SAO CARLOS

city, in the highlands of central So Paulo state, Brazil, at 2,903 ft (885 m) above sea level, situated on the Corrego (stream) Monjolinho, a tributary of the Rio Jacar Guau. Formerly known as So Carlos do Pinhal, the settlement was given town status in 1865 and was made the seat of a municipality in 1880. Agriculture, cattle raising, and industry contribute to the city's economy. Coffee, sugarcane, cereals, tobacco, cotton, and potatoes are the principal local crops. The city has breweries, distilleries, textile mills, and other factories. The Universidade Federal de So Carlos (1970) is located there. The city is linked to So Paulo, the state capital, 166 mi (267 km) southeast, by rail, road, and air. Pop. (1980) 109,167.