Sao Paulo is a state who's major industrial and economic powerhouse are key to the economy of Brazil. The state is named after Saint Paul, the Apostle. The population of Sao Paulo is approximately 37,000,000. Sao Paulo is the richest state in Brazil; it has the second highest per-capital income and, with the states of Santa Catrina and Rio Grande do Sul, the best standard of living in Brazil, despite the poverty in some of the areas around the largest cities. Sao Paulo is responsible for approximately one third of Brazil's gross national product. The economy is based in machinery, automobile, aviation, services, financial companies, commerce, textiles, and oil, soil, sugar cane and coffee. Wealth is unequally distributed in the state. The richest municipalities are centered around Greater Sao Paulo and a few other, more distant, areas. Some regions, such as Registro and the Bananal region, in the border with Rio de Janeiro, are very poor, some of them as poor as municipalities in the northeast of Brazil. Sao Paulo is a state with the largest system of transportation in Latin America, comprised of roads, railroads, fluvial lanes, airports, river, and seaports. The city also boasts a metro and a suburban railway system.

Sao Paulo is the capital city of the State of Sao Paulo in southeastern Brazil. It is located about 400 km (250 miles) from Rio de Janeiro, and 1030 km (640 miles) from the Federal capital of Brasilia. With a population of approximately 11,000,000 people, it is one of the most populated cities in Brazil and South America. People from the city of Sao Paulo are called Paulistanos, while Paulista designates anyone from the entire state. The city's motto is, Non ducor, duco (I am not led, I lead). Sao Paulo is a major business center with a multi-cultural metropolitan area, with heavy Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Arab, and Japanese influences. Sao Paulo is known for its varied and sophisticated cuisine, ranging from Chinese to French, from fast food to five-star restaurants. Other bars, pubs, lounges, and discos cater to a variety of music tastes. Other places and events for tourists include art museums, universities, a symphony orchestra, and the Formula One Grand Prix racing circuit. There are no large natural lakes in the region, but the Guarapiranga and Billings Reservoirs are used for power generation, water storage, and recreation. The original vegetation consists of a great variety of broadleaf evergreens. There are also non-native species, as the mild climate and abundant rainfall permit tropical, subtropical, and temperate plants to be cultivated; eucalyptus is especially adaptable. Sao Paulo's climate is actually warm, even though natives think of it as cool and drizzly