one of the smaller Brazilian states. The capital is Florianópolis, located on coastal Santa Catarina Island. The region was given various names by early Spanish and Portuguese cartographers; the name Santa Catarina is said to have been given in honour of St. Catherine of Alexandria by the Italian navigator Sebastian Cabot, when he was in the service of Spain.
Santa Catarina was part of a larger hereditary captaincy (district administered by a captain) established by the Portuguese crown in 1532, although the first Portuguese settlement, at what is today the port of São Francisco do Sul near the Paraná border, was not made until 1648. The region’s interior highland prairies were used for cattle raising, and early in the 18th century trading posts were opened along the cattle trails leading across the plateaus toward the coastal towns and the northern markets. The captaincy of Santa Catarina was created in 1738 to serve as an outpost in the Portuguese-Spanish territorial wars. It was governed from Rio de Janeiro by the military until 1822, when Brazil became an empire independent of Portugal. A revolution that spread northward from Rio Grande do Sul in 1839 created the short-lived Republic of Santa Catarina in the locality.
During the 19th century a considerable immigration of non-Portuguese peoples occurred. Germans arrived as early as 1829 and came in great numbers during the 1850s, settling along the coastal valleys and founding the cities of Blumenau, Joinvile, and Brusque. Many Italians immigrated after 1875, and Poles, Ukrainians, and Russians arrived in the 1880s. African slaves composed about 10 percent of the population in the 1870s; they were emancipated in 1888. Santa Catarina became a state of Brazil when, in 1889, a republic was proclaimed to replace the empire; Florianópolis was designated the capital.
Behind the seacoast a great escarpment rises like a mountain wall; Santa Catarina has little level ground. Its highest point is Mount Igreja, 5,932 feet (1,808 metres) in elevation, located in the southeastern part of the state. There are two principal river systems, one formed by the coastal rivers flowing eastward to the coast, the other flowing south to the Uruguay River, which forms part of the state’s southern border.
Rainfall is heavy, ranging from 47 to 97 inches (1,200 to 2,500 mm) annually. Average temperatures range from a summer high of about 69 °F (21 °C) to a winter low of about 48 °F (9 °C). Although much of the original forest cover, which consists of mixed tropical and subtropical vegetation, has been cleared, extensive reforestation programs are now being pursued.
A number of airlines fly to Florianópolis International Airport (FLN) from cities throughout Brazil, as well as from neighboring Uruguay, Argentina and Chile (seasonal).
Buses run to Santa Catarina (to Joinville and Florianópolis, among others) from a number of cities, including São Paulo, Curitiba and Porto Alegre.
Majors Cities
Joinville is one of the Brazilian cities that stands out on business tourism, due to the excellent infrastructure to handle the most varied kinds of meetings, conferences and reunions. A multi-use venue of international class is available for large events: Centreventos Cau Hansen. Built in arena shape, inspired on the world´s most advanced architectural projects, the venue features modern equipment and is suitable to receive up to 10 thousand people.
Expoville, located at the city´s entrance, is another privileged space for big parties and exhibitions.
There are dozens of auditoriums and spaces for shows, dance spectacles and fairs, as well as a wide range of suppliers of equipment and services for events. The structure of electricity, water, sewage, transport, telecommunications, security and banking services is of a high standard, able to meet the highest requirements.
Joinville also has other important features which make it stand out. One of them is the Prince of Joinville III yacht; the best equipped tourism vessel in the Brazilian coast, with capacity for 350 passengers. She does tours on the calm waters of the Babitonga Bay archipelago, amidst the rich ecosystem which is a sanctuary for the reproduction of many species. Also it is possible to organize events aboard, giving a special touch to any schedule.
The city also offers leisure options in sports: there is a golf course, equine center and a kart track. For outdoor activities lovers, there are places suitable for practicing any sport, from shooting (German tradition from the Middle Ages, kept until today) to adventure and nautical - the largest and better equipped Yacht Club in Santa Catarina State is at the municipality. Enjoy!
Basic informationClimate
The climate in the region is temperate superhumid. Average annual temperature is around 18ºC – with maximum annual average of 25ºC and minimum of 14ºC.
Events
International Dance Festival One of the biggest dance events in Latin America, since 1983. It gathers about four thousand dancers, professionals and students, always on the second fortnight of July. The 11 days of presentations attract 50 thousand people to Centreventos Cau Hansen, every year. There are competitions in seven different categories, from classical ballet to folk dances. Squares, shopping centers and many companies take the opportunity to promote other events at the same time, such as courses and talks.
City facts Joinville: the biggest city in Santa Catarina (in population) Region: South Population: 429,604 inhabitants Area Code: (48)
Distances
São Francisco do Sul: 41 km
Itajaí: 87 km
Blumenau: 97 km Curitiba: 130 km
Florianópolis: 188 km Criciúma: 355 km
São Paulo: 525 km Rio de Janeiro: 971 km
Accommodation / Restaurants
The city has many good and varied options for lodging and restaurants. From rustic inns to sophisticated hotels; the decision is up to you. Regarding gastronomy, the same thing happens, you just have to choose.
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