Paraíba Valley

Although highly urbanized and industrialized, the region also has important nature reserves, such as the Serra da Mantiqueira, on the border with Minas Gerais, one of the highest points in Brazil, and that of Bocaina, an Atlantic Forest stronghold that also includes small towns and farms of historical and architectural interest.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, a group of Trappist religious settled in the Maristela farm in Tremembé, and introduced rice cultivation in the Paraíba do Sul river floodplains, as well as new planting and irrigation techniques.

The industrialization of the Paraíba Valley began in the 1940s during the Estado Novo, a set of new politics implemented at the time, following a diplomatic agreement made between Brazil and the United States, which envisaged an ambitious project: the construction of a steel mill that would supply the demand for steel from the Allied Countries during the Second World War and aid in the development of Brazil.

For cyclical reasons, milk production is in decline, but still sustains a large part of the rural population of small municipalities.

This process multiplied as the generations went on, resulting in a region punctuated by small properties and markedly familiar agricultural production.

All cities in the Paraíba Valley have at least one school from the SENAR, SENAC, SESC, SESCOOP, SENAI, SESI, SEST, SENAT, SEBRAE Education System, among others that focus in vocational and trade studies.

In the region are also located the UFF School of Engineering (in Volta Redonda), the INPG College undergraduate and with MBA courses, a UNIP campus, the University of Vale do Paraíba (Univap, in São José dos Campos), Anhanguera Educacional (Taubaté, Pindamonhangaba, São José dos Campos and Jacareí, in Roseira), a Unisal campus (in Lorena), Fatea also in Lorraine, FCN (Canção Nova College, in Cachoeira Paulista), FARO (Roseira College), FAPI (Pindamonhangaba College), UNESA and Dom Bosco Colleges in Resende, CEDERJ centers, ETEP Faculties (São José dos Campos and Taubaté), Bilac College, FACIC (Faculty of Humanities of Cruise), ESC (Higher School of Cruise) with graduation courses in Nursing, Physical Therapy and Bachelor of Physical Education, Bachelor and Degree, UBM (University of Barra Mansa), FAETERJ (Faculty of Technology of Rio de Janeiro, linked to the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRRJ) located in Barra Mansa, UNIFOA, Geraldo Di Biase University Center (UGB) and the FASF (Faculty Sul Fluminense) in Volta Redonda.