BAURU

city, central So Paulo estado ("state"), Brazil, lying near the Batalha River at 1,640 feet (500 m) above sea level. Formerly known as Divino Esprito da Fortaleza, it was given town status in 1887 and was made the seat of a municipality in 1896. Bauru is a trade centre for an agricultural region (coffee, cotton, peanuts [groundnuts], rice, feijo , and corn ). It is also a manufacturing centre producing textiles, ceramics, furniture, shoes, and other goods. An important railroad junction 190 miles (300 km) northwest of So Paulo, the state capital, Bauru is also accessible by highway and air. Pop. (1980 prelim.) 178,861.