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122-434: Sete Lagoas is situated about 70 kilometres from Belo Horizonte , the capital of Minas Gerais. The BR 040 motorway connects Sete Lagoas with Belo Horizonte and the national capital Brasília . The altitude is 761 metres above sea level. It is surrounded by the following municipalities: Araçaí , Funilândia , Prudente de Morais , Capim Branco , Esmeraldas , Inhaúma , Paraopeba , and Caetanópolis . According to data from

244-415: A bandeirante explorer from São Paulo . The explorer settled in the region in 1701, leading a gold rush expedition. He then established a farm called "Curral d'el Rey," archaic Portuguese for the "King's Corral". The farm's wealth and success encouraged people from surrounding places to move into the region, and Curral del Rey became a village surrounded by farms. Another important factor contributing to

366-568: A 2013 autosomal DNA study, the ancestral composition of the state of Minas Gerais can be described as: 59.20% European, 28.90% African and 11.90% Native American During the time of the gold rush, thousands of Portuguese immigrated to Brazil (mainly from the Minho), and many of them to Minas Gerais, the place where the gold rush activities took place. Most of them came from Entre Douro e Minho, in Northern Portugal. The reference book for

488-484: A Black mother and a Portuguese father) and Cabras (people of mixed ancestry, usually with high degree of Amerindian admixture). Black people and "Mulattoes" predominated in the population after the beginning of the colonization. By the 19th century, however, whites were already the largest single group in the Minas Gerais population. Taking the population as a whole (all groups included), European genes account for

610-488: A campus of the private Faculdade Promove de Sete Lagoas , the private Faculdade Ciências da Vida - FCV, the private Faculdade Sete Lagoas de Minas Gerais - FSLMG, and the private Faculdade Setelagoana de Ciências Gerenciais - FASCIG. See Mundo Vestibular . The city also has a campus of the Universidade Federal de Sao João Del Rei where approximately 300 students are attending Food and Agronomic Engineering in

732-417: A great social mobility to former slaves, mainly for women. In Tejuco , the percentage of White males who were head of family (37.7%) was very similar to the percentage of Black women who were head of family (38.5%). Many former slaves were able to accumulate goods and many of them became slave owners as well. Some Black people and mainly Mulattos were able to integrate themselves in the highest social stratum of

854-563: A higher quality of life for the local farmers partnering with the city and that this may be having positive effects on biodiversity in the Atlantic rainforest around the city. The city's development of these policies garnered the first "Future Policy Award" in 2009, awarded by the World Future Council , a group of 50 activists (including Frances Moore Lappé , Vandana Shiva , Wes Jackson , and Youssou N'Dour ) concerned with

976-663: A hundred indigenous groups inhabited the current territory of Minas Gerais at the time of the arrival of the Portuguese. In the valleys of the Doce , Jequitinhonha and Mucuri rivers, people generally known as " botocudos " lived, such as the Maxakalis , Maconis, Naquenuques, Aranãs, Krenaks and Pataxós . Northern Minas Gerais was dominated by the Kiriris and Xakriabás . Center, western and southern Minas Gerais were inhabited by

1098-586: A large number of these families is "Velhos Troncos Mineiros" (Old Mineiro Branches) by Raimundo Trindade. The Native American population of Minas Gerais was estimated to be at 97,000 in 1500, by the time the Portuguese arrived in Brazil in 1500 (John Hemming in " Red Gold: The Conquest of the Brazilian Indians "). The ancestry of the Africans brought to Minas Gerais was both West African and Bantu, with

1220-524: A million people, in turn, consider themselves irreligious, of which around seventy thousand are atheists and just over seven thousand are agnostics. Minas Gerais is the second-largest consumer market in Brazil, behind the state of São Paulo. It shares 10.4% of the Brazilian consumer market. Companies of this Brazilian state have access to 49% of the Brazilian consumer market, with estimated consumption potential of 223 billion US dollars. The service sector

1342-403: A municipal law from 1989. These are: Lagoa da Boa Vista, Lagoa da Catarina, Lagoa da Chácara, Lagoa do Cercadinho, Lagoa José Felix, Lagoa do Matadouro and Lagoa Paulino. Food is an important element of the culture of Minas Gerais . In Sete Lagoas, two dishes can be found that are hardly found elsewhere: Galopé and Muchacho. Galopé is a dish of chicken (galo) and pork feet (pé de porco). Muchacho

