Franca

Franca is a municipality in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The city is located in the northeastern portion of the state, 401 km (249 mi) from the state capital São Paulo, and 676 km (420 mi) from Brasilia. It covers a total area of 605.679 km2 of which 86.92 km2 comprises the urban area. As of the 2022 Census, the city's population was 352,536. It is recognized as the "National Capital of Footwear" and "National Basketball Capital" in Brazil, serving as the industrial and economic hub for a region of 19 municipalities, with a combined population of 672,053, between the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais. In 2018, the city was ranked as the fifth best place to live in Brazil, and in 2023, as the sixth safest medium sized city in the country. It has also maintained its position as one of the Brazilian cities with the best urban sanitation ratios. Franca was founded as a parish in 1805, initially part of Mogi Mirim until 1824. Its city status was granted in 1856.