Cathedral Basilica Minor of Our Lady of Light, Curitiba

Curitiba (Brazilian Portuguese: [kuɾiˈtʃibɐ]) is the capital and largest city in the state of Paraná in Southern Brazil. The city's population was 1,963,726 as of 2021, making it the eighth most populous city in Brazil and the largest in Brazil's South Region. The Curitiba Metropolitan area comprises 29 municipalities with a total population of over 3,731,769 (IBGE estimate in 2021), making it the ninth most populous metropolitan area in the country. The city sits on a plateau at 932 m (3,058 ft) above sea level. It is located west of the seaport of Paranaguá and is served by the Afonso Pena International and Bacacheri airports. Curitiba is an important cultural, political, and economic center in Latin America and hosts the Federal University of Paraná, established in 1912. In the 1700s, Curitiba's favorable location between cattle-breeding countryside and marketplaces led to a successful cattle trade and the city's first major expansion. Later, between 1850 and 1950, it grew due to logging and agricultural expansion in Paraná State (first Araucaria angustifolia logging, later mate and coffee cultivation and in the 1970s wheat, corn and soybean cultivation). In the 1850s, waves of European immigrants arrived in Curitiba, mainly Germans, Italians, Poles and Ukrainians, contributing to the city's economic and cultural development and richness in diversity. Nowadays, only small numbers of immigrants arrive, primarily from Middle Eastern and other South American countries. Curitiba's biggest expansion occurred after the 1960s, with innovative urban planning that allowed the population to grow from some hundreds of thousands to more than a million people. Curitiba's economy is based on industry and services and is the fourth largest in Brazil. Economic growth occurred in parallel to a substantial inward flow of Brazilians from other parts of the country, as approximately half of the city's population was not born in Curitiba.Curitiba is one of the few Brazilian cities with a very high Human Development Index (0.856) and in 2010 it was awarded the Global Sustainable City Award, given to cities and municipalities that excel in sustainable urban development. According to US magazine Reader's Digest, Curitiba is the best "Brazilian Big City" in which to live. Curitiba's crime rate is considered low by Brazilian standards and the city is considered one of the safest cities in Brazil for youth. The city is also regarded as the best in which to invest in Brazil. Curitiba was one of the host cities of the 1950 FIFA World Cup, and again for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Despite its good social indicators, the city has a higher unemployment rate than other cities in the state.

The Metropolitan Region of Curitiba, also known as Greater Curitiba, brings together 29 municipalities in the state of Paraná in a relative process of conurbation. The term refers to the extension of the capital of Paraná, forming with its bordering (or close) municipalities a continuous urban area. The population in 2015, according to the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics was of 3,502,790 inhabitants.In urban planning circles, the greater Curitiba area has received attention for advancing sustainable urbanization. Its leaders integrated the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and city development, using high-capacity, high-quality dedicated busways to guide growth along well-defined lineal axes.

Rua XV de Novembro (15 November Street) is one of the major streets in downtown Curitiba. Also known as Rua das Flores (Flower Street), it is one of the first major pedestrian streets in Brazil. It was inaugurated in 1972, with well-tended pots of flowers and tourist restaurants installed in hundred-year-old buildings. The transformation of the street was one of the first projects of the mayor of Curitiba, Jaime Lerner, who was an urban planner. It is named for the Proclamation of the Republic, which took place on November 15, 1889. It is very common to see every kind of artistic performances, such as mimes and clowns who interact with those who pass by, musicians, magicians and other miscellaneous performers, such as the Statue Man.

The Federal University of Paraná (Portuguese: Universidade Federal do Paraná, UFPR) is a public university headquartered in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. UFPR is considered to be one of the oldest universities in Brazil.UFPR ranks as 37th best university in Latin-America and it is among the 651-700 best universities in the world, according to QS World University Rankings. It is placed as the eighth best university in Brazil in the latest "Ranking Universitário Folha (RUF)", published by the nation's largest newspaper. Nowadays, its facilities are spread over the capital Curitiba and other cities of the State of Paraná. It offers 124 undergraduate degree courses, 44 doctorate, 66 masters and 5 professional masters programs, apart from a number of lato sensu programs (mostly paid one-year specializations) - see Higher-ed degrees in Brazil.

The Moreira Garcez Building (Portuguese: Edifício Moreira Garcez) is a historic building located in Curitiba, Brazil.

The Teatro Guaíra Cultural Centre is a state-run cultural institution located in Curitiba, Paraná. Its building, located at Santos Andrade square, shelters about 3,000 seats in three different auditoria, being one of the largest concert halls in Latin America. Some of the artists' groups maintained by Teatro Guaíra Culture Centre are: the Symphony Orchestra of Paraná, the "Balé Teatro Guaíra" (dance company) and the "Teatro de Comédia do Paraná" (theater group).

The South Region of Brazil (Região Sul do Brasil; [ʁeʒiˈɐ̃w suw du bɾaˈziw]) is one of the five regions of Brazil. It includes the states of Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, and Santa Catarina, and covers 576,409.6 square kilometres (222,553.0 sq mi), being the smallest region of the country, occupying only about 6.76% of the territory of Brazil. Its whole area is smaller than that of the state of Minas Gerais, in Southeast Brazil, for example. It is a tourist, economic and cultural pole. It borders Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, as well as the Centre-West and Southeast regions, and the Atlantic Ocean. The region is considered the safest in Brazil to visit, having a lower crime rate than other regions in the country.

Rua 24 Horas is a shopping mall in Curitiba, Brazil.

The Federal University of Technology – Paraná (Portuguese: Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, UTFPR) is a federal university with campuses in thirteen cities located in the state of Paraná. UTFPR is one of the most renowned Universities in Brazil. Their teaching pattern is inspired by the European polytechnic university model. It specializes in natural sciences and engineering.

The Legislative Assembly of Paraná (Portuguese: Assembleia Legislativa do Paraná) is the unicameral legislature of Paraná state in Brazil. It has 54 state deputies elected by proportional representation. The Assembly began on December 19, 1853 when Paraná became a province (before it was a territory of São Paulo).

Estádio Major Antônio Couto Pereira, often shortened to Couto Pereira, is the home of Coritiba Foot Ball Club, located in Curitiba, Paraná state, Brazil. Its formal name honors Major Antônio Couto Pereira, who was Coritiba's president in 1926, 1927, and between 1930 and 1933. He started the stadium construction.

The Centro Israelita do Paraná (English: Israelite Center of Paraná) is the main gathering place for Jews in the city of Curitiba, Brazil.