Sobradinho, Brasília
Encyclopedia
Sobradinho is an Administrative Region (RA-V) of the Federal District of Brazil. It is grouped as a satellite city of the Brazilian capital, Brasília
. The area is 569.37 km² and it is located 22.1 km. northeast of Brasília
. The population was 157,577 in 2004.
The drainage area is made up of the watercourses that form the basins of the Maranhão River
, which flows north to join the Tocantins
and
the São Bartolomeu River, which flows south to join the Corumbá
, a tributary of the Paranaíba
.
Sobradinho began with a ranch of that name belonging to the town of Formosa, Goiás
. According to popular history the name came from the existence of an old cross built long before 1850 along the banks of a stream near the ranch. On one of the arms of the cross were two little bird nests of a bird called joão de barro, one on top of the other, forming a little two storey house—a sobradinho in Portuguese. This phenomenon attracted the attention of passersby who took it as a reference point with the name Cross of Sobradinho or Sobradinho of the Cross. As time went by the local stream was called Sobradinho Stream.
Because of the need to house the migrant families from the Northeast, Goiás
, Bahia
and other states, Sobradinho was created along the old highway that linked the city of Planaltina, Goiás and the Federal Capital being built (1959). Today that old highway is a four-lane motorway and residents of Sobradinho can be in Brasília in a few minutes time.
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
. The area is 569.37 km² and it is located 22.1 km. northeast of Brasília
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
. The population was 157,577 in 2004.
The drainage area is made up of the watercourses that form the basins of the Maranhão River
Maranhão River
-References:*...
, which flows north to join the Tocantins
Tocantins River
The Tocantins is a river in Brazil, the central fluvial artery of the country. In the Tupi language, its name means "toucan's beak" . It runs from south to north for about 2,640 km. It is not really a branch of the Amazon River, although usually so considered, since its waters flow into the...
and
the São Bartolomeu River, which flows south to join the Corumbá
Corumbá River
The Corumbá River is the most important river in the Central Plateau region of Brazil. Its source is in the Montes de Pireneus, near Pirenópolis, state of Goiás, near the boundary with the Federal District and its length ifs 567 km. It receives the waters of the Descoberto and São Bartolomeu,...
, a tributary of the Paranaíba
Paranaíba River
The Paranaíba River is a Brazilian river whose source lies in the state of Minas Gerais in the Mata da Corda mountains, municipality of Rio Paranaíba, at an altitude of 1,148 meters; on the other face of this mountain chain are the sources of the Abaeté river, tributary of the São Francisco River...
.
Sobradinho began with a ranch of that name belonging to the town of Formosa, Goiás
Formosa, Goiás
Formosa is a city and municipality located in the state of Goiás, Brazil, approximately 80 kilometers east of Brasília. The population was 90,247 in a total area of 5,806.89 km² . Formosa is known for its waterfalls and natural beauty...
. According to popular history the name came from the existence of an old cross built long before 1850 along the banks of a stream near the ranch. On one of the arms of the cross were two little bird nests of a bird called joão de barro, one on top of the other, forming a little two storey house—a sobradinho in Portuguese. This phenomenon attracted the attention of passersby who took it as a reference point with the name Cross of Sobradinho or Sobradinho of the Cross. As time went by the local stream was called Sobradinho Stream.
Because of the need to house the migrant families from the Northeast, Goiás
Goiás
Goiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The name Goiás comes from the name of an indigenous community...
, Bahia
Bahia
Bahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...
and other states, Sobradinho was created along the old highway that linked the city of Planaltina, Goiás and the Federal Capital being built (1959). Today that old highway is a four-lane motorway and residents of Sobradinho can be in Brasília in a few minutes time.