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1464-415: A notable Italian influence ; around 30% of the city's population have some Italian origin . The Italian culture is present in the cuisine, dance, and language. People of German , Spanish , French , and Syrian-Lebanese ancestries also make up sizeable groups. Source: IBGE 2010. In 1993, under mayor Patrus Ananias de Souza, the city started a series of innovations based on its citizens having

1586-639: A partnership with the Embrapa Maize and Sorghum . Evidence of pre-Columbian presence has been found in the Gruta Rei do Mato (Cave of the Forest King). From around 1700, colonists entered Minas Gerais in search of gold , gems and diamonds . Nowadays, the Santa Luzia quarter is unofficially still called "o garimpo" (meaning "the goldmine"). Between 1780 and 1867, the name 'Sete Lagoas'

1708-603: A population that lived there thousands of years ago, nicknamed the "Lagoa Santa People". The region of Minas Gerais was inhabited by indigenous peoples as long as 11,400 to 12,000 years ago, based on the estimated age of the Luzia woman , the name of the oldest human fossil found in the Americas. Luzia was found in 1974 in excavations in Lapa Vermelha, a cave between the municipalities of Lagoa Santa and Pedro Leopoldo , in

1830-440: A predominance of the former initially and a predominance of the latter later. Religion in Minas Gerais (2010) According to the 2010 Brazilian census , most of the population consider themselves to be Catholic, which puts the state in ninth place when considering the percentage of the population belonging to this religion (70.4%). Although the number of Catholics has been gradually decreasing in recent years, Roman Catholicism

1952-477: A short time led to epidemics and food shortages. In 1697, the Portuguese used enslaved African labor to start building the Estrada Real , the "royal road," that would connect the ports of cities of Rio de Janeiro and Paraty to the mineral-rich regions of Vila Rica, Serro, and, at the northernmost point, Diamantina. São Paulo settlers considered themselves owners of the gold taken from the mines, claiming

2074-481: A whole. Monogamy and weddings in churches would only take root in Brazil in the 19th century, fitting the moral standards imposed by the Church. The role of women in colonial Minas Gerais was much more dynamic than it would be allowed by the standards of the time. Many women used to live on their own, were heads of family and worked, particularly the "women of color" and former slaves. The society of Minas Gerais provided

2196-534: Is a football club based in Sete Lagoas. The club plays its home matches at the Arena do Jacaré ("Alligator Arena", so named because of Democrata's mascot; the official name is Joaquim Henrique Nogueira stadium). Both teams used to play the traditional "sete-lagoano" derby being a very famous and known as the "Clássico dos sertões" ( Countryside's Derby ). An interesting fact about both was its old home arenas: it

2318-404: Is also a statistical micro-region with 20 municipalities: Araçaí , Baldim , Cachoeira da Prata , Caetanópolis , Capim Branco , Cordisburgo , Fortuna de Minas , Funilândia , Inhaúma , Jaboticatubas , Jequitibá , Maravilhas , Matozinhos , Papagaios , Paraopeba , Pequi , Prudente de Morais , Santana de Pirapama , Santana do Riacho , and Sete Lagoas. In 2000 the population of this area

2440-443: Is also an East-West Express Way, which goes from the city to the nearby industrial centres of Contagem and Betim (together having a population of ca. 900,000), and Anel Rodoviário, a kind of "beltway" – indeed it is not circumferential, but connects many highways, such as the federal (BR-ones) so it is not necessary for a large number of cars and trucks to pass through the city centre. Many of these roads are in poor condition, but in

2562-484: Is also composed of chicken and pork but it also contains cheese. Bela Vista Futebol Clube is one of 4 relevant football team in the city. Also is known for being the only football team from Sete Lagoas to tour over Europe in the 1959. Despite severe issues throughout the tour, the club reached some highlights scores in matches such as against Real Madrid in Santiago Bernabéu . Democrata Futebol Clube

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2684-444: Is an Iveco-Fiat plant, which opened in 2001, that produces trucks and vans. In 2005 there were 51 public and 53 private health clinics. There were 5 hospitals with 315 beds. Educational needs were met by 86 primary schools (29 private), 30 middle schools (9 private), and 56 pre-primary schools (36 private). In higher education there was the private Centro Universitario de Sete Lagoas , the private Faculdade Cenecista de Sete Lagoas ,

