Fraiburgo (nicknamed Frai) is a Brazilian municipality located in the countryside of the Santa Catarina state. The city is strongly influenced by European immigrants, especially Germans and Italians. However, other nationalities also contributed to the formation of the city's character in terms of e.g.: architecture, gastronomy, religion and economy, amongst other factors. Its multiculturality is a remarkable characteristic not exclusively attributed to Fraiburgo but many other Southern Brazilian municipalities.
The city is famous in Brazil for the large production of apples which its plantation is favored by the low temperatures in the winter season in the Southern Hemisphere that takes place in July, August and September. Depending on the period of the year tourists can experience first-hand the whole apple production cycle as well other products made from apple such as: cider, juices, snacks and so forth.
In the early stages the economy of Fraiburgo's region was based on sawmills. The former dense forests consisted mostly in Brazilian walnuts, Cedars, Cinnamons, Yerba maté, and the exuberant Brazilian Pines. These forests still represent the typical Southern Brazilian landscape in spite of ruthless deforestation in the past decades. A significant turnover in the economy took place due to the shortage of wood, implementation of Brazilian environmental laws and environmental consciousness. As a result, agriculture became the predominant source of wealth alongside the production of paper, cellulose, and furniture derived from extensive reforestation areas. The reforestation projects introduced the Pinus elliottii to the region.
