GUARATINGUET

city, southeastern So Paulo state, Brazil, 40 mi (65 km) from the Atlantic coast at the confluence of two streams, the Ribeiro (stream) de Guaratinguet and the Rio Paraba do Sul; it lies in the Serra da Mantiqueira at 1,785 ft (544 m) above sea level. Formerly called Freguesia de Santo Antnio de Guaratinguet, the settlement was given town status in 1651 and was made the seat of a municipality in 1844. Guaratinguet's industries process the crops (principally sugarcane, rice, corn , feijo , coffee, and fruits [mangoes, papayas, passion fruit, oranges]) grown in the region and also manufacture textiles, explosives, soft drinks, and soaps. Situated midway between the cities of So Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Guaratinguet is easily accessible by railroad and highway. It also has an airfield. Pop. (1980 prelim.) 68,370.