2806-441: Is cooled considerably by the relatively high elevation, which suppresses high maximum air temperatures experienced in nearby cities at lower altitudes. Belo Horizonte's climate is mild throughout the year. Temperatures vary between 11 and 31 °C (52 and 88 °F), the average being 22 °C (72 °F). Winter is dry and mostly sunny, and summer is rainy. According to the 2022 census , there were 2,315,560 people residing in

2928-702: Is derived from the tribe of the Maxakali . The Maxakalisaurus fossils belonged to an animal about 13 meters (43.3 ft) long, with an estimated weight of 9 tons, although, according to paleontologist Alexander Kellner , it could reach a length of approximately 20 meters (65 ft). It had a long neck and tail, ridged teeth (unusual among sauropods) and lived about 80 million years ago. Because sauropods seem to have lacked significant competition in South America, they evolved there with greater diversity and more unusual traits than elsewhere in

3050-489: Is historically explainable: southern Minas Gerais, in the border with São Paulo , received larger numbers of Portuguese farmers in colonial times. In the late 19th century, Italian immigrants also arrived. The north region, close to Bahia , was a place to the arrival of many African slaves since the 18th century. The central part of the state, where the capital Belo Horizonte is, has a more balanced ratio between White, Black and mixed people. The population of Minas Gerais

3172-572: Is home to 16% of the country's biotechnology companies, with annual sales of over R$ 550 million. Projects in these fields are likely to expand because of integration between universities, the oil company Petrobras and the Brazilian Government . One of the largest events that ever took place in the city, the Inter-American Development Bank meeting, occurred in 2005 and attracted people from all over

3294-530: Is home to several modern Brazilian architectural icons, most notably the Pampulha Complex . In planning the city, Aarão Reis and Francisco Bicalho sought inspiration in the urban planning of Washington, D.C. The city has employed notable programs in urban revitalization and food security , for which it has been awarded international accolades. The city is built on several hills, and is completely surrounded by mountains. There are several large parks in

3416-437: Is located about 500 kilometres (310 mi) from the sea. Even though inter-seasonal differences are not as pronounced as they are in temperate places, there is a contrast between spring and summer, and between fall and winter. The coldest month is generally July, with a lowest recorded temperature of 3.1 °C (38 °F). The hottest month is usually January. With an elevation of 852 m (2,795 ft), Belo Horizonte

3538-583: Is still strongly rooted in Minas Gerais' culture, especially in rural areas and inland cities where celebrations and festivities organized by community parishes are common, but religious pluralism has also grown in recent years. Almost four million inhabitants are evangelical. According to the number of followers, the Assembleias de Deus (more than seven hundred thousand followers), the Baptist Church (more than five hundred thousand followers) and

3660-408: Is the 3rd most populous of Brazil , after only Greater São Paulo (with 19,672,582 people, first in Brazil and 5th in the world ) and Greater Rio de Janeiro (with 14,387,000 people). The city is the 6th most populous of the country . During the 18th century, Minas Gerais received many Portuguese immigrants, mainly from Northern Portugal as well as many enslaved Africans. Belo Horizonte has

3782-478: Is the sixth-largest city in Brazil, with a population of around 2.3 million, and the third largest metropolitan area, containing a population of 6 million. It is the 13th-largest city in South America and the 18th-largest in the Americas. The metropolis is anchor to the Belo Horizonte metropolitan area , ranked as the third most populous metropolitan area in Brazil and the 17th most populous in

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3904-653: Is the distribution and processing centre of a rich agricultural and mining region and the nucleus of a burgeoning industrial complex. Production is centred on steel, steel products, automobiles , and textiles. Gold, manganese , and gemstones mined in the surrounding region are processed in the city. The main industrial district of the city was set during the 1940s in Contagem , a part of greater Belo Horizonte. Multinational companies like FIAT (which opened its plant in Betim in 1974), Arcelor , and Toshiba have subsidiaries in

