São José dos Campos, meaning Saint Joseph of the Fields) is a
municipality and city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil and one of the most
important industrial and research centers in Latin America. It is located in
the Paraíba Valley, between the two most active production and consumption
regions in the country, São Paulo (80 km (50 mi) from the city) and
Rio de Janeiro (320 km (200 mi)). According to a 1999 UN study, São
José dos Campos was rated one of the top 25 Brazilian cities for quality of
life. With its high per capita income, long life expectancy and high level of
