Arapiraca

According to a popular belief, the word Arapiraca has indigenous origins and means the "branch that the macaw visits". However, according to Tupinologist Eduardo de Almeida Navarro, the word "Arapiraca" originated from the term Tupi language arupare'aka, which means "barbs".Navarro, E. A. Ancient Tupi Dictionary: The Classical Indigenous Language of Brazil. São Paulo. Global. 2013. p. 544.

File:Igreja Matriz de Arapiraca 01.jpg

Although the city of Arapiraca appears to be a recent city, there are records that, around 1848, the Arapiraca lands belonged to Marinho Falcão. He sold them to Amaro da Silva Valente, who moved in with his family. Some time later, Amaro da Silva's son-in-law, Manoel André Correia, began to penetrate the long, untouched virgin forests until he discovered a fertile plain rich in leafy trees, mainly the tree that gives its name to the city, "Arapiraca".{{cite web |url=http://ibge.gov.br/cidadesat/painel/historico.php?lang=_PT&codmun=270030&search=alagoas%7Carapiraca%7Cinfographics:-historical |title=Arapiraca » infographics: historical |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date= |publisher=IBGE |accessdate=February 10, 2016 }} It was below Arapiraca, located on the banks of Riacho Seco, where Manoel André Correia rested and had the idea of building a hut.

After some time, with the arrival of other families, the Arapiraca tree was surrounded by a village. The place began to be populated in the first half of the nineteenth century. In 1855, Manoel André's wife died, and in her honor, in 1864, Manoel André decided to build the chapel of Nossa Senhora do Bom Conselho over her grave. In 1863, a year before the construction of the chapel, the son of Amaro da Silva Valente and brother-in-law of Manoel André, Manoel Ferreira de Macedo, arrived in the village. Agricultural products produced in the village were sold at the Lagoa dos Veados fair, close to the village of Arapiraca.

Manoel André also contributed to the economic growth of neighboring towns. Manoel opened a trail along which it was possible to take animal convoys to the village of Porto da Folha (today the city of Traipu), as it was known until 1876. This trail became known in the central region of Alagoas and all the products from neighboring towns were shipped through it.{{cite web|title=Development – from Povoado to Municipality|url=http://www.frigoletto.com.br/GeoAlagoas/Arapiraca/desenv.htm}} In the year 1880, Esperidião Rodrigues, associating with Florêncio Apolinário, settled in the village of Arapiraca with the first business house, in the field of stevedores and fabrics and in 1884 Esperidião created the first fair.

As a district, Arapiraca was successively subordinated to Penedo, Porto Real do Colégio, São Brás and Limoeiro de Anadia. It was elevated to the category of municipality on October 30 1924, consisting of territories dismembered from Palmeira dos Índios, Porto Real, São Brás, Traipu and Limoeiro de Anadia.

From the decade of 1970, due to the large area planted with tobacco, which generated an excess of the product in the small tobacco processing industries in the region, and the consequent decrease in price, a cycle followed of decline in tobacco farming. Since the 1980s, it has experienced economic growth with its trade (with emphasis on the traditional street market) and services. In addition, the industrial sector of the municipality has shown relative growth in recent years.

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Its area is 351 square kilometers, located on a wide plain, at an altitude of 265 meters, 123 kilometers from Maceió and 44 kilometers from Palmeira dos Índios. The climate is considered one of the healthiest in the state.

The most important municipality in the interior of Alagoas, Arapiraca stands out as an important commercial center in the rural region, located in the geographic center of the state of Alagoas. The area of direct influence of the municipality reaches a population of approximately half a million inhabitants.

It limits to the north with the municipality of Igaci, to the south with the municipality of São Sebastião, to the east with the municipalities of Coité do Noia and Limoeiro de Anadia, to the west with the municipalities of Lagoa da Canoa and Girau do Ponciano and Feira Grande, to the northwest with the municipality of Craíbas and to the southeast with the municipality of Junqueiro.

