São Gonçalo

São Gonçalo is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. It is on northeastern Guanabara Bay in the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area.It is located at 22° 49′ 37″ S, 43° 3′ 14″ W at an altitude of 19m above sea level. Its population in 2009 is 1,010,212 inhabitants, being the second most populous city in the state after the capital.LocationThe population of São Gonçalo was 973,372 in 2006, and its area is 249km².It is the second most populous city of the state, after the capital Rio de Janeiro city. Until recently it was the third largest, when Mesquita was split off as its own city from Nova Iguaçu.The municipality contains 4% of the Guanabara Ecological Station, created in 2006. It contains part of the Central Rio de Janeiro Atlantic Forest Mosaic of conservation units, created in 2006.ClimateThe type of climate of São Gonçalo is Atlantic tropical, with rainy summers and relatively dry winters. Temperatures vary throughout the year on and can have a maximum up to 40°C in summer, and a minimum close to 10°C during winter. Generally, temperatures range between the maximum of 25to and minimum 14to. But for the most part of the year, i.e. from May to October, the temperature is milder because the climate is drier and less hot.