Curitiba stands out as an exception: 54% of journeys there are by public transport.

ECONOMIST: Productivity in Latin America

Carlos Ghosn, Renault's Brazilian boss of worldwide manufacturing, says Curitiba will make a profit by 2001.

ECONOMIST: Double parked

Renault's compact new plant is built on open land near Curitiba, in the southern state of Parana.

ECONOMIST: Double parked

Of the state capitals, it is likely to retain Belo Horizonte and Recife, and may win Curitiba.

ECONOMIST: Brazil's mayoral elections: Local skirmishes | The

Palmeiras triumphed in the cup final against Curitiba, winning 3-1 on aggregate.

BBC: Brazil gunmen kill eight amid football celebrations

Chrysler's truck plant in Curitiba is by no means unique, says Carl Swanson, the managing director of the South American operations of Tenneco Automotive, a car-parts firm.

ECONOMIST: Car making

The largest loaf of bread weighed was baked by a Brazilian on November 13, 2008 in the city of Curitiba in Parana state, south Brazil, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

FORBES: To Celebrate Easter, Russia Bakes World's Largest "Panettone"

Instruction materials such as booklets, audio-visual materials, educational music CDs, magazines and posters have been custom designed and professionally produced by the Curitiba Departments of Education (Youth and Adult Education sector) and Health (Health Education Centre).

UNESCO: Country Profile: Brazil

It portrays the innovative work of former Mayor of Curitiba (Brazil), Jaime Lerner, who was responsible for developing an efficient public transport system (the MetroBus), and a clever system of sorting of waste (Cambio verde), which offers to the poorest urban dwellers the possibility to exchange recyclable waste for fruits and vegetables.

UNESCO: Social Sciences