4026-415: Is the largest component of GDP at 47.1%, followed by the industrial sector at 44.1%. agriculture represents 8.8% of GDP (2004). Main exports: mineral products 44.4%, metals 15.8%, vegetable products 13%, precious metals 5.5%, foodstuffs 4.9%, transportation 3.5% (2012). Its share of the Brazilian economy in 2005 was 9%. Minas Gerais had an industrial GDP of R $ 128.4 billion in 2017, equivalent to 10.7% of

4148-513: Is the result of an intense mixture of peoples, particularly between Black Africans and Portuguese. In colonial Minas Gerais, the population was divided in five different categories: Whites , mostly Portuguese; Africans , who often did not have a surname and were usually known for their region of origin (for example Francisca Benguela would refer to Benguela ); Crioulos (Black people born in Brazil, usually to both African parents); Mulattoes (people of mixed Black and White ancestry, usually born to

4270-507: The Atlantic Forest . More than 100 species of birds inhabit the reserve, as well as 10 species of mammals. Belo Horizonte was one of the host cities of the 1950 and the 2014 FIFA World Cup . Additionally, the city shared as host of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the football tournament during the 2016 Summer Olympics . The metropolis was once a small village, founded by João Leite da Silva Ortiz  [ pt ] ,

4392-606: The Foursquare Church (almost three hundred and fifty thousand adherents) stand out. Around 420 thousand people in the state are followers of Spiritism , whose important promoter in Brazil was the Minas Gerais-born medium Chico Xavier . There are also several other religious minorities in the state, including Umbanda and Candomblé , which together have less than twenty thousand followers and whose rituals are sometimes confused with folk traditions. Almost

4514-659: The Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte . Based on the analysis of Luzia and her people's cranial morphology, it was theorized that they had Australoid features, having belonged to a population that arrived in the Americas before the ancestors of Amerindians . However, with the analysis of the genetic material of the human remains of the Lagoa Santa People, it was found that this prehistoric population had completely Amerindian DNA, therefore ruling out any relationship with Australasian populations and

4636-486: The NYSE -listed electrical company CEMIG . Leading steel product makers Sumitomo Metals of Japan and Vallourec of France also have plans to construct an integrated steel works on the outskirts of the city. There are also a large number of small enterprises in the technology sector with regional to nationwide success, particularly in the fields of computing and biotechnology. Because of both governmental and private funding in

4758-577: The Serra do Curral (Corral Ridge), the southern boundary of the municipality. Its soil comprises a succession of layers of rocks of varied composition, represented by itabirite , dolomite , quartzite , phyllites and schists different from the general direction northwest–southeast and dip to the southeast. The hills of Belo Horizonte are part of the Espinhaço Mountains and belong to the larger Itacolomi mountain chain. The highest point in

4880-567: The Southeast Region of the country, it is bordered to south and southwest by São Paulo ; Mato Grosso do Sul to the west; Goiás and the Federal District to the northwest; Bahia to the north and northeast; Espírito Santo to the east; and Rio de Janeiro to the southeast. The state's capital and largest city, Belo Horizonte , is a major urban and finance center in Brazil, being the sixth most populous municipality in

5002-527: The Vila Rica Revolt took place against taxes on gold and, as a result, that same year the Captaincy of Minas Gerais was created after the dismemberment of São Paulo e Minas do Ouro. The first capital of Minas Gerais, and seat of the local see, was the city of Mariana; it was later moved to Vila Rica. In the late 18th century, Vila Rica was the largest city in Brazil and one of the most populous in

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5124-424: The " right to food ." These include, for example, creating farmers' markets in the town to enable direct sales and regularly surveying market prices and posting the results across the city. The city's process of participatory budgeting was linked with these innovations, as a result of which the infant mortality rate was reduced by 50% in a decade. There is some evidence that these programs have helped support

5246-542: The "Inconfidentes", as the rebels became known. In the economic history of Brazil, Minas Gerais plays a pivotal role in shifting the economic axis from the Brazilian northeast (based on sugarcane, that starts declining in the 18th century) to the southeast of the country, which still remains the major economic center. The large amounts of gold found in the region attracted the attention of Portugal back to Brazil, progressively turning Rio de Janeiro into an important port city, from where these would be shipped to Portugal and where

5368-463: The 3,941 hectares (9,740 acres) Serra do Rola-Moça State Park , created in 1994. Belo Horizonte's has a latitude at 19'55" in the South tropical zone . Yearly temperatures average between 9 and 35 °C (48 and 95 °F). The Köppen climate classification of the region is tropical savanna climate ( Aw ), milder due to the elevation, with humid/warm summers and dry/mild winters. Belo Horizonte

