Florianópolis
Municipality
Município de Florianópolis Municipality of Florianópolis
From top to bottom and left to right: panorama of central region from Morro da Cruz; Hercílio Luz Bridge at night; Florianópolis Cathedral; Public Market; Joaquina Beach; Fortress of São José da Ponta Grossa.
Flag Seal
Nicknames:  Floripa, Magic Island
Coordinates: 27°36′44″S 48°29′7″W / 27.61222°S 48.48528°W / -27.61222; -48.48528
Country	Brazil
Region	South
State	Santa Catarina
Founded	23 March 1673 (350 years)
Named for	Floriano Peixoto
Government
• Mayor	Topázio Neto (PSD)
Area
• Municipality	675.409 km2 (260.777 sq mi)
Elevation	3 m (9 ft)
Population  (2020)[1]
• Municipality	508,826
• Density	750/km2 (2,000/sq mi)
• Urban	358,180
• Metro	1,111,702
Demonym(s)	Florianopolitano Manezinho (colloquial)
GDP (PPP, constant 2015 values)
• Year	2023
• Total	$19.3 billion[2]
Time zone	UTC-3 (UTC-3)
Postal Code	88000-000 to 88099-999
Area code	(+55) 48
HDI (2010)	0.847 – very high[3]
Website	www.pmf.sc.gov.br

Florianópolis (Portuguese pronunciation: [floɾi.aˈnɔpolis]) is the capital and second largest city of the state of Santa Catarina, in the South region of Brazil. The city encompasses Santa Catarina Island and surrounding small islands, as well as part of the mainland. It has a population of 508,826, according to the 2020 IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) population estimate, the second-most populous city in the state (after Joinville), and the 47th in Brazil. The metropolitan area has an estimated population of 1,111,702, the 21st largest in the country. The city is known for having the country's third highest Human Development Index score among all Brazilian cities (0.847).^[4][5]

The economy of Florianópolis is heavily based on information technology, tourism, and services.^[6] The city has 60 beaches and is a center of surfing activity. Lagoa da Conceição is the most famous area for tourism, recreation, nature, and extreme sports. The New York Times reported that "Florianopolis is the Party Destination of the Year in 2009."^[7] Newsweek placed Florianópolis in its "ten most dynamic cities of the world" list in 2006.^[8] Veja, a Brazilian publication, named the city as "the best place to live in Brazil."^[9] As a result of this exposure, Florianópolis is growing as a second home destination for many Paulistas, Argentines, Uruguayans, U.S. citizens, and Europeans.

Florianópolis is also commonly known by the nicknames Floripa and Ilha da Magia (Magic Island).^[10][11] Most of the population lives on the mainland and on the island's central and northern parts. The southern half is less inhabited. Many small commercial fishermen populate the island. The fishing boats, the lacemakers, the folklore, the cuisine and the colonial architecture contribute to the growing tourism and attracts resources that compensate for the lack of any large industry. Villages immersed in tradition and history, such as Santo Antônio de Lisboa and Ribeirão da Ilha still resist the advances of modernity.^[12]

The Hercílio Luz International Airport serves the city. Florianópolis is home to the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (Federal University of Santa Catarina). There are also the Santa Catarina Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology (Instituto Federal de Santa Catarina), and two campuses of the Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (State University of Santa Catarina), among other institutions of higher and professional education.

Etymology

The name Florianópolis was meant to be a tribute to Marshal Floriano Peixoto, the second President (1891–1894) of the Republic of the United States of Brazil and from Greek term polis, meaning "city". Until 1893, the city was called Nossa Senhora do Desterro (Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈnɔsɐ sẽˈɲɔɾɐ du desˈteʁu] or [dʒisˈteʁu]; lit. 'Our Lady of Banishment') or simply Desterro.

Geography

Vegetation

Florianópolis has a native Atlantic Forest-type vegetation. This vegetation has an extremely diverse and unique mix of vegetation and forest types. The main ecoregion is the coastal Atlantic forest, the narrow strip of about 50–100 kilometers (31–62 miles) along the coast which covers about 20 percent of the region. This forest extends as far as 500–600 kilometers (310–370 miles) inland and its range is as high as 2,000 meters above sea level. Altitude determines at least three vegetation types in the Atlantic Forest: the lowland forest of the coastal plain, montane forests, and the high-altitude grassland or "campo rupestre."

Florianópolis aerial view.

Downtown Florianópolis as seen from Morro da Cruz.

