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Joinville




Joinville is a City in Santa Catarina State, Southern Region of Brazil . Joinville is Santa Catarina's largest city. In 2005 its population was about 500,000 in an area of 1180 square km. Most of the inhabitants are of German descent.


HISTORY


The first inhabitants in the region of Joinville were the Tupi-Guarani people.

Joinville was founded on March 9 , 1851 , by German and Swiss immigrants.

Even though it is considerated a German-Brazilian city, its name is French (Joinville was named after the French prince François Ferdinand Philippe of Joinville, son of the King Louis Philippe , married Brazilian princess Dona Francisca, in 1843). The city's former name was Dona Francisca, but was changed to Joinville in 1851.

The land where Joinville is located was part of the French and Brazilian Royal Family Wedding gift, even though the Prince of Joinville and his bride have never been to the land, but a Royal Palace was built in their honor around 1870. In 1851, the French prince, after a money crisis, sold almost all his lands in Southern Brazil to the German senator Mathias Schroeder. The senator was member of the ''Colonizator Society of Hamburg'' and started to attract thousands of European Immigrants to the region. In 1851, the first 118 German and Swiss immigrants arrived, followed by 74 Norwegian Immigrants . Until the 1900's, when the Society was finished, almost 30.000 Germanic immigrants arrived to Joinville. Nowadays, about 85% of the population is of German-Brazilian descent. The city is home to many Brazilians of Italian descent.


ECONOMY


Joinville's economy is based on industrial activities and commerce. The city is the center of many Brazilian high-tech industries and very well known large corporations.

The city has one of the highest standards of living in Brazil. Its industrial output is the third largest in the Southern States of Brazil - after the large main cities of Porto Alegre and Curitiba . Joinville is also the fourth most populated city in the Southern region of Brazil.


TOURISM


Joinville is famous for its strong German -influenced culture. The city retains many aspects of the German culture, in its architecture, in the local dishes, parties and in the way of life of its inhabitants, known as workaholics.

Joinville is the host city of the "Joinville Dance Festival" a large Brazilian dance event held every year during the month of July. Joinville is the only city outside of Moscow to have a school of the Bolshoi Ballet , the renowned Russian Ballet Company.

The Royal Palace, built in the mid- 19th Century , nowadays is a museum about the German immigration to Brazil. It has the furnitures and costumes showing the lifestyle dating back to the mid 19th century.


NEIGHBORHOODS


satellite image featuring in the centre (in pink) the city of Joinville]]


SPORTING CLUBS




OTHER


  • Joinville has numerouse elementary and middle schools, several colleges, a local Catholic Bishop, several Lutheran churches, a Botanical Garden and Zoo, parks, and several beaches are a half an hour drive away from the city. It is also home of several museums.

  • The architecture of the city is typically German, as well as the orderly way of life.

  • Three main Shopping Centers and several large supermarkets make the local commerce very active and a regional center of commerce for the Northeast of Santa Catarina state.

  • Joinville also has a newly renovated airport with several connecting flights to several main Cities in Brazil.

  • Joinville is also part of the Federal Railroad Network - its main route is towards the Sao Francisco do Sul seaport.

  • The seaports of Sao Francisco do Sul (40 km) and Itajai (90 km) handle the local industries exports. Joinville exports textiles, automotive parts, air conditioners, refrigerators, electrical compressors,buses, amongst many other products.

  • The city is also home to two of the largest software companies in Brazil.



EXTERNAL LINKS


  • http://www.joinville.sc.gov.br (local government - Portuguese)

  • http://www.promotur.com.br (tourism - Portuguese)

  • http://www.joinvilleconvention.tur.br/ (Convention & Visitors Bureau - English & Spanish)

  • http://www.citybrazil.com.br/sc/joinville/ (in Portuguese)

  • Joinville (in German)

  • Map and Aerial photos:

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