São Paulo (Latin America & the Caribbean)
Population: 21,793,146
GDP: 15,856 USD
Functional Urban Area: 6,077 km2
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Context

São Paulo, Brazil's largest city and a megacity, operates as a municipality within the State of São Paulo, with the City of São Paulo serving as its core urban area. The São Paulo Metropolitan Region is a legally defined planning area encompassing 39 municipalities, including the City of São Paulo, but lacks a formal metropolitan government. Governance at this scale is coordinated through state-led initiatives like the Macrometropolis Action Plan, alongside inter-municipal collaborations such as the Greater ABC Region Consortium, addressing shared planning, infrastructure, and service delivery challenges.

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Key findings

Women hold 36% of local government positions in São Paulo as of 2024, a significant increase from 24% in 2020. Despite progress, significant efforts are still needed to ensure women are fully represented and empowered in government. Particle pollution levels in São Paulo have dropped 23% since 2000 to below regional and global averages, and NO₂ levels fell nearly 30%. While this highlights the city's progress in reducing urban air pollution, further efforts are needed to meet World Health Organisation targets.

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Indicators at a glance

Explore São Paulo’s strengths in:

  • Resilience,
  • Inclusion,
  • Governance and
  • Innovation.

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