5490-416: The Americas. The Portuguese Crown then began to strictly control the mining of gold, instating a 20% tax of everything that was produced, which became known as "the fifth". The captaincy's population continued to grow, but until then there were only small subsistence agricultural crops, which required the import of products from other regions of the colony. New access ways to the region began to be created and

5612-424: The Americas. Belo Horizonte is the capital of the state of Minas Gerais , Brazil's second-most populous state . It is the first planned modern city in Brazil. The region was first settled in the early 18th century, but the city as it is known today was planned and constructed in the 1890s to replace Ouro Preto as the capital of Minas Gerais. The city features a mixture of contemporary and classical buildings and

5734-609: The Cataguás, who were the most numerous indigenous group in Minas Gerais' territory in colonial times, so much so that the region was known as "Campos Gerais dos Cataguases" in the time of the bandeirantes . The regions of Triângulo Mineiro and Alto Paranaíba were inhabited by the Kayapos and Araxás, while the Zona da Mata was populated by the Puri . The region of Minas Gerais close to

5856-614: The Paleoproterozoic is predominant. The area of Belo Horizonte complex includes the geomorphological unit called Depression of Belo Horizonte , which represents about 70% of the municipality area and has its greatest expression in the northern Ribeirão Arrudas pipeline. The metasedimentary rocks has its area of occurrence on the south of Ribeirão Arrudas pipeline, constituting about 30% of the area of Belo Horizonte. The characteristics of this area are lithological diversities and rugged topography, which has its maximum expression in

5978-549: The Portuguese crown would eventually move its administration in 1808 after Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Portugal (see Transfer of the Portuguese Court to Brazil ). Due to the economic importance of the state and the particular traits of the local population—famed for its reserved and balanced character—Minas Gerais has also played an important role on national politics. During the 19th century, politicians such as José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva were instrumental in

6100-576: The banks of the Carmo river and built his camp there, which gave rise to the town of Nossa Senhora do Carmo (now Mariana ). Two years later, Antônio Dias de Oliveira discovered gold at the foot of the Itacolomi Peak and founded his settlement there, the embryo of Vila Rica (currently Ouro Preto ). In 1702, João de Siqueira Afonso discovered precious stones in the Rio das Mortes valley. Initially, gold

6222-507: The best Colombia-origin emeralds, and are most often a bluish-green color. Each region of the state has a distinct character, geographically and to a certain extent culturally. According to the modern (2017) geographic classification by Brazil's National Institute of Geography and Statistics ( IBGE ), which succeeded the division in mesoregions and microregions (1988), the state is now divided in 13 intermediate geographic regions , each one divided in immediate geographic regions (70 total in

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6344-558: The border with São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul and Goiás was occupied by the Bororós . However, during the first centuries of the colonization of Brazil, the indigenous people of this region were captured by the bandeirantes to be enslaved and the groups that revolted were exterminated, which caused a great reduction in the indigenous population, leaving currently only five groups: the Xakriabás, Krenaks, Maxakalis, Pataxós and Pankararus,

6466-419: The bus lines. Keeping buses from traffic congestions, making the trips more viable for commuters. Minas Gerais#Culture Minas Gerais ( Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈminɐz ʒeˈɾajs] ) is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil , being the fourth largest state by area and the second largest in number of inhabitants with a population of 20,539,989 according to the 2022 census . Located in

6588-543: The capital into a national hub for this segment of the tourist industry . Several higher education institutions are located in Belo Horizonte, including: Belo Horizonte is served by two airports: The city is connected to the rest of Minas Gerais state and the country by a number of roadways. Minas Gerais has the country's largest federal highway network. The city is also served by other minor roads such as state highways MG-020, MG-050, MG-030, and MG-433. There

6710-477: The city of Belo Horizonte. The census revealed the following numbers: 1,008,878 White people (43.6%), 986,302 Pardo ( Multiracial ) people (42.6%), 312,920 Black people (13.5%), 4,881 Asian people (0.2%), 2,486 Amerindian people (0.1%). In 2010, the city had 428,893 opposite-sex couples and 1,090 same-sex couples . The population of Belo Horizonte was 53.1% female and 46.9% male. The Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte, called Greater Belo Horizonte ,

