ARARAQUARA

city, in the highlands of central So Paulo state, Brazil, at 2,119 ft (646 m) above sea level on a tributary of the Rio Jacar-Guau. Formerly known as Freguesia de So Bento de Araraquara, it was given town status in 1817 and was made the seat of a municipality in 1832. Araraquara's industries process sugarcane and coffee from the hinterland. Textiles, liquor, and furniture are also produced there. The city is accessible by railway, highway, and air from So Paulo, the state capital, 155 mi (250 km) southeast. Highways extend to other cities in So Paulo and Minas Gerais states. Pop. (1980 prelim.) 77,202.