São José do Rio Preto

History

Prior to the 19th century, the region of São José do Rio Preto was inhabited by the Kaingang indigenous people. Over time, their numbers gradually declined as a result of migration, exploratory expeditions known as "bandeiras" and miscegenation with other groups. The city was established on March 19, 1852, by João Bernardino de Seixas Ribeiro, a migrant from Minas Gerais. Luiz Antônio da Silveira, a local farmer, generously contributed a portion of his land to establish the new city as a tribute to the patron saint, Saint Joseph. The municipality of São José do Rio Preto was officially founded in 1894 and the territory ceased to be a part of Jaboticabal; it was a large territory, limited by the rivers Paraná, Grande, Tietê and Turvo, comprising approximately 26,000 km² of land. The railway reached the city in 1912, following the expansion of the Araraquarense Railway (Estrada de Ferro Araraquara). After the completion, the railway played a crucial role in the development of the city; it transformed the city into a terminal point of railroad transport, of people abroad and agricultural products of Rio Preto and neighboring cities, turning Rio Preto, in 1929, into a growing urban core with circa 27,800 inhabitants In 1943, the Dr. Fernando Costa Municipal Public Library was inaugurated and in July 19, 1944, the Municipal Market was inaugurated, still in operation. In January 1973, the Humberto Sinibaldi Neto Municipal Theater was inaugurated; also in 1973, the construction of the new Cathedral of Saint Joseph began, now the seat of the Archdiocese of São José do Rio Preto. In July 19, 1980, in the second term of mayor Adail Vetorazzo, the actual building of the Dr. Fernando Costa Municipal Public Library was inaugurated. The name São José do Rio Preto is…

Geography

São José do Rio Preto is located in the north/northwest part of the state of São Paulo in a region between the rivers Grande, Paraná and Tietê. The ecological makeup of the region blends elements of the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna) with remnants of the Atlantic Forest. In terms of topography, the area is characterized by gently rolling hills, with an average elevation of . The city has two educational ecological parks: the Educational Ecological Park “Danilo Santos De Miranda” and the Educational Ecological Park “Dr. Joaquim de Paula Ribeiro”, wooded areas with walking tracks, children's playgrounds, focused on the appreciation and integration of the environment, leisure and[education. The Municipal Zoo, Zoobotânico Municipal, founded in 1973, counts with a native forest reserve and a zoo with approximately 300 animals of 70 species in an urban area of 14 hectares with remnants of Atlantic Forest and Cerrado vegetation; it safeguards wild animals that are victims of trafficking, run overs and fires, as well as fostering orphaned cubs. São José do Rio Preto is the third city with the highest urban afforestation rate in Brazil; 97.78% of the city's inhabitants lives on streets with trees, according to the 2022 IBGE census. The climate in São José do Rio Preto is classified as tropical (Aw), characterized by hot and rainy summers, as well as mild and dry winters. The average annual temperature is around . The city typically receives an average annual precipitation ranging from . In 2008, the recorded rainfall reached . *North: Ipiguá and Onda Verde *South: Cedral and Bady Bassitt *East: Guapiaçu *West: Mirassol * Southeast side: Engenheiro Schmitt * Northeast side: Talhado

Most-observed species

• Great Kiskadee

  Pitangus sulphuratus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  231
• Picazuro Pigeon

  Patagioenas picazuro (Temminck, 1813) · Aves
  204
• Yellow-chevroned Parakeet

  Brotogeris chiriri (Vieillot, 1818) · Aves
  190
• Saffron Finch

  Sicalis flaveola (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  168
• blue-and-white swallow

  Notiochelidon cyanoleuca (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  157
• Rufous Hornero

  Furnarius rufus (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  152
• Southern Lapwing

  Vanellus chilensis (Molina, 1782) · Aves
  144
• white-eyed conure

  Aratinga leucophthalma (Statius Muller, 1776) · Aves
  143