Sorocaba

Town in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, 90 km/56 mi west of São Paulo city, on the Sorocaba River; population (1996) 431,561. Sorocaba is one of the leading industrial towns of the country; it has cotton and silk spinning mills, and manufactures cement, hats, footwear, alcohol, and fertilizers. Its energy needs are met by hydroelectric power generation. There are also railway workshops and printing works here. In addition, Sorocaba is the centre of a rich agricultural area producing primarily coffee, cotton, sugar cane, and fruit. The town has extensive orange groves and packing-house installations.