Caxias do Sul

Caxias do Sul (population: 368,000) is a city in Rio Grande do Sul, south Brazil. It was established by Italian immigrants on June 20, 1890. Today it is the second largest city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

The city is 760 m (about 2000 feet) above sea level. Its climate is subtropical. The average temperature is 16°C in a year, with 22°C in January and 11° in July. Frosts are common in the winter, and there's one snowy day per year. Its historical records are -7°C to 36°C.

In Caxias do Sul, several small, medium, large and multinational companies were founded. The city is recognized as an Entrepreneurial-Exporting Hub in the country. Some of these companies are Marcopolo (buses and truck frames, present in six countries), Tramontina silverware company based in Carlos Barbosa with plants throughout Brazil, Grendene, a manufacturer of shoes based in neighboring Farroupilha, Todeschini, a manufacturer of furniture based in nearby Bento Gonçalves, the wine capital of Brazil, and Florense based in Flores da Cunha, (furniture, tailor-made kitchen cabinets) among others and several textile factories and wineries.

The per capita income in Caxias do Sul is one of the highest in Brazil according to IBGE. The city is located in the mountains of the Serra Gaucha.