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Around 1950. Strong investments in manufactures and agriculture, at the same time a strong immigration wave made the state and the city the economy center of Brasil.
The coffee exports made the elite of the state of São Paulo very rich in the first half of the 20th century.
That elite invested in manufacturing, specially during the times of the two World Wars, when imports of manufactured goods where difficult.
The industrialization of São Paulo was faster than in Rio, and in the 1950's the multinational companies (like Volkswagen, Ford) accelerated that proccess even more, because they choose São Paulo to install their factories in Brazil.
I think Sao Paulo is the natural capital of Brazilian society. Almost every sector is based in this city minus national politics. Rio was the capital of Brazil and then they built Brasilia and moved the capital out there in the middle of nowhere and Rio began to decline. I think Rio has stabilized, but maybe the Brazilian members are better informed.
Excuse me if I'm repeating anything that might had been said already, other than the title I haven't read anything else in this thread.
I don't agree. São Paulo, Rio and now Brasilia have enourmous influence in Brasil and then the Brazilain Society has three "capitals".
São Paulo is the comercial and financial capital of the country (and considered the same for all South America), Brasilia is the political capital and Rio is still the city where the personalities of the brazilian cultural life live. The most iconic city in Brasil is Rio and it has a lot more influence in brazilian cultural life than any other city.
I'm not saying that these cities are strong only in these areas each one, but these are the key roles they play in the country.
Rio is surely the most known Brazilian city worldwide.
Most people in the world never heard about São Paulo, even when it's the largest city.
Rio is known for the Bossa Nova artists, and for the beauty of its natural setting.
Yes, well I am a geography nerd so I know Sao Paulo and have known it was the largest city for quite some time.
But even I know more iconic things for Rio: carnaval, Cristo Redentor, the sugar loaf mountain, Ipanema, Copacabana, Maracana...
Except for the impressive endless forest of skyscrapers, nothing iconic springs to mind for Sao Paulo.
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