The municipality contains part of the 17,104 hectares (42,260 acres) offshore Marinha do Arvoredo Biological Reserve, a fully protected conservation unit established in 1990.^[13] It also contains part of the 84,130 hectares (207,900 acres) Serra do Tabuleiro State Park, a mountainous area covered in lush forests. The park protects the sources of the Vargem do Braço, Cubatão and Una rivers, which supply most of the drinking water for greater Florianópolis and the south coast region.^[14] The municipality contains the 1,532 hectares (3,790 acres) Rio Vermelho State Park in the northeast of Santa Catarina Island, created in 2007.^[15]

History

Emperor Pedro II and Empress Teresa Cristina arriving in Florianópolis, c. 1845

The city in 1964.

Carijós Indians, a Tupi people,^[24] were the first inhabitants^[25] of the Florianópolis area. The traces of its presence are verified through archaeological sites and sambaquis dating up to 4000 years ago. The Indians called the place Meiembipe or "mountain along the channel".

Around 1514 the Portuguese landed and gave the area the name Ilha dos Patos, but in 1526 it was renamed Ilha de Santa Catarina (Saint Catherine's Island). The area supplied the vessels that went to the River Plate (Río de la Plata) Basin.

The official settlement of the island began in 1673 with the arrival of bandeirante Francisco Dias Velho's agricultural company and it continued in 1678 with the construction of a chapel consecrated to Nossa Senhora do Desterro. At this time a villa began to take form, slowly becoming a colonial settlement.

To guarantee its domain the Portuguese Crown elevated Santa Catarina Island to the category of village in 1714 with the name of Nossa Senhora do Desterro and already in 1726 they promoted it again, now to the category of town.

From this date on Vila do Desterro and mainly the port began to have a strategic function because it was situated halfway between Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, possibly two of the largest seaside cities of South America at that time. For this reason in 1739 the Capitania da Ilha de Santa Catarina was created and Desterro became its capital. Soon the most expressive seaside defensive ring of Southern Brazil started to be built: Santa Cruz, São José da Ponta Grossa, Santo Antonio and Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Barra do Sul fortresses.

With the coming of the Captaincy the population began to grow, but the great population growth happened between 1747 and 1756 with the arrival of about 6,000 settlers coming from the Archipelago of Azores and from Madeira Island. The development of the agriculture, the cotton and linen industry and the commerce followed the Azorean occupation. In 1823, during the monarchy which ended in 1889, Desterro became the Capital of Santa Catarina Province opening a period of prosperity with many urban works and also intense political organization.

Regional elites not happy with the government centralization staged the Federalist Revolt at the beginning of the Brazilian Republic. The movement that started in Rio Grande do Sul spread to Santa Catarina and turned Desterro into the Federalist Capital of the Republic. The then president of Brazil, marshal Floriano Peixoto, known as the Iron Marshal, suppressed the rebellion and ordered the shooting of many people who were considered enemies of the state, in the Anhatomirim Island Fortress. Possibly to show loyalty to the marshal, 1893 saw the change of the state capital's name: from Desterro to Florianópolis, that is to say, city of Floriano.

Demographics

Beira Mar Avenue.

According to the IBGE of 2007, there were 406,564 people residing in the city (in 2010 IBGE reports a population of 421,240). The population density was 623.68 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,615.3/sq mi). The last PNAD (National Research for Sample of Domiciles) census revealed the following numbers: 356,142 White people (84.55%), 41,009 Pardo (Multiracial) people (9.74%), 20,839 Black people (4.95%), 2,196 Asian people (0.52%) and 1,028 Amerindian people (0.24%).^[26] Florianópolis has a population mostly composed of Brazilians of European descent. The numbers of immigrants started to increase in the mid-18th century, mostly with the arrival of Portuguese colonists from the Azores Islands. The population of Florianópolis was composed mainly of Portuguese/Azoreans, Germans, and Italians. Further south, some neighborhoods preserve their rural village identity. The cultural heritage left by their Azorean ancestors is noticeable in their dialect, in handicrafts, and traditional festivities.

The small village of Santo António de Lisboa (Saint Anthony of Lisbon) is an example of colonial period architecture and in Ribeirão da Ilha, the oldest part of the capital, the inhabitants speak in an accent closer to the Azorean dialect of the first settlers. In Ribeirão da Ilha is the church of Our Lady of Lapa do Ribeirão, built in 1806. Lagoa da Conceição, with its many sand dunes, restaurants and seaside night life and where women make lace to sell in the street, has also managed to retain many traces of its colonial architecture.^[27]

The city is densely populated, with a population distribution of 623.68 inhab./km², the 6th highest in the state of Santa Catarina. The vast majority of Florianopólis residents live in the urban area of the municipality, corresponding to 96.2% of its inhabitants, while 3.78% live in the rural area of Florianópolis.^[28]

On the other side, the city has taken on a cosmopolitan air with the arrival of Brazilians from other states and foreigners who chose to live there. The island, which at the beginning of the colonization period, was an important whale hunting centre, is today a technological pole of the IT industry. A State Capital of interest to tourism, Florianópolis population in 2020 was estimated to be around 508,826 people in the city proper and 1,111,702 people in the metropolitan area.

