Sister cities of São Paulo (state)

São Paulo (Portuguese pronunciation: [sɐ̃w ˈpawlu]) is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil. The capital, São Paulo, is also the largest city in South America (and the Southern Hemisphere).

Often dubbed the "locomotive of Brazil", the state alone is responsible for 33.9% of the Brazilian GDP, being the state with the highest GDP. In addition to increased GDP, São Paulo also has the third highest Human Development Index, the second highest GDP per capita, the second lowest infant mortality rate and the fourth lowest rate of illiteracy among the states of Brazil.

With over 40 million inhabitants, São Paulo is the most populous state in Brazil and the third most populous political unit of South America, only surpassed by that country and Colombia, ahead of all other South American countries. São Paulo's capital city is ranked seventh among the largest cities on the planet and its metropolitan area, with 19,223,897 inhabitants, is also the 7th biggest in the world.

Regions near the city of São Paulo are also metropolitan areas, such as Campinas, Santos, Sorocaba and São José dos Campos; other nearby cities include urban areas in the conurbation process, such as Santo André, São Bernardo, São Caetano, Diadema, Piracicaba, Guarulhos, Osasco, Taboão da Serra and Jundiaí. The total population of these areas coupled with the capital – the so-called Expanded Metropolitan Complex – exceeds 29 million inhabitants, i.e. approximately 75% of the population of São Paulo state-wide. The metropolitan regions of Campinas and São Paulo now form the first macro-metropolis in the southern hemisphere, joining 65 municipalities that together are home to 12% of the Brazilian population.