Florianópolis, the capital of southern Brazil’s Santa Catarina state, is
made up mostly of 54km-long Santa Catarina Island.
It's famous for its beaches, including popular resort
areas such as Praia dos Ingleses at the island's northern tip. Its Lagoa
da Conceição, a saltwater lagoon, is popular for windsurfing and boating.
The Pedro Ivo Campos Bridge connects the island to a mainland commercial
district. 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 (Our Lady of
Banishment) or simply "Desterro".
The economy of Florianópolis is heavily based on information technology,
tourism and services. 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 radical sports. The New York Times reported that
"Florianopolis is the Party Destination of the Year in 2009." Newsweek
placed Florianópolis in the "Ten most dynamic cities of the world" list in
2006. Veja, a Brazilian publication, named the city as
"the best place to live in Brazil." As a result of this
exposure, Florianópolis is growing as a second home destination for many
Paulistas, Argentines, North Americans, and Europeans. 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
Florianópolis experiences a warm humid subtropical climate, falling just
short of a true tropical climate. The seasons of the year are distinct,
with a well-defined summer and winter, and characteristic weather for
autumn and spring. Due to the proximity of the sea, the relative
humidity of the atmosphere is 80% on average. The maximum temperatures
of the hottest month varies from 25 °C (77 °F) to 38.8 °C (101.8 °F) and
the minimum temperatures are from 6 °C (43 °F) to 11 °C (52 °F). The
lowest temperature ever recorded was 0.7 °C (33.3 °F) in September 1980
while the highest temperature ever recorded was 38.8 °C (101.8 °F) in
February 1973.