Economy

Great Florianópolis seen from Santa Catarina Island with Serra do Tabuleiro State Park (background).

Florianópolis Public Market.

According to 2002 Sefaz statistics, agricultural activities represented 0.05%, manufacturing represented 3.41% and the commerce and service sector 96.54%.^[30]

Tourism is one of the staples of Florianópolis's economy, and relates to not only Floripa's Azorean culture but also the fact that it is situated on the coastline.^[31] Its environmental restrictions on building and commercial development have been more or less strictly enforced, helping it to keep its original character.^[32]

The city has invested heavily in infrastructure, from roads to schools, and Florianópolis ranks high on development measures such as literacy (97 percent) and electrification (near 100 percent). By the late 1990s, private companies were flocking to the island, or emerging from a technology "incubator" at the federal university. (Among the innovations it hatched: the computerized voting machines that have reduced fraud and increased efficiency in Brazilian elections.) Local officials now say their aim is to be the Silicon Valley of Brazil, with beaches.^[33]

In addition to its white sand beaches, Florianópolis offers many historical attractions, including the sites of the original Azorean colonists, the Lagoa da Conceição lagoon, and Santo Antônio de Lisboa. Tourism in Florianópolis has grown significantly over the past 10 years, with increasing numbers of visitors coming from other large cities in Brazil (particularly Porto Alegre, Curitiba, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro) as well as other South American countries (particularly Argentina, with direct flights offered daily from Buenos Aires).^[34]

During the past decade technology and software development firms also experienced strong growth, and today Information Technology services are one of the top revenue generators in Florianópolis.^[35] Several technology centers are spread around Florianópolis, making the city an important pole in this economic sector.

The GDP for the city was R$323,264,000,000 (2019).^[36]

The per capita income for the city was R$45,602 (2021).^[37]

Education

Federal University of Santa Catarina.

Tourism and lifestyle

Lagoinha do Leste Beach.

Joaquina Beach.

Campeche beach.

Hercilio Luz Bridge.

Residential buildings.

Canasvieiras.

Ingleses beach.

Florianópolis is one of the most visited places in Brazil as it is an island with 42 beaches, lagoons and waterfalls.

Other attractions

Outdoor sports, including diving, hang gliding, rowing, paragliding, and mountain biking, as well as surfing, are common on the island.

The island is connected to the Continent by three bridges. The Hercílio Luz Bridge that was built in 1926, this bridge is 11 years older than Golden Gate Bridge, but is now closed to traffic; it is a symbol of the island and often appears on postcard images. The Colombo Sales Bridge and Pedro Ivo Bridge are the ones open to traffic.

Santo Amaro da Imperatriz was the first thermal water facility in Brazil. Hotels with thermal bath facilities are located in the district of Caldas da Imperatriz and in the city of Águas Mornas. The Fonte Caldas da Imperatriz city baths are an additional source of thermal waters, which can reach the temperature of 39 °C (102 °F), where there are immersion baths and hydromassage. It is located on the Estrada Geral Highway, km 4, Caldas da Imperatriz district.

Panoramic view of Praia Mole.

Areas of the city

Santa Catarina Island seen from east.

The centre of Florianópolis, with its alleys, rows of typical houses, churches and museums, includes many examples of colonial architecture. Among these are the Palacio Cruz e Sousa, formerly the Governor's residence, now restored to house the Santa Catarina Museum, renamed in honour of João da Cruz e Sousa, homegrown poet, journalist and founder of Brazil's Symbolist movement; the Mercado Público de Florianópolis (Public Market since 1898), a colourful nexus of food vendors and local handicrafts in the shade of hundred-year-old fig trees. Close to the centre is the house where Victor Meirelles was born, one of the authors who devised the first Catholic mass spoken in Brazil. The building is registered by the Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage and houses the Victor Meirelles Museum.

