Dona Francisca
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Dona Francisca | |
|---|---|
Location within Rio Grande do Sul | |
| Coordinates: 29°37′S 53°21′W / 29.617°S 53.350°W | |
| Country | |
| State | Rio Grande do Sul |
| Population (2022 [1]) | |
• Total | 3,079 |
| Time zone | UTC−3 (BRT) |
Dona Francisca is a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
It is located at a latitude of 29°37'18" south and a longitude of 53°21'26" west, at an altitude of 49 meters. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) in 2022, it had a population of 3,079 inhabitants. Its population is composed of people of Italian, German, Portuguese, and African descent.
Paleontology
Researchers from the Lutheran University of Brazil (ULBRA) discovered in April 2010 a nearly complete fossil of a Prestosuchus chiniquensis, over seven meters long, weighing 900 kilograms, and approximately 238 million years old. It is the most complete and well-preserved specimen of its kind found in the world.
Culture
Dona Francisca is the hometown of the world's first beatified altar boy, Adílio Daronch, who along with Father Manuel Gómez González were martyred for promoting harmony and concord between the Maragatos and Chimangos and defending the causes of faith, denouncing anything that incited war and discord among people.
The municipality has also been titled the National Capital of Rice Productivity.
City Anniversary
In the second half of July, the most traditional municipal festival in the region, the Week of Dona Francisca, is celebrated. This event lasts 10 days and includes festivities in all the communities of the municipality. During this week, there is also a traditional dance where the sovereigns of the municipality are chosen. The traditional "Motocross" event takes place on the last weekend of the festivities, attracting thousands of visitors, alongside the Agro-Industrial Fair.
Economy
The main economic activity is agriculture, with rice and tobacco being the most cultivated products.