The term ABC Region is an industrial region in Greater São Paulo

Greater São Paulo

The Greater São Paulo is a nonspecific term for one of the multiple definitions the large metropolitan area located in the São Paulo state in Brazil.-Definitions:-Metropolitan Area:...

, Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

.

The name refers to three smaller cities bordering on São Paulo, capital of the Brazilian state of the same name

São Paulo (state)

São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...

. Originally, these three cities were Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo

São Bernardo do Campo

São Bernardo do Campo is a municipality in the state of São Paulo, in southern Metropolitan São Paulo and São Paulo microregion. The municipality's total area is 408.45 km ² and a population estimated at 1 July 2009, according to the IBGE, was 810,979 inhabitants, which results in a population...

, and São Caetano do Sul

São Caetano do Sul

São Caetano do Sul is a city in São Paulo state in Brazil, located in the Greater São Paulo Metropolitan Area. It is the city with the highest per capita income in Brazil and it also has the highest Human Development Index .-Geography:São Caetano do Sul is located on a plateau that is part of the...

. Later, the region became known as the ABCD, with the addition of the city of Diadema. Today the region is formally, and less memorably, known as the ABCDMRR, with the addition of Mauá, Ribeirão Pires

Ribeirão Pires

Ribeirão Pires is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2005 was 116,677 and the area is 99.4 km². The elevation is 763 m.The per capita income is R$7,008.-References:...

 and Rio Grande da Serra

Rio Grande da Serra

Rio Grande da Serra is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2003 was 39,306, the density was 1062,32 inhab/km² and the area is 37 km²....

.

The ABC region is widely known in Brazil and abroad because of the great number of international companies, particularly car manufacturers, that have been installed in its area. National media and organizations consider ABC a powerful industrial pole and birthplace of the labor union movement that fought against dictatorship in the 70s and 80s. In this region was formed the Workers' Party

Workers' Party (Brazil)

The Workers' Party is a democratic socialist political party in Brazil. Launched in 1980, it is recognized as one of the largest and most important left-wing movements of Latin America. It governs at the federal level in a coalition government with several other parties since January 1, 2003...

 (PT) whose activities and popularity launched a great figure to the best known names in Brazil: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , known popularly as Lula, served as the 35th President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.A founding member of the Workers' Party , he ran for President three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as...

, or simply Lula, president of Brazil in 2002. In 2006, the Universidade Federal do ABC

Universidade Federal do ABC

Universidade Federal do ABC is a Brazilian institution of higher learning based in Santo André, with operations scheduled for several municipalities in the ABC region, all in the state of São Paulo....

 was established.

Population

Total Population : 2,546,135 inhabitants (2010)

• Santo André: 673.914 inhabitants – Literacy rate: 95.9%
• São Bernardo do Campo: 765.203 – Literacy rate: 95.4%
• São Caetano do Sul: 149.571 – Literacy rate: 97.2%
• Diadema: 386.039 – Literacy rate: 93.8%
• Mauá: 417.281 – Literacy rate: 94%
• Ribeirão Pires: 113.043 - Literacy rate: 95%
• Rio Grande da Serra: 44.084 - Literacy rate: 92.4%

Classes

• Class A/B: 70%
• Class C : 25%
• Class D/E: 5%

Source: Brazilian Census 2000 and Brazilian Census 2010 (population).

See also

• Santo André
• São Bernardo do Campo
  São Bernardo do Campo
  São Bernardo do Campo is a municipality in the state of São Paulo, in southern Metropolitan São Paulo and São Paulo microregion. The municipality's total area is 408.45 km ² and a population estimated at 1 July 2009, according to the IBGE, was 810,979 inhabitants, which results in a population...
  
  
• São Caetano do Sul
  São Caetano do Sul
  São Caetano do Sul is a city in São Paulo state in Brazil, located in the Greater São Paulo Metropolitan Area. It is the city with the highest per capita income in Brazil and it also has the highest Human Development Index .-Geography:São Caetano do Sul is located on a plateau that is part of the...
  
  
• Diadema
• Mauá
• Ribeirão Pires
  Ribeirão Pires
  Ribeirão Pires is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2005 was 116,677 and the area is 99.4 km². The elevation is 763 m.The per capita income is R$7,008.-References:...
  
  
• Rio Grande da Serra
  Rio Grande da Serra
  Rio Grande da Serra is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2003 was 39,306, the density was 1062,32 inhab/km² and the area is 37 km²....
  
  .