Jacareí, Industrial municipality in São Paulo state, Brazil.
Jacareí sits in the valley of the Paraíba do Sul River and covers 464 square kilometers at an elevation of 567 meters above sea level. The municipality is a major industrial center with several large breweries and manufacturing plants that shape its economic life.
The settlement gained township status in 1653 after Antonio Afonso and his sons built a chapel honoring Our Lady of Conception. Over the centuries the place grew from a small religious settlement into a major industrial location.
The city takes its name from the Tupi language, recalling the many alligators that once lived in the river waters here. Today only street names and local symbols keep this reptile-rich past alive in everyday life.
The city is well connected to São Paulo and São José dos Campos by highways and railways and has a regional airfield. Travelers can reach the different industrial areas and the historic center easily by car or public transport.
The city is the leading center for beer production in Latin America and houses several large brewing facilities. This industry shapes not only the economy but also the cityscape with its sprawling warehouses and bottling plants along the main roads.
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