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Campo Grande (-ptˈkɐ̃pu ˈɡɾɐ̃dʒi, Great Field) is the capital of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul in the Center-West region of Brazil. The city is nicknamed Cidade Morena ("Brown City" in Portuguese) after the reddish-brown colour of the region's soil. It has a population of 787,204, according to a 2010 IBGE estimate. The region where the city is located was in the past a waypoint for travellers who wanted to go from São Paulo or Minas Gerais to northern Mato Grosso by land. In the early 1900s a railway was completed connecting Campo Grande to Corumbá, on the Bolivian border, and to Bauru, São Paulo. Also in the beginning of the 20th century, the Western Brazilian Army Headquarters was established in Campo Grande, making it an important military center. With a population growth from 140,000 people in 1970 to 750,000 people in 2008, Campo Grande is the third largest urban center of the Center-West region, and the 23rd largest city in the country. In 1977, the State of Mato Grosso was split into two, and Campo Grande became the capital of the new state of Mato Grosso do Sul, comprising the southern portion of the former state. By that time, Campo Grande had long surpassed the latter's capital city of Cuiabá in population, which is unusual in Brazil, where most capitals are also the states' largest cities. Today, the city has its own culture, which is a mixture of several ethnic groups, most notably immigrants from the Japanese Island of OkinawaAfro-Brazilians, Middle-East, Armenia, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Paraguay., and white Brazilians from the Brazilian Southern and Southeast Regions, and the indigenous. Its Campo Grande International Airport connects it to many Brazilian cities and also operates some international flights. The city is home to the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, and three other universities. |