6832-467: The city. The service sector plays a very important role in the economy of Belo Horizonte, being responsible for 85% of the city's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with other industry making up most of the remaining 15%. Belo Horizonte has a developed industrial sector, being traditionally a hub of the Brazilian siderurgical and metallurgical industries, as the state of Minas Gerais has always been very rich in minerals , specifically iron ore. Belo Horizonte

6954-401: The country while its metropolitan area ranks as the third largest in Brazil with just over 5.8 million inhabitants, after those of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro . Minas Gerais' territory is subdivided into 853 municipalities , the largest number among Brazilian states. The state's terrain is quite rugged and some of Brazil's highest peaks are located in its territory. It is also home to

7076-529: The development and recognition of policies to promote a just and sustainable future. The city has undertaken an internationally heralded project called Vila Viva ("Living Village" in Portuguese) that promises to "urbanize" the poorest areas ( favelas ), relocating families from areas with high risk of floods and landslides but keeping them in the same neighborhood, paving main avenues to allow public transportation, police and postal service to have access. All

7198-604: The diversification of its economy, the city has become an international reference in Information Technology and Biotechnology , and is also cited because of the advanced corporate and university research in Biodiesel fuel. The number of jobs in the Information sector has been growing at annual rates above 50%. The Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Area, composed of 33 cities under the capital's direct influence,

7320-441: The emigration of a large part of the population until a new cycle (that of coffee) once again brought Minas Gerais national prominence and whose end led to the relatively late industrialization process. Minas Gerais currently has the third largest GDP among Brazilian states, with a large part of it still being the product of mining activities. The state also has a notable infrastructure, with a large number of hydroelectric plants and

7442-495: The end of the 16th century, bandeirantes traveled the territory of Minas Gerais in search of gold and precious stones. Many of their expeditions were supported by the Portuguese Crown, among which those of Fernão Dias and his son-in-law Borba Gato , who left the village of São Paulo in 1674, stand out. In the 17th century, the colonization of northern Minas Gerais began, with the settlement of cattle herders, due to

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7564-577: The establishment of the Brazilian Empire under the rule of Pedro I and later his son, Pedro II . After the installation of the First Brazilian Republic , during the early 20th century, Minas Gerais shared the control of the national political scene with São Paulo in what became known as the " coffee with milk politics " (coffee being the major product of São Paulo, and milk representing Minas Gerais' dairy industry, despite

7686-540: The expansion of livestock farming in the northeastern Sertão , and of bandeirantes , in search of precious stones and indigenous people to enslave. Between 1692 and 1693, the bandeirante Antônio Rodrigues Arzão discovered the first gold deposits in the territory of Minas Gerais. In the following years, bandeirantes from the towns of São Paulo and Taubaté traveled through the Das Velhas region looking for gold. In 1696, Salvador Fernandes Furtado discovered gold on

7808-538: The first book to be written by a black woman in Brazil — Sagrada Teologia do Amor Divino das Almas Peregrinas . During the 18th century, mining exploration was strongly controlled by the Portuguese Crown , which imposed heavy taxes on everything extracted (one fifth of all gold would go to the Crown). Several rebellions were attempted by the colonists, always facing strong reaction by the imperial crown. One of

7930-606: The first civil president after the 1964 military coup. However, he died after a series of health complications just as he was about to assume the position. Also, Itamar Franco , former president of Brazil, lived there, though he was not born in Minas Gerais. Minas Gerais features some of the longest rivers in Brazil, most notably the São Francisco , the Paraná and to a lesser extent, the Doce river . The state also holds many hydroelectric power plants, including Furnas . Some of

8052-547: The first of its kind in Minas Gerais. The territory is situated within the Serra da Galga Formation , where more than 10,000 fossils of various prehistoric creatures have been unearthed. Among these discoveries, the Uberabatitan ribeiroi found in 2004 ranks among the largest ever discovered in Latin America. According to the 2022 census , there were 20,539,989 people residing in the state. The population density

8174-462: The flow of people and goods increased intensely, thus creating the first large consumer market in Brazil. Villages appeared along these access points, therefore playing a key role in the population of the captaincy. Among these routes, the Caminho Novo stands out, which connected the mining regions to Rio de Janeiro. The intense mix of people associated with wealth from gold and urban life led to

