Campina Grande facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Campina Grande
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Motto(s):  Solum Inter Plurima
Campina Grande Location in Brazil
Country	Brazil
Region	Northeast
State	Paraíba
Macroregion	Agreste Paraibano
Microregion	Campina Grande
Established	October 11, 1864
Area
• City	620.628 km2 (239.626 sq mi)
Elevation	560 m (1,840 ft)
Population  (2020)
• Estimate  ()	400,290
• Metro	434.101
Time zone	UTC-3 (BRT)
Postal code	58400-000
Area code	+55 83

Campina Grande is a big city in Brazil. It's the second largest city in the state of Paraíba, right after João Pessoa, which is the capital. It's a very important city in the northeastern part of Brazil, especially for its industries, technology, and schools.

The city was first settled in the 1600s and officially became a city in 1864. Campina Grande is also famous for its culture. It hosts the world's biggest Saint John's Festival, called O Maior São João do Mundo, which happens every June.

History of Campina Grande

How the City Began

Some people say that Captain Teodósio de Oliveira Ledo started Campina Grande on December 1, 1697. He brought a group of Ariús Indigenous people to live and farm there. But other historians think that Campina Grande was already a settlement when Teodósio arrived. This makes sense because the area was a key spot for travelers between the mountains and the coast.

Teodósio wrote to the king of Portugal in 1699, which helped make Campina Grande an important place. The Ariús people built small homes that became the first street. Today, this street is called rua Vila Nova da Rainha. The main church of Campina Grande was built on a hill, creating a central plaza.

The village quickly grew into a town. This was because many merchants came through, and there weren't many other settlements nearby in Paraíba.

From Village to Town

Campina Grande started as a small village near an old lake called Açude Velho. Traveling merchants, known as tropeiros, used to stop there. They traded goods like meat, cotton clothes, and corn flour. Campina Grande became their resting place when they traveled from the coast to the west and back.

When the railroad arrived, this small village really started to grow. In the early 1900s, Campina Grande was even called "The Brazilian Liverpool." This was because it had so many cotton farms and factories. At that time, it was the second biggest cotton producer in the world!

Today, Campina Grande is known for its advanced technology. It's a modern hub in northeastern Brazil, adding new ideas to its rich history.

Becoming a City

By 1790, Campina Grande had over 100 houses and became a town. On April 6, 1790, its name changed to de Vila Nova da Rainha. At this time, it also got a formal government with a town council. Even with the new name, people still called it Campina Grande.

The town grew even more because of the cotton industry. Many cotton products were shipped through Campina Grande. The town covered a large area, almost 900 square kilometers, including many smaller villages.

In 1829, a dam was built across the Piabas stream, creating the lake known as Açude Velho. By 1852, the town had about 17,900 people.

On October 11, 1864, Campina Grande officially became a city. It had three plazas, four streets, and about 300 houses. Two old churches, the Matriz (cathedral) and the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, still exist today. Even with lots of trade, not many new houses or government buildings were built at first. By the late 1800s, the city still had only about 500 houses.

In 1864, a building was made for selling goods. This area had many names over time and is now called "Praça Epitácio Pessoa." In 1870, a rule was made to stop people from washing clothes and animals in Açude Velho. The metric system became the official way to measure things in Campina Grande on September 18, 1865.

In 1874, there was a local uprising led by João Vieira. He and his group entered the city's market, took some money, and broke things. The uprising spread. The rebels grew stronger, led by Manoel de Barros Souza and Alexandre de Viveiros. They wanted to free prisoners from the city jail and burn city records. But the police stopped their plans. Alexandre de Viveiros was caught, but João Vieira disappeared.

A new city building was built next to the cathedral on March 25, 1877. It was one of the most beautiful buildings in the state. In May 1891, a theater was built for learning and performances. This later became the Colégio Alfredo Dantas. The city continued to grow, especially after the railroad arrived in the early 1900s. The railroad brought new and cheaper products, which changed the local economy.

Campina Grande: A Tech Hub

Campina Grande has been a leader in technology for a long time. In 1967, it was the first place in northeastern Brazil to get a computer! This happened at the Federal University of Campina Grande. Today, Campina Grande is known for its software development and computer science industries.

In April 2001, Newsweek magazine picked Campina Grande as one of nine cities worldwide that showed a new vision for technology. It was the only city chosen from Latin America. In 2003, it was even called the “Brazilian Silicon Valley.”

This success is mostly thanks to the amazing technology research done at the Federal University of Campina Grande. Since 1967, when the university bought its first computer, the city has become famous around the world for its tech skills. About 50 software companies in Campina Grande bring in a lot of money for the city.

