| Official Name: | Cotia |
| Pushpin Map: | Brazil |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Brazil |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Southeast |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | São Paulo |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Rogério Franco (PSD) |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | April 2, 1856 |
| Area Total Km2: | 323.99 |
| Population As Of: | 2022[1] |
| Population Total: | 274,413 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | UTC-3 |
| Utc Offset: | -3 |
| Timezone Dst: | UTC-2 |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -2 |
| Coordinates: | -23.6042°N -46.9194°W |
| Elevation M: | 853 |
| Website: | Prefeitura Municipal de Cotia |
Cotia is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. It is part of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo.[2] The population is 253,608 (2020 est.) in an area of 323.99 km2.[3] The city is at an elevation of 853 m. Cotia is linked with the Rodovia Raposo Tavares highway.
The municipality is made up of the headquarters and the district of Caucaia do Alto, with its former districts of Jandira, Itapevi and Vargem Grande Paulista (originally called Raposo Tavares) having been split off to form new municipalities.[4]
Cotia was founded in 1580, and was an active village during the "bandeiras" expeditions. In 1626, Raposo Tavares and his companions arrived in the city. The "Sítio do Mandú" and "Sítio do Padre Inácio" (Mandu's Ranch and Priest Inácio's Ranch) were some of the first rural houses to be built there. Nowadays, they are preserved by the "Instituto Brasileiro de Patrimônio Cultural. Cotia was declared an independent municipality on April 2, 1856. According to the 1980 demographic census, the city had a population of over 62 thousand people.
The city is located west of São Paulo, and has a terrain made of valleys and mountains, reaching a maximum elevation of 1,074 meters above sea level [5]
The city has the Cotia River as its main river.
The city has a densely populated urban area, but the less developed areas to the west attract people interested in ecotourism. The only naturally occurring case of Brazilian hemorrhagic fever took place here.
| Year | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 161,782 | |
| 2004 | 170,206 | |
| 2006 | 179,685 | |
| 2015 | 229,548 |
In telecommunications, the city was served by Telecomunicações de São Paulo.[6] In July 1998, this company was acquired by Telefónica, which adopted the Vivo brand in 2012. The company is currently an operator of cell phones, fixed lines, internet (fiber optics/4G) and television (satellite and cable).[7]