Rio das Flores (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʁi.u dɐs ˈfloɾis]) is a municipality located in the Brazilian stateofRio de Janeiro. Its population was 9,344 (2020) and its area is 478 km2.[2]
Rio das Flores
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| Município de Rio das Flores | |
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Location of Rio das Flores in the state of Rio de Janeiro
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  Rio das Flores Location of Rio das Flores in Brazil | |
| Coordinates: 22°10′04″S 43°35′09″W / 22.16778°S 43.58583°W / -22.16778; -43.58583 | |
| Country |  Brazil |
| Region | Southeast |
| State |  Rio de Janeiro |
| Government | |
| • Prefeito | Vicente de Paula de Souza Guedes (PPS) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 477.662 km2 (184.426 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 525 m (1,722 ft) |
| Population
(2020 [1])
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| • Total | 9,344 |
| Time zone | UTC−3 (BRT) |
| Website | www |
Before the arrival of the first Portuguese settlers in the 16th century, the region was inhabited by the Purí people. The region began to be colonized more intensively on the 19th century, during the “Coffee cycle”. In 1851, a chapel was built dedicated to Santa Teresa, establishing the Parish of Santa Teresa of Valenca. With the coffee plantation, the region began to become very prosperous, to the point that in 1882, a railway station was opened in Rio das Flores to serve the coffee farms.
In 1890, the district emancipated from city of Valencia, becoming the village of Santa Teresa. In 1929 the village was elevated to city status and in 1943, was renamed "City of Rio das Flores." Currently, it has its economy based on agriculture and tourism.