Curitiba is an important cultural, political, and economic center in Latin America[5] and hosts the Federal University of Paraná, established in 1912.

In the 19th century, Curitiba's favorable location between cattle-breeding countryside and marketplaces led to a successful cattle trade and the city's first major expansion.

In the 1850s, waves of European immigrants arrived in Curitiba, mainly Germans, Italians, Poles and Ukrainians, contributing to the city's economic and cultural development and richness in diversity.

Curitiba's biggest expansion occurred after the 1960s, with innovative urban planning that allowed the population to grow from some hundreds of thousands to more than a million people.

[citation needed] Economic growth occurred in parallel to a substantial inward flow of Brazilians from other parts of the country, as approximately half of the city's population was not born in Curitiba.

[15] One theory is that the name Curitiba comes from the Tupi words kurí tyba 'many araucária seeds' due to the large number of Paraná pines pinecones in the region prior to its founding.

[6] Cattlemen drove their herds from Rio Grande do Sul to the state of São Paulo, turning Curitiba into an important intermediate trading post.

A group of young planners and architects led by Jamie Lerner from the Federal University of Paraná answered a proposal from Mayor Ivo Arzua centered around preparing Curitiba for new growth.

They improved Agache’s plan by proposing adding major linear transit pathways to Curitiba to provide straightforward high-speed routes throughout the city.

They also included plans for reducing downtown traffic, minimizing urban sprawl, providing easily accessible and inexpensive public transit, and preserving Curitiba’s historic district.

[22] Curitiba, the capital of the Paraná state of southern Brazil, is located near the Atlantic margin of the Brazilian Highlands and the headwaters of the Iguaçu River.

[23] Its location on a plateau and the flat terrain with flooded areas[24][25] contributes to its mild and damp winters, with an average minimum temperature of 9 °C (48 °F) in July.

An example is the construction of parks along the rivers with artificial lakes, which absorb and retain water for longer periods of time, minimizing floods.

Other alternatives developed to minimize the negative effects of urbanization are the implementation of programs for environmental education, inspection and monitoring, elaboration and application of legislation and infrastructure works.

In 1808 foreigners were granted the right to ownership of land, and in 1853 Parana became an independent province, and these events resulted in a substantial number of immigrants from Europe.

Objects like an old wagon, pipe of cabbage and a print of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa (patron saint of the Polish people), form parts of the memorial.

Italian immigrants started arriving in Brazil in 1875 and in Curitiba in 1878, coming mainly from the Veneto and Trento regions of Northern Italy.

[70] According to the 2010 Brazilian Census, most of the population (62.36%) is Roman Catholic, other religious groups include Protestants or evangelicals (24.03%), Spiritists (2.8%), Nones 6.71%, and people with other religions (3.69).

[48][49] Since it was declared capital of the State of Paraná in 1853, the city has gone through several major urban planning projects to avoid uncontrolled growth and thus has become an international role model in dealing with issues including transportation and the environment.

Curitiba has municipal health, education and day care networks, neighborhood libraries shared by schools and citizens and Citizenship Streets, where buildings provide essential public services, sports and cultural facilities near transportation terminals.

Architect Jaime Lerner, who later became mayor, led a team from the Universidade Federal do Paraná that suggested strict controls on urban sprawl, reduced traffic in the downtown area, preservation of Curitiba's Historic Sector and a convenient and affordable public transit system.

[98] In June 1996, the chairman of the Habitat II summit of mayors and urban planners in Istanbul praised Curitiba as "the most innovative city in the country".

Urban "acupuncture" reclaims land for the public and emphasizes the importance of community development through small interventions in design of cities.

[19] The Polish Immigrants Memorial, also known as The Pope's Woods, offers an enjoyable area surrounded by trees, which makes it a perfect choice for a stroll.

[19] The capital of Paraná is an important gastronomic center in Brazil, and the typical foods of Curitiba tend be very different when compared to other common Brazilian dishes.

Compared to eight other Brazilian cities of its size, Curitiba uses about 30 percent less fuel per capita, resulting in one of the country's lowest rates of ambient air pollution.

[135] The city government has been planning to introduce an underground metro for a number of years and in 2014 announced opened tenders for a 35-year public private partnership contract to build and operate a 17.6 km (10.9 mi), 14-station north–south line.

[143] The average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit in Curitiba, for example to and from work, on a weekday is 72 min.

Much of the city's success in MMA comes from it hosting the influential Chute Boxe Academy and its successor Universidade da luta.

The centro (downtown or central business district), where the city was founded, is the most bustling area, housing most of the financial institutions of Curitiba.