Campina Grande, Paraíba, Northeast Region, Brazil

🇧🇷 Campina Grande is the second most populous Brazilian city in the State of Paraíba after João Pessoa, the capital. It is considered to be the most important city of the North-eastern Brazilian subregion called agreste. It is considered one of the main industrial, technological and educational centres in the north-eastern region of Brazil. The city was officially founded in 1864. Campina Grande also has a large cultural agenda, including the world's largest Saint John's Festival, which takes place during the entire month of June.

History The founding of Campina Grande is credited to Captain Teodósio de Oliveira Ledo who led a group of Ariús Indians to settle the land and begin farming on December 1, 1697. However, some historians do not agree with this version and suggest that the place was already a settlement and named Campina Grande when Teodósio arrived with the Ariús. This position is certainly supported by the fact that Campina Grande is in a critical geographic location for people travelling between the highlands and the coast.

The political actions of Teodósio in mentioning Campina Grande to the king of Portugal in May 1699 went a long way to establishing the location as place of importance.

Technological centre For a long time Campina Grande has had a strong technological focus. In 1967, the city was the first location in north-eastern Brazil to receive a computer (at the Federal University of Campina Grande). Today, Campina Grande is a point of reference when it comes software development and computer science industries.

In April 2001, Newsweek magazine chose nine cities around the world that represented a new vision for technology. Brazil is represented on this list by Campina Grande and it was the only city chosen from Latin America. In 2003, it was mentioned again as the “Brazilian Silicon Valley",

The reason for this success is mostly due to technological research performed by the Federal University of Campina Grande. Since 1967, when the university obtained support to buy its first computer for US$500,000, the city has developed a tradition of technological excellence that is recognised around the world.

Campina Grande has approximately 50 software companies that contribute about 20% of the city's total revenue.

Tourist Industry • Libraries ◦ Felix Araújo Municipal Library ◦ Açude Velho Public Library ◦ Campina Grande Public Library • Cultural Centres ◦ Academia Campinense de Letras • Museums ◦ Historical and Geographic museum of Campina Grande ◦ Assis Chateaubriand Museum of Art ◦ Museum of Cotton ◦ Museum of Luiz Gonzaga ◦ Museum of St. John ◦ Assis Chateaubriand Museum ◦ Home Marshal Anderson • Squares and parks ◦ Flag Square ◦ Clementino Procópio Square ◦ Açude Novo (New Dam) ◦ Açude Velho (Old Dam) ◦ Bodocongó Dam ◦ People's Park – Where the St. John's festival (O Maior São João do Mundo) is held ◦ Park of the Child • Theatres ◦ Severino Bezerra Cabral Municipal Theatre ◦ Elba Ramalho Theatre ◦ Rosil Cavalcanti Theatre ◦ Facisa Theatre ◦ Raul Priston Theatre ◦ Ariano Suassuna Theatre.

Culture Events in Campina Grande include: • Meeting for the Christian Conscience (February, during Carnival) • Meeting of the New Conscience (February, during Carnival) • Vaquejada Park Ivandro Cunha Lima (March) • Micarande (April) • St. John's Festival (O Maior São João do Mundo, June) • Campina Grande Winter Festival (August) • Vaquejada Park Maria da Luz (October) • Animal Exposition (October) • Living Christmas Cradle (December) • New Year's Eve on Açude Velho (December).

Transportation • Presidente João Suassuna Airport • Argemiro de Figueiredo Bus Station – New • Cristiano Lauritzen Bus Station – Old.

Education • Federal University of Campina Grande – UFCG • State University of Paraíba – UEPB • Campina Grande Union of Secondary Education – UNESC (private) • College of Applied Social Sciences – FACISA (private) • Reinaldo Ramos Center of Secondary Education – CESREI (private) • Acaraú Valley University – U.V.A. (private) • English-American College (private).

Sports Sport and recreation structures in Campina Grande include: • Plínio Lemos Sports Complex • The Meninão Gymnasium • Amigão Stadium • Renatão Stadium home stadium of the Campinense Clube • President Vargas Stadium, home stadium of the Treze Futebol Clube Local teams include: • Campinense Clube • Treze Futebol Clube • Grêmio Serrano • Associação Desportiva Perilima • Associação Atlética Leonel.

Neighborhoods • Acácio Figueiredo • Alto Branco • Araxá • Bairro das Cidades • Bairros das Nações • Bela Vista • Bodocongó • Cachoeira • Araxá • Castelo Branco • Catolé • Centenário • Centro • Conceição • Cruzeiro • Cuités • Dinamérica • Distrito Industrial • Estação Velha • Glória • Itararé • Jardim Borborema • Jardim Continental • Jardim Paulistano • Jardim Tavares • Jeremias • José Pinheiro • Lauritzen • Liberdade • Louzeiro • Malvinas • Mirante • Monte Castelo • Monte Santo • Nova Brasília • Novo Bodocongó • Palmeira • Pedregal • Prata • Presidente Médice • Quarenta • Ramadinha • Sandra Cavalcante • Santa Cruz • Santa Rosa • Santo Antônio • São José • Serrotão • Tambor • Três Irmãs • Universitário • Velame • Vila Cabral.

Economy According to 1996 statistics from the Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada, the Gross Internal Product was estimated at R$591.93 million: 3.3% came through agricultural and livestock based activities, 19.8% came through industry, and 76.9% was the result of the commerce and service sectors. The yield per capita was of R$1.717.09.

By 2002 the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics estimated that the Gross Internal Product to have grown to R$1.600 billion and the yield per capita to R$4,387.00.