Roughly speaking, the island can be divided in a northern and a southern region: the north is most visited by tourists and consequently, it bustles with the best services and visitor infrastructure. In some quarters notice a strong influence in the population architecture and customs. Lifelong residents of Florianópolis, especially the older generation, retain the heritage left by immigrants from Portuguese islands from Azores, in the way they speak, in their artistry and craftwork and in a busy calendar of festivals.^[42] The south of the island is less busy but nonetheless preserves the intensely Azorean customs that arrived in Santa Catalina throughout the 18th century.^[43]

The Carijós Ecological Station was established by decree of 20 July 1987, covering an area of 7.5933 square kilometres (2.9318 sq mi) in the municipality. It preserves a significant area of mangroves on the Ilha de Santa Catarina.^[44] The Pirajubaé Marine Extractive Reserve in the south bay of the Ilha de Santa Catarina protects people engaged in traditional harvesting of marine resources, mainly shellfish, from the sandbanks of the bay.^[45]

Transportation

Hercílio Luz International Airport (FLN).

Colombo Salles Bridge.

Hercílio Luz Bridge.

Paulo Fontes Avenue.

Florianópolis at night.

View of lagoon.

Neighborhoods

Lagoa da Conceição seen from South.

Luxury houses in Jurerê Internacional.

Praia Brava in the North of the Island.

There are more than 40 neighborhoods in Florianópolis:

Sports

Orlando Scarpelli Stadium.

A sandboarder does a jump on Florianópolis dunes.

There are two professional football teams in the city. The derby between them is known as "O Clássico da Capital" ("The Capital's Derby"), or simply "O Clássico" (The Derby).

Surfer at the Morro das Pedras beach.

Trail in the Lagoinha do Leste.

Avaí FC – blue and white. It is also known as Leão da Ilha ("Lion of the Island"). Its stadium is the Aderbal Ramos da Silva, popularly known as Ressacada, located in the Carianos neighborhood, in the southern part of the island. Avaí plays in Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Brazil's national first division and holds 18 State Championship titles.

Figueirense FC – black and white. Its nickname is Figueira and it is also known as O Furacão do Estreito. Its stadium is the Orlando Scarpelli, located in the Estreito neighborhood, in the continental part of the city. Figueirense plays in Campeonato Brasileiro Série C, the Brazilian national third division. The team has won Santa Catarina State Championship 18 times.

Desterro Rugby Clube has male and female rugby teams competing in the Brasil Super 10 (Men's 15s) and the Super 7s (women's 7s).

Florianópolis, since the beginning of the 20th century has a tradition in rowing. By the middle of that century the sport was growing in Brazil and the city had a big influence on it. But, with the decline of the sport in the country by the late 1980s, the investment slowed and by today is almost none. But is still served with three schools, Riachuelo Remo, Martinelli Remo and Aldo Luz Remo, with all three being placed between Hercílio Luz Bridge, Colombo Salles Bridge and Pedro Ivo Campos Bridge. Since the beginning of 2008 the sport is watching a rapid growing in the number of rowers, even with people flocking from other cities to experience Floripa's rowing.

Florianópolis is the hometown of tennis player Gustavo Kuerten. There are various opportunities to practice yoga in Florianopolis with studios that host international yoga retreats and provide teacher-training courses. Sandboarding is possible in the sand dunes near Joaquina beach. Kitesurfing and Windsurfing are possible in the Lagoa da Conceição lagoon.

The island is generally considered to be blessed with the best and most consistent Surfing waves in Brazil, and in early November of each year hosts what is South America's only Association of Surfing Professionals World Championship Tour professional surfing competition. Brazil has played host to many an ASP tour event over the past 30 years. Former contest sites include Rio de Janeiro, Barra de Tijuca and Saquarema, but the past four years have seen the tour set up shop in Florianópolis.

Falling towards the end of the tour, the past few years have seen several ASP world champions crowned in Brazil. In 2004 it was Andy Irons, and in 2005 it was Kelly Slater (who had his 2006 ASP World Title already stitched up by Brazil).

Notable people

• João da Cruz e Sousa, symbolist poet
• Victor Meirelles, painter
• Franklin Cascaes, folklorist
• Antonieta de Barros, politician and journalist
• Gustavo Kuerten or Guga, tennis player, three-time Roland Garros champion and world n.1
• Pedro Barros, skateboarder, Olympic silver medalist and world champion
• Fernando Scherer, swimmer, Olympic bronze medalist and world champion
• Rudnei, football player
• Fabiana Beltrame, rower, world champion
• Guilherme Siqueira, football player
• Adhemar Grijó Filho, swimmer and water polo player

Twin towns – sister cities

Florianópolis is twinned with:^[51]

References