Places to Visit in Campina Grande

There are many interesting places to see in Campina Grande:

• Libraries
  • Felix Araújo Municipal Library
  • Açude Velho Public Library
  • Campina Grande Public Library
• Cultural Centres
  • Academia Campinense de Letras
• Museums
  • Historical and Geographic museum of Campina Grande
  • Assis Chateaubriand Museum of Art
  • Museum of Cotton
  • Museum of Luiz Gonzaga
  • Museum of St. John
  • Assis Chateaubriand Museum
  • Home Marshal Anderson
• Squares and parks
  • Flag Square
  • Clementino Procópio Square
  • Açude Novo (New Dam)
  • Açude Velho (Old Dam)
  • Bodocongó Dam
  • People's Park – This is where the famous St. John's festival is held!
  • Park of the Child
• Theatres
  • Severino Bezerra Cabral Municipal Theatre
  • Elba Ramalho Theatre
  • Rosil Cavalcanti Theatre
  • Facisa Theatre
  • Raul Priston Theatre
  • Ariano Suassuna Theatre

Culture and Festivals

O Maior São João do Mundo (The Biggest Saint John's Festival in the World) Campina Grande is home to the largest Saint John's celebration in the world! It happens every June and brings together about 2 million people over the whole month. This festival is a huge party with music, dances, and traditional square dances. It's a big part of the culture in northeastern Brazil.

The main place for the festival is the Parque do Povo, also known as the "headquarters of forró," in the city center. This event is officially recognized as the biggest St. John's Festival in Brazil.

Other fun events in the city include:

• Meeting for the Christian Conscience (February, during Carnival)
• Meeting of the New Conscience (February, during Carnival)

Meeting of the New Conscience.

• Vaquejada Park Ivandro Cunha Lima (March)
• Micarande (April)
• Campina Grande Winter Festival (August)
• Vaquejada Park Maria da Luz (October)
• Animal Exposition (October)
• Living Christmas Cradle (December)
• New Year's Eve on Açude Velho (December)

Getting Around Campina Grande

• Presidente João Suassuna Airport – For flying in and out.
• Argemiro de Figueiredo Bus Station – The new bus station.
• Cristiano Lauritzen Bus Station – The old bus station.

Learning in Campina Grande

Colleges and Universities

Campina Grande has many great places for higher education:

• Federal University of Campina Grande – UFCG
• State University of Paraíba – UEPB
• Campina Grande Union of Secondary Education – UNESC (private)
• College of Applied Social Sciences – FACISA (private)
• Reinaldo Ramos Center of Secondary Education – CESREI (private)
• Acaraú Valley University – U.V.A. (private)
• English-American College (private)

Sports and Recreation

Campina Grande has many places for sports and fun:

• Plínio Lemos Sports Complex
• The Meninão Gymnasium
• Amigão Stadium
• Renatão Stadium – Home of the Campinense Clube football team.
• President Vargas Stadium – Home of the Treze Futebol Clube football team.

Local sports teams include:

• Campinense Clube
• Treze Futebol Clube
• Grêmio Serrano
• Associação Desportiva Perilima
• Associação Atlética Leonel

Neighborhoods of Campina Grande

Map of Campina Grande neighborhoods

Economy of Campina Grande

The economy of Campina Grande is mostly based on trade and services. In 1996, about 77% of the city's income came from these areas. Industry made up about 20%, and farming was about 3%. By 2002, the city's total income had grown a lot.

City Statistics

Education Facts

Here are some numbers about schools in Campina Grande from 2003:

• The rate of people who cannot read or write is 17.12%.

Human Development Index (HDI)

The HDI measures how well people are living in a place. It looks at things like health, education, and income.

City Services (2000)

Here's how many homes had access to basic services:

Distances to Other Cities

Here's how far Campina Grande is from some other major cities in kilometers:

Geography and Nature

Plants of Campina Grande

There are many different types of plants and trees in the Campina Grande area. About half of the trees found there come from other countries, while about a third are native to the region.

Statue of Jackson do Pandeiro in Campina Grande.

Statue of Luiz Gonzaga located in Campina Grande.

Here are some common plants you might see:

Campina Grande's Climate

Campina Grande has a tropical climate with dry summers. It's also close to a hot, semi-dry climate. This means it's generally warm, and some parts of the year are drier than others.

Famous People from Campina Grande

Many talented people come from Campina Grande, including:

• Genival Lacerda, a singer
• Hulk, a famous football player
• Mike Deodato, a comic book artist
• Bethe Correia, a mixed martial artist
• Renan da Silva Costa, a footballer
• Thaciano, a footballer
• Aderbar Melo dos Santos Neto, a footballer
• Valdeno Brito, a racing driver

Images for kids

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  Campina Grande view

See also

In Spanish: Campina Grande para niños