The climate of Arapiraca is characterized as tropical climate hot semi-humid,{{cite web |url=http://biblioteca.ibge.gov.br/visualizacao/mapas/GEBIS%20-%20RJ/BrasilClimas.jpg |title=Brasil – Climas |author=Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) |work=Biblioteca IBGE |accessdate=2021-05-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012015042/http://biblioteca.ibge.gov.br/visualizacao/mapas/GEBIS%20-%20RJ/BrasilClimas.jpg |archive-date=2013-10-12 |url-status=dead }} or sub-humid{{cite journal |last1=Xavier |first1=Rafael Albuquerque |last2=Dornellas |first2=Patricia da Conceição |date=2005 |title=Analysis of rainfall behavior in the municipality of Arapiraca, Agreste region of Alagoas |page=50 |publisher=State University de Londrina (UEL) |journal=Revista Geografia |url=http://www.uel.br/revistas/uel/index.php/geografia/article/viewFile/6685/6030 |access-date=April 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130064449/http://www.uel.br/revistas/uel/index.php/geografia/article/viewFile/6685/6030 |archive-date=November 30, 2018 }} (Bsh type according to Köppen climate classification), with temperature annual mean of {{convert|24.8|C}} and an average rainfall of about {{convert|611|mm/year}}, concentrated between the months of April and July.{{cite web|url=https://pt.climate-data.org/america-do-sul/brasil/alagoas/arapiraca-4457/ |title=Climate: Arapiraca |author=Climate-Data.org |accessdate=May 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520230604/https://pt.climate-data.org/america-do-sul/brasil/alagoas/arapiraca-4457/ |archive-date=May 20, 2021 }} The precipitation falls mainly in the form of rain and can also be accompanied by electrical discharges and strong gusts of wind.{{cite web|url=http://g1.globo.com/al/alagoas/noticia/2015/02/chuva-de-granizo-assusta-moradores-do-municipio-de-maribondo-alagoas.html |title=Rain of hail scares residents of the municipality of Maribondo, Alagoas |author=G1 |date=February 16, 2015 |access-date=May 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520230455/http://g1.globo.com/al/alagoas/noticia/2015/02/chuva-de-granizo-assusta-moradores-do-municipio-de-maribondo-alagoas.html |archive-date=May 20, 2021 }} According to the Atmospheric Electricity Group of National Institute for Space Research (ELAT/INPE) in 2018, the municipality has a lightning density of 0.24 lightning strikes per km²/year.{{cite web|url=http://www.inpe.br/webelat/homepage/menu/noticias/ranking.de.municipios.php|title=Municipal ranking|author=National Institute for Space Research (INPE)|publisher=Atmospheric Electricity Group|accessdate=May 20, 2021|archive-date=April 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419012828/http://inpe.br/webelat/homepage/menu/noticias/ranking.de.municipios.php|url-status=dead}}

According to data from the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) collected at the automatic meteorological station of the city, installed on April 26, 2008, the lowest temperature recorded was {{convert|15.1|C}} on July 17, 2017, and the highest reached {{convert|39.8|C}} on November 26, 2015. The highest accumulated precipitation in 24 hours, in turn, was {{convert|100.3|mm}} on June 10, 2009.{{cite web|url=https://tempo.inmet.gov.br/TableaEstacoes/A353 |title=Station: Arapiraca (A353) |author=Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET) |access-date=20 May 2021}}{{cite web|access-date=20 May 2021|author=Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET)|title=Gráficos|url=https://tempo.inmet.gov.br/GraficosDiarios/A353}}{{cite web|access-date=20 May 2021|author=Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET)|title=Banco de dados meteorológicos|url=https://bdmep.inmet.gov.br/}}

Clockwise from the north:

• north: Igaci
• north-north-east: Craíbas
• north-east: Coité do Nóia
• east: Limoeiro de Anadia
• south-east: Junqueiro
• south-south-east: São Sebastião
• south: Feira Grande
• south-west: Lagoa da Canoa

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The municipal administration is carried out by the powers Executive and Legislative.{{cite web|access-date=December 9, 2011|archive-date=2012-07-11|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711183601/http://jusvi.com/artigos/20074|author=Flávio Henrique M. Lima|date=February 9, 2006|publisher=JusVi|title=The Municipal Government at the forefront of the constitutional obligation to create the control system internal|url=http://jusvi.com/artigos/20074|url-status=live}} The first representative of the Executive branch and mayor of the municipality was Esperidião Rodrigues, elected in the first elections held after political emancipation.

