Taubaté is a medium-sized city in the State of São Paulo, in southeastern Brazil. Its strategic location between the two most important Brazilian cities (São Paulo 123 kilometres (76 miles) away, and Rio de Janeiro 280 kilometres (170 miles) away), connected to both by the Presidente Dutra Highway, between high, cold mountains and the Atlantic Ocean has helped the development of the city. It is part of the Metropolitan Region of Vale do Paraíba e Litoral Norte. The population is 302,331 (2015 est.) in an area of 625.00 square kilometres (241.31 square miles). The city has become an industrial center, seating branches of several companies, including Volkswagen, Alstom, Ford, LG, Embraer, among many others.