Editing Nova Friburgo (section)

== History ==
[[File:colonizacaonf.jpg|thumb|left|Nova Friburgo during Swiss and German settlement, 1820–1830.]]
[[File:Nova friburgo nov 1940.jpg|thumb|Nova Friburgo in 1940]]
[[File:Nova Friburgo (RJ) - 2.tif|thumb|Nova Friburgo in 1964]]
Up to the 19th century, the region of the present Nova Friburgo was inhabited by Coroado [[Purí people|Purí]] [[Indigenous peoples in Brazil|Indians]].<ref>''Os índios de Sumidouro''. Available in http://sumidouro.chez.com/indios.htm. Access on 9 September 2012.</ref><ref>''Nova Friburgo entra para a história''. Available in http://www.swissinfo.ch/por/specials/Suicos_do_estrangeiro/Nova_Friburgo_entra_para_a_historia.html?cid=875208. Access on 9 September 2012.</ref> In 1818, King [[John VI of Portugal|John VI]] was interested in improving the relationship with Germany, in order to obtain support against the French empire. He then proposed a planned settlement that would promote the civilization in Brazil. A royal decree of May 1818, authorized the [[Canton of Fribourg]] of [[Switzerland]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-04-16|title=Schweizer Auswanderer und ihre Liebe zur Heimat|url=https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/2019/04/schweizer-auswanderer/|access-date=2022-02-22|website=Blog zur Schweizer Geschichte - Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum|language=de-DE}}</ref> to establish a colony of 100 Swiss families in the Morro Queimado Farm, in [[Cantagalo, Rio de Janeiro|Cantagalo]] District, a place with climate and natural characteristics similar to those in their country. 

Between 1819 and 1820, the region was settled by 265 Swiss families, in total 1,458 immigrants. It was named Nova Friburgo (New Fribourg) by the Swiss after the homeland of most of the families.

Following the [[Independence of Brazil]] in 1822, the Imperial Government continued the policy of populating the nation by attracting [[Europe]]an [[colonization]]. Eighty [[German Brazilian|German]] families previously assigned to settlements in the Province of [[Bahia]], for unknown reasons ended up in Nova Friburgo, where they arrived on the 3 and 4 May 1824.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.luteranos.com.br/201/historico.html|url-status=unfit|access-date=2023-09-25|title=Histórico: Comunidade Luterana de Nova Friburgo|lang=pt-br|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030910211539/http://www.luteranos.com.br/201/historico.html|archive-date=10 Sep 2003}}</ref> Similar arrivals of [[Italian Brazilian|Italians]], [[Portuguese Brazilian|Portuguese]] and a minority of [[Syrian Brazilian|Syrians]] led to such population increases that the once village was elevated to city status on 8 January 1890.

In 1872, the Baron of Nova Friburgo brought to the region the Leopoldina Railroad, to allow for the flow of the coffee from Cantagalo. Agriculture was the basis of economic activity until 1910, when the arrival of industrialists pioneered the development of an industrial sector still thriving to the present day. Of similar importance was the relative proximity to [[Niterói]] and [[Rio de Janeiro]] and the improvement of transport and communication links such as paved roads and telegraph. This encouraged a small tourist industry to grow, which, together with local commerce, became the main source of income for the city.

Nova Friburgo was affected by the [[2011 Brazilian floods]] on 11 January with [[mudslide]]s causing at least 820 deaths and more than 200 people to go missing in the biggest natural disaster in the history of Brazil. The population was left with no water, electricity, food or gas.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12171710|title=Death toll mounts from flooding in Rio de Janeiro state|date=12 January 2011|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=[[BBC]]|access-date=13 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jan/13/brazil-landslides-death-toll-rises1|title= Brazil Landslides Death Toll Rises|author= Tom Phillips|newspaper= [[The Guardian]]|date= 14 January 2011|access-date= 14 January 2011}}</ref>