Profile Historic		Where the footwear manufacturing poles are. State of Santa Catarina Number of enterprises in 2009: 293 % of Brazil: 3.7 Number of employees in 2009: 7.370 % of Brazil: 2.3 Exports in US$ million in 2009: 7.7 % of Brazil: 0.6 Exports in million pairs in 2009: 0.6 % of Brazil: 0.5 Fonte: MTE/RAIS; SECEX/MDIC e ABICALÇADOS Footwear Pole in Santa Catarina State Gradually, the State of Santa Catarina, next to Rio Grande do Sul, is increasing its participation as a shoe manufacturer. The main region is the shoe cluster in Rio Tijucas Valley, which is formed by the cities of Tijucas, Canelinha, Nova Trento, Major Gercino and São João Batista - the last one concentrates more companies. It is estimated that 95% of production is targeted to women. The rest is distributed among children and accessories. Rio Tijucas Valley has about 200 factories of shoes. The emergence of this cluster dates back to 1926, with the installation of the first shoe studios. São João Batista is the city with the biggest number of companies and received the title of Capital of Footwear in Santa Catarina. There are 450 companies linked to the sector: 150 of them are manufacturers of shoes and 300 of them are service providers. The monthly production of São João Batista is nearly two million pairs per year, 11% of them are shipped abroad. With a population of 22 thousand inhabitants, the activity generates eight thousand direct jobs.