Piracicaba 7.13

Piracicaba is a city located in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The population is 391,449 (2015 est.) in an area of 1378.07 km². It is at an elevation of 547 m above sea level.NameThe place name comes from a word in the Tupi language that means "place where the fish stops". The name arises from the fact that the waterfalls of the Piracicaba River, which bisects the city, is a point at which "piracema"—fish swimming upstream to reproduce. Larger fish species such as the dourados can still be observed.HistoryIn 1766, Antonio Correa Barbosa, charged with the task of establishing a settlement on the estuary of Piracicaba river, opted for a location about 90 km from it. The settlement was officially founded on August 1, 1767, as a povoação subordinated to the vila of Itu. In 1784, Piracicaba gets emancipated from Itu, becoming a freguesia.In 1821, the freguesia is promoted to vila, known as Vila Nova da Constituição. In 1856, Vila Nova da Constituição is promoted to city status and in 1877 it is officially named "Piracicaba", following a law by the then councilman and future Brazilian president Prudente de Morais. In 1944, the city was made the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Piracicaba.Notable institutions, events, resourcesPiracicaba is home to the oldest agricultural university in Brazil, the Luiz de Queiroz School of Agriculture of the University of São Paulo. Founded in 1901, the school is located on a farm with a large collection of trees and plants. It is also recognized as a leader in the field of precision agriculture. Other universities based in Piracicaba are the Methodist University of Piracicaba (UNIMEP) and the University of Campinas' School of Dentistry.