text: The presence of a strong service sector, many college campuses - including the University of São Paulo and Universidade Estadual Paulista - and the city's location at the junction of three railroads and three highways make Bauru a major urban center of the State of São Paulo.
  It is the hometown of Marcos César Pontes, the first Brazilian in space. It is also the town where Pelé grew up and learned his football skills.
  The city is served by two airports: the older Comte. João Ribeiro de Barros Airport and the newer Bauru-Arealva Airport, officially known as Moussa Nakhl Tobias Airport, located in the adjoining municipality of Arealva.
  Origin of the name
  There are various theories intended to explain the origin of the name Bauru. One was proposed by Ismael Marinho Falcão, an engineer who lived for many years with the Kaingang tribe, which used to inhabit the region. According to him, the region was called ubaurú because of the abundance of a herbaceous plant called ubá, used for hampers and wicker baskets, and urú, a ground bird related to the chicken.
  Others think that the name comes from mbai-yuru, meaning 'waterfall' or 'river in strong declivity';  or ybá or uru, 'basket of fruits' in Old Tupi; or even bauruz, as the natives who inhabited the edges of the Batalha River were called.