Greater Porto Alegre or the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre is the 5th most populous metro area in Brazil, with an estimated population of 4.3 million inhabitants encompassing 34 municipalities around Porto Alegre, the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Greater Porto Alegre.
  grande Porto Alegre, legally defined "core" metropolitan area

Currently, it comprises 10 234,012 km2 with a total population of 4 293 050 inhabitants, according to IBGE data of 2017. Only the metropolitan areas of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, and Brasília, respectively, are larger than Porto Alegre. Porto Alegre has the 4th largest GDP in the country, estimated at 92 billion dollars.

Greater Porto Alegre is a strategic area for the development of the state, the Southern Cone, and the Mercosur, with an economy based on manufacturing, chemicals, automotive, food, education, steel production, semiconductors, and services, to name a few. It possesses an enormous industrial potential and is home to some of the largest companies in Brazil, and also of many multinationals.

The region is also home to several technology parks and universities, with the federal university UFRGS being recognized by the Ministry of Education (MEC) as the best in Brazil for three years in a row.

Municipalities

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Town / City Joined on Bill Area (km2)
[1]
Population
(2010)[2]
Population
(2018)[3]
GDP (in thousands) R$
(2013)
Alvorada June 8, 1973 LCF 14/1973 70,811 195.718 209.213 1.992.342
Araricá July 30, 1998 LCE 11201 35,292 4.868 5.622 122.598
Arroio dos Ratos January 1, 2000 LCE 11539 425,938 13.608 14.123 174.142
Cachoeirinha June 8, 1973 LCF 14/1973 43,766 118.294 129.307 5.648.490
Campo Bom June 8, 1973 LCF 14/1973 61,406 60.081 66.156 2.168.912
Canoas June 8, 1973 LCF 14/1973 131,097 324.025 344.957 11.451.934
Capela de Santana June 28, 2001 LCE 11645 184,003 11.613 11.810 152.665
Charqueadas July 27, 1994 LCE 10234 216,513 35.363 40.301 1.006.974
Dois Irmãos October 3, 1989 CE 65,156 27.572 32.205 1.323.496
Eldorado do Sul October 3, 1989 CE 509,699 34.335 40.643 959.833
Esteio June 8, 1973 LCF 14/1973 27,543 80.669 83.121 2.780.621
Estância Velha June 8, 1973 LCF 14/1973 52,378 42.589 49.345 1.149.281
Glorinha October 3, 1989 CE 323,641 6.885 7.988 358.176
Gravataí June 8, 1973 LCF 14/1973 463,758 255.762 279.398 10.197.232
Guaíba June 8, 1973 LCF 14/1973 376,973 95.230 98.043 4.174.309
Igrejinha December 22, 2011 LCE 13853 136,816 31.663 36.450 1.326.577
Ivoti October 3, 1989 CE 63,138 19.877 23.880 714.430
Montenegro January 14, 1999 LCE 11307 420,017 59.436 64.788 2.624.259
Nova Hartz October 3, 1989 CE 62,558 18.346 21.317 649.953
Nova Santa Rita July 30, 1998 LCE 11201 217,868 22.706 28.670 914.883
Novo Hamburgo June 8, 1973 LCF 14/1973 223,606 239.051 246.452 7.021.001
Parobé October 3, 1989 CE 109,026 51.481 57.660 958.182
Porto Alegre June 8, 1973 LCF 14/1973 496,827 1.409.939 1.479.101 57.379.337
Portão October 3, 1989 CE 159,942 30.881 36.510 971.739
Rolante August 5, 2010 LCE 13496 296,992 19.493 21.199 420.492
Santo Antônio da Patrulha September 21, 2000 LCE 11530 1.048,904 39.679 42.648 886.392
Sapiranga June 8, 1973 LCF 14/1973 137,519 75.020 81.198 2.125.761
Sapucaia do Sul June 8, 1973 LCF 14/1973 58,644 130.988 140.311 2.630.605
São Jerônimo June 21, 1999 LCE 11340 937,049 22.141 24.078 413.216
São Leopoldo June 8, 1973 LCF 14/1973 102,313 214.210 234.947 5.854.218
São Sebastião do Caí June 13, 2012 LCE 14047 111,435 21.932 25.467 526.820
Taquara March 21, 1999 LCE 11318 457,130 54.656 57.292 999.225
Triunfo October 3, 1989 CE 823,416 25.811 29.207 5.900.492
Viamão June 8, 1973 LCF 14/1973 1.494,263 239.234 254.101 2.680.846
Total 10.345,447 3.958.985 4.317.508 138.659.433

Education

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The region is home to a few research institutions, such as the federal university UFRGS, UFCSPA, PUCRS and Unisinos, several other smaller universities and colleges. All three major universities have their own technology park, hosting multinational companies such as SAP AG, Hewlett-Packard, and Oracle, as well as several start-ups.

There are also technical high-schools in the region, providing early technical education and workforce for local companies.

Culture

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Events

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The main event in the region is the state fair, called Expointer.

Transportation

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Airports

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The main airport serving the region is the Salgado Filho International Airport, which underwent major expansions in recent years, expanding its passager terminals and parking facilities. The main runway is currently being expanded, allowing longer flights in the future.

The airport is linked to the region's subway system, Trensurb, by the Aeromovel, a compressed air moved light rail.

The airport is operated by the German company Fraport AG.

Because Salgado Filho Airport cannot expand beyond its only runway, a new airport was proposed in the city of Portao and Nova Santa Rita that would house up to four runways. The new airport is named 20 de Setembro Airport after the symbolic state independence from Brazil in the Farrapos War.

Rail

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The Greater Porto Alegre is served by Trensurb, a heavy-rail system linking downtown Porto Alegre to downtown Novo Hamburgo passing through Canoas, Esteio, Sapucaia, and São Leopoldo. There are plans to expand the line to the city of Portao and to the southern neighborhoods of Porto Alegre. The line comprises a mix of elevated and surface-level rail.

A second line of heavy-rail is planned to run from Cachoeirinha to downtown Porto Alegre and up to Viamao, but recent economic downturns have halted the project. This line will include an underground and elevated rail.

Several projects of light-rail are planned or under construction in the area, linking the main subway line to the neighborhoods in Canoas and Porto Alegre.

Highways

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The major highways that cross the region are BR-290 (Freeway), BR-116, BR-290, BR-386, BR-448, RS-040, and RS-118.

Ports

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The major port is Porto Alegre, but several companies have private terminals along the regions' rivers.

The region also has ferry lines, linking Porto Alegre to Guaiba and between neighborhoods in the capital.

Sports

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Football

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With soccer being the most popular in Brazil and in the region, the two main sports clubs are Gremio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense, or just Gremio, and Sport Club Internacional, or International. Both teams have won all major domestic and international competitions, such as the World-Cup Club, Libertdores Cup, Brasileirao, and Brasil Cup.

References

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  1. ^ IBGE, Área Territorial Oficial[dead link], Resolução nº 5 de 10 de outubro de 2002. Acessado em 20 de janeiro de 2008.
  2. ^ "Censo Demográfico 2010". Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Retrieved 5 December 2010.
  3. ^ "Estimativas da população residente no Brasil e unidades da Federação com data de referência em 1 de julho de 2018" (PDF). Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. 1 July 2018.

30°01′58″S 51°13′48″W / 30.0328°S 51.2300°W / -30.0328; -51.2300