links such as the paved roads and telegraphs. This encouraged a small tourist industry to grow which, together with local commerce, became the main source of income for Friburguenses.

Nova Friburgo was affected by the 2011 Brazilian floodsJanuary 11th, with mudslides causing at least 820 deaths,and more than 200 people missing.The biggest natural disaster in the history of Brazil.The city was devastaded by a Damflood and the population was left with no water, electricity, food or gas.

Demographics

Nova Friburgo has a total population of 178,102 people, 84,248 male and 89,073 female. It is divided between 151,820 urban and 21,501 rural The population density is 182.56/km² (472.8/mi²).

Economy and industry

The city's per capita GDP was of $10.853,00 in 2006. The service sector is responsible for the majority of the city's GDP. Nova Friburgo is noted for the manufacturing of female underwear and lingerie. Friburgo is known as the 'National Capital of Lingerie' for the size and variety of its production (around R$600 million). Local brands are beginning to compete in the international market (exports worth $4.6 million.) Other major industries include textile mills, metallurgic industries, tourism and floriculture (where it is the second largest producer of flowers in Brazil).

Education

Private Schools

Universities

Sports

Sister cities