Teixeira de Freitas

Teixeira de Freitas is a city in the extreme south of the Brazilian state of Bahia, on the edge of highway BR-101, and is one of the largest cities in that state with a population estimated as of 2004 at 118,681 inhabitants. It has an agricultural economy based principally in cattle ranching and raising crops. The city is a regional commercial center, serving approximately 14 municipalities. The city had its origin as a crosroads, and has always maintained its character as a place that draws entrepreneurs from other regions. Major expansion of industry in the area, combined with the growth of eucalyptus plantations, has adversely impacted small-scale agriculture in the surrounding rural areas, resulting in declining population in those rural areas. Area code: 123.399