Vitória da Conquista is a city in Bahia, Brazil, which serves as a regional center for the smaller cities Barra do Choça, Planalto and Poções. These cities on the plateau, all at around elevation, form the basis of a strong, traditional, coffee-producing region, as well as a rapidly expanding center for new businesses. Vitória da Conquista is the third largest city in the state of Bahia, after the state’s capital, Salvador, and Feira de Santana. Its population, according to IBGE was 346,069 in 2016. It was named after the colony of Vitória da Conquista.
Climate
The city has a subtropical highland climate, relatively dry and moderated in temperature by the elevation. It closely borders a tropical savanna climate. The altitude of the city itself varies between 857 meters and 950 meters. Precipitation from April to August is often characterized by fine, misty rain, while heavier rains fall from October to March. Winters tend to lack much precipitation but are cool and humid, with cold air coming up to the plateau from the ocean and often producing fog. Mean temperature varies from a low of 17.8 °C in July to 21.8 °C in March. Mean rainfall ranges from 17.9 mm in July to 127.8 mm in December.. The vegetation ranges from very dry and coarse to an array of grasses, ferns and palms at slightly lower elevations on the plateau. This is the coffee-growing elevation.
History
Vitória da Conquista was founded in 1783, after several battles against the native Imboré and Mongoió tribes by :pt:João Gonçalves da Costa|João Gonçalves da Costa, born in Chaves, Trás-os-Montes, Portugal. Costa had served the portuguese crown during Joseph I's kingdom, fighting the natives, conquering their land, and attempting to convert them to Christianity. He founded the Arraial da Conquista near the site of the last battles and began the building of a church in honour of the Holy Mother of Victory. At the same time, João Gonçalves da Costa was ordered to lead the construction of two of the principal roads in the state of Bahia, one from Vitória da Conquista to the city of Ilhéus on the coast and another from Vitória da Conquista to the Jequitinhonha River in Minas Gerais. Today, the latter road has become part of the larger federal highway system, and is known as the Rio-Bahia — BR-116. In 2019, Vitória da Conquista was named the 10th most violent city in the world by the Citizens' Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice in Mexico.
Business and trade
The major economic activities are commerce, medical services, and coffee growing. The city is home to the main campus of Southwest Bahia State University. The business atmosphere is energetic and in full blown expansion mode. From larger businesses such as Grupo Marinho de Andrade, Coca-Cola, Dilly Calçados, Umbro, BahiaFarma and Café Maratá, to the smallest cottage industries, the area continues to attract strong interest. The best place for holding events in the city is the Miraflores Arena. The entrepreneurial Ymborés Industrial Park lies on the outskirts of the city along with industries such as ceramics, granite/marble, shoes, toilet valves, cleaning products, bedding, and many others. Micro industries produce safes, candles, clothing, packaging, and hundreds of other products for local consumption and export. As a business center, Vitoria da Conquista serves the entire southwestern region of the state of Bahia and the northern part of the state of Minas Gerais.
