Why Guarulhos
Guarulhos is a major city located in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, positioned northeast of the state capital in Brazil. Covering an area of 318.68 square kilometers, it is the second most populous municipality in the state of São Paulo and the largest non-capital city in the nation. Geographically, the location has historically been defined by its proximity to major waterways, situated with the Tietê River along its southern boundary and the Cabuçu de Cima River to the west.
The settlement was established in 1560 by the Jesuit priest Manuel de Paiva under the name Nossa Senhora da Conceição. It initially served as one of several strategic villages created to safeguard the borders of São Paulo de Piratininga against the indigenous Tamoios tribe. The city's modern name stems from the Guaramomis, an indigenous Tupi-speaking group also known as the Maromomins who originally lived in the area. The municipality formally separated from São Paulo in 1880 and officially took the name Guarulhos in 1906. During the twentieth century, the region transformed through the arrival of railways, electrical infrastructure, telecommunications, and a substantial industrial expansion that drew a large workforce.
Today, Guarulhos is globally recognized as the home of the São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport, located in the Cumbica district. Established in 1985, this facility is the largest airport in Brazil and South America, serving as the primary air transit hub for the São Paulo metropolitan region. The city is also home to the Brazilian Air Force's São Paulo Air Force Base, which relocated to Cumbica in 1945.
In addition to its urban features, the municipality contains significant protected natural areas. A portion of Cantareira State Park, created in 1962, lies within its boundaries to safeguard much of the region's public water supply. Guarulhos also encompasses part of the Mananciais do Rio Paraíba do Sul Environmental Protection Area, established in 1982 to protect the headwaters of the Paraíba do Sul River. Cultural and civic points of interest include the Monteiro Lobato Municipal Library, founded in 1940, and the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Guarulhos.
The municipality is connected to surrounding regions via major transport corridors, notably the Rodovia Presidente Dutra highway linking São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Public transit is further supported by the Line 13-Jade commuter rail system, which provides direct service between the international airport and regional rail networks. The area features a humid subtropical climate, designated as Cwa, marked by relatively high temperatures and rainfall that is evenly distributed throughout the year.
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