Criciúma

Criciúma is a city in southern Brazil located in Santa Catarina, roughly 180 kilometers south of Florianópolis. The urban area covers gently rolling terrain marked by coal and ceramic industries.

Italian families from mountainous regions of the north settled here on January 6, 1880 and began farming crops. In the decades that followed, the rise of coal mining and later development of the ceramic industry led to economic growth and population expansion.

The city has restaurants and cafés serving Italian food from the mountainous regions of the north. Murals on public buildings show scenes of mining work and the arrival of immigrant families in the late 1800s.

The city lies near two major highways, allowing travelers to go north and south easily. Several healthcare facilities and educational centers are spread throughout the urban area.

The city coat of arms displays a black hammer and pickaxe referring to the community's roots in mining and farming. Ceramic tiles from local factories were laid across large swaths of South America and other continents as well.

Location: Santa Catarina

Inception: January 6, 1880

Elevation above the sea: 46 m

Shares border with: Nova Veneza, Forquilhinha, Maracajá, Araranguá, Içara, Morro da Fumaça, Cocal do Sul, Siderópolis

Website: http://criciuma.sc.gov.br

GPS coordinates: -28.67750,-49.36972

Latest update: December 18, 2025 15:40