
A few months ago, we reported that the state of São Paulo has more inhabitants than 160 countries in the world. With over 44 million inhabitants, the people of São Paulo outnumber countries like Poland, Australia and even Canada! But have you ever wondered which cities contribute the most in terms of inhabitants to the large population of São Paulo? Check out the largest cities in São Paulo below!
Do you know which are the largest cities in São Paulo?
1. São Paulo
With almost 12 million inhabitants, the largest city in the state of São Paulo is… São Paulo! The capital of São Paulo is also the largest city in Brazil and in Latin America as a whole, and is more populous than many countries in the world. For example Belgium, Cuba (eleven million each), Portugal, Greece and Sweden (ten million each).
2. Guarulhos
Located in Greater São Paulo, Guarulhos is the second largest city in the state of São Paulo. With around 1.3 million inhabitants, the city is known for being home to Guarulhos International Airport, the largest and best known in the country.
The hometown of Olympic medalist Rebeca Andrade, Guarulhos is also home to many workers and students from the state capital, who commute between the two cities every day.
3. Campinas
Next up is the friendly Campinas as São Paulo’s 3rd largest city. 110 kilometers from the capital, it has approximately 1.1 million inhabitants and is often referred to as the “Capital of the Interior“ due to its local influence.
In addition, Campinas is the 2nd most wooded city in Brazil, and offers many attractions – such as parks, museums, an observatory and a maria fumaça – for São Paulo residents looking for a weekend getaway.
4. São Bernardo do Campo
This city in the ABC region of São Paulo ranks 4th among the largest cities in the state. As well as being home to more than 810,000 São Paulo residents, it also has the 5th largest GDP in the state and played an important role in the country’s industrialization.
It currently has 1,200 industries, most of them in the automotive sector. For this reason, it is known as the “capital of the automobile”, with factories belonging to the giants Volkswagen and Mercedez-Benz.
5. Santo André
Finally, 5th place among the largest cities in the state of São Paulo goes to another ABC municipality. Santo André has almost 750,000 inhabitants and also stands out for being an important industrial hub in the metropolitan region.
Strategically positioned between the Port of Santos and Guarulhos Airport, the city is attracting more and more large companies. It is there, for example, that a Coca-Cola FEMSA distribution center and the Grande ABC Petrochemical Complex are located.