The Legislative branch, in turn, is constituted by the Municipal Chamber, composed of 19 Councilmen elected for four-year terms (in compliance with the provisions of Article 29 of the Constitution{{cite web |url=http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/constituicao/Constituicao.htm#29 |author=Presidency of the Republic of Brazil |title=Federal Constitution – CF – 1988 / Art. 29 |access-date=December 26, 2015}}). It is up to the house to prepare and vote on fundamental laws for the administration and the Executive, especially the participatory budget (Budget Guidelines Law).{{cite web|accessdate=January 1, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130430124726/http://www.eleicoes2012.info/candidatos-vereador-coronel-fabriciano-mg/|archivedate=2013-04-30|author=Elections 2012|date=October 7, 2012|title=Candidates for Alderman Coronel Fabriciano/MG|url=http://www.eleicoes2012.info/candidatos-vereador-coronel-fabriciano-mg/|url-status=live}}

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Arapiraca is the highest in its micro-region, followed by the GDP of Marechal Deodoro, São Miguel dos Campos and Coruripe.{{cite web |url=http://g1.globo.com/al/alagoas/noticia/2014/12/maceio-segue-com-maior-pib-de-al-registrando-4635-do-total-de-riqueza.html |title=Maceió continues with the highest GDP in LA registering 46.35% of total wealth |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date=December 11, 2014 | publisher=G1 |access-date=May 27, 2016 }} In the IBGE data for 2012, the municipality had R$2 billion and 416 million reais in its Gross Domestic Product.{{cite web|accessdate=May 27, 2016|date=December 12, 2014|publisher=Minuto Arapiraca|title=PIB of Arapiraca increased 265% during Luciano Barbosa's management|url=http://minutoarapiraca.cadaminuto.com.br/noticia/14854/2014/12/12/pib-de-arapiraca-aumentou-265-durante-gestao-de-luciano-barbosa|archive-date=June 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630204339/http://minutoarapiraca.cadaminuto.com.br/noticia/14854/2014/12/12/pib-de-arapiraca-aumentou-265-durante-gestao-de-luciano-barbosa|url-status=dead}}

Access to the city is via Airporto de Arapiraca and through the Deputado Nezinho Bus Station.

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The city of Arapiraca, in 2012, for both public and private schools, had approximately 5,544 enrollments, 322 teachers and 98 schools for pre-school education; 36,387 enrollments, 1,602 teachers and 108 schools for fundamental education and 10,877 enrollments, 461 teachers and 26 schools for High School.

The municipality also has 2 public universities, UFAL and UNEAL, and 1 federal institute, IFAL, in addition to several private institutions of higher education, such as Cesmac University Center, UniSEB, Arcanjo Mikael Higher Education Center, Integrated Colleges of Patos etc.{{cite web |url=http://web.arapiraca.al.gov.br/a-cidade/educacao/ |title=SCHOOLS IN ARAPIRACA ARE A REFERENCE FOR BRAZIL |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date= |publisher=Arapiraca City Hall |accessdate=12 February 2016 }} In addition, Arapiraca has what is considered one of the best and most modern digital planetariums in Brazil with an auditorium with a capacity for 235 people being inaugurated on October 2, 2012 The municipality also has a wide network of digital libraries built in several squares in Arapiraca called "Arapiraquinhas", with its first unit inaugurated in August 2010, in the Jardim Esperança neighborhood.

Arapiraca has two football teams: the ASA, founded on September 25, 1952, and Cruzeiro de Arapiraca, founded on May 28, 2019. The two teams play their games at Estádio Municipal Coaracy da Mata Fonseca, popularly known as Fumeirão, which opened in 1953 and has a capacity of 15,000. A match with record attendance was held on July 12, 1981.{{cite web|access-date=11 February 2016|date=November 21, 2008|publisher=City Hall of Arapiraca|title=City government starts renovation and expansion of the municipal stadium|url=http://web.arapiraca.al.gov.br/2008/11/prefeitura-inicia-reforma-e-amplicao-do-stadio-municipal/}}

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{{Municipalities of Alagoas}}

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Category:Municipalities in Alagoas

Category:Populated places established in 1924