Gurupi
- This article is about the town; for the river, see Gurupí River.
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Gurupi, Tocantins, Brazil | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s): Gurupi, Tocantins | |
 Location of Gurupi | |
| Region | Norte |
| State | Tocantins |
| Founded | 14 November 1958 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Laurez Moreira |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,846.65 km2 (713.00 sq mi) |
| Population (2005) | |
• Total | 75,287 |
| • Density | 37.7/km2 (98/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-3 |
Gurupi, Tocantins is a city and a municipality in the Brazilian state of Tocantins. The estimated population was 85,000 inhabitants in 2015, the third-largest in the state, and the total area of the municipality was 1,836 kmª. The elevation is around 287 meters in the city.
Location
It is located in the south of the state of Tocantins, between latitude 11 and 12, 240 km. from Palmas, the recently built capital of this state that was formed from the state of Goiás. It is 596 km. from Brasília. It lies between two great rivers that flow in the direction of the Amazon: the Araguaia and Tocantins rivers.
The soil is fertile, allowing agriculture and cattle raising. The climate is hot tropical, hot all year, with a rainy season between the months of October to April and a dry season between the months of May to September. The average annual temperature is around 35°C.
History
The history of the city is connected to the construction of the Belém-Brasília highway, reason for the appearance and development of many other cities along its extension in the former north of the state of Goiás.
The name Gurupi is a Tupi word meaning "pure diamond". It consists of two basic elements: "guru" (diamond) and "pi" (foot, way, base, pure origin).
Gurupi is a major agricultural producer of soybeans and sugar cane, while becoming an important cotton producer too.
The avenues of the city have the names of Brazilian states, while the streets have the names of historical figures.
There is a campus of the Federal University of Tocantins with a course in agronomy. In addition, there is a municipal public college, Faculdade Unirg, which offers 14 courses.
The city is served by Gurupi Airport.