8296-612: The formation of a new, culturally diverse society, with several musicians, artists, sculptors and artisans. Among the cultural movements, the work of Aleijadinho and Master Ataíde stands out, among others, which allowed the flourishing of a local Baroque . Aleijadinho's sculptural and architectural work, as exhibited in the Twelve Prophets and The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Ouro Preto, are prime examples of this period. In addition to art and architecture, there

8418-506: The former slaves were women and only 37% men. Since interracial relationships between "women of color" and White men were widespread, the female slaves were more likely to be freed than the male slaves. The monogamous family structure that the Catholic Church tried to deploy in colonial Brazil was the exception in Minas Gerais. At that time cohabitation and temporary relationships predominated in Minas Gerais, as well as in Brazil as

8540-538: The growth of the village was people immigrating from the São Francisco River region, who had to pass through Curral d'el Rey to reach southern parts of Brazil. Travelers usually visited a small wooden chapel, where they prayed for a safe trip, so the chapel was named Capela da Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem, which means "Chapel of Our Lady of the Good Journey." After the construction of Belo Horizonte,

8662-688: The highest peaks in Brazil are in the mountain ranges in the southern part of the state, such as the Mantiqueira Mountains and Serra do Cervo, that mark the border between Minas and its neighbors São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The most notable one is the Bandeira peak , the third highest mountain in Brazil at 2,890 m, standing on the border with Espírito Santo state. The state also has huge reserves of iron and sizeable reserves of gold and gemstones, including emerald , topaz and aquamarine mines. Emeralds found in this location are comparable to

8784-426: The initial settlement occurred at Luzia's time. Starting in this period, cultural characteristics emerged, such as the use of stone or bone, the creation of cemeteries and small grain silos, as well as cave paintings. Later, about four thousand years ago, it is speculated that vegetable cultivation occurred, in particular corn, and that two thousand years ago, ceramic products were already being manufactured. More than

8906-412: The largest road network in the country. Due to its natural beauty and historical heritage, Minas Gerais is an important tourist destination. It is known for its heritage of colonial architecture and art in historical cities such as Ouro Preto and Diamantina , São João del-Rei , Mariana , Tiradentes , Congonhas , Sabará and Serro . In the south, its tourist points are hydro-mineral spas, such as

9028-486: The last 20 years of the 20th century. In the 1940s a young Oscar Niemeyer designed the Pampulha Neighbourhood to great acclaim, a commission he got thanks to then-mayor and soon-to-be-president Juscelino Kubitschek . These two men are largely responsible for the wide avenues , large lakes, parks, and jutting skylines that characterize the city today. A 1949 American government film favorably reviewed

9150-424: The last years many revitalization and rebuilding projects have been started. The bus system has a large number of bus lines going through all parts in the city, and is administered by BHTRANS . Among the upcoming projects are the expansion of the integration between bus lines and the metro , with integrated stations, many already in use. And the construction of bus corridors, with lanes and bus stops exclusively for

9272-417: The latter also being an important coffee producer). Minas Gerais was also home to two of the most influential Brazilian politicians of the second half of the 20th century. Juscelino Kubitschek was president from 1956 to 1961, and he was responsible for the construction of Brasília as the new capital of Brazil. Tancredo Neves had an extensive political career that culminated with his election in 1984 to be

9394-496: The latter coming from Pernambuco 's hinterlands. The first European expedition into Minas Gerais' territory was led by Spaniards Francisco Bruza Espinosa and Juan de Azpilcueta Navarro between 1553 and 1555, which left the coast of Bahia and traveled through northern Minas Gerais. In the following decades, other expeditions known as "entries", coming from the Brazil's northeastern coast, traveled through this same region, such as that of Sebastião Fernandes Tourinho in 1573. From

9516-649: The location for the new economic and cultural center of the state, under the new name of Cidade de Minas , or City of Minas. Aarão Reis  [ pt ] , an urbanist from Pará , was then chosen to design the second planned city of Brazil after Teresina . Cidade de Minas was inaugurated in 1897, with many unfinished buildings as the Brazilian government set a deadline for its completion. The local government encouraged growth through subsidies. It offered free lots and funding for building houses. An interesting feature of Reis' downtown street plan for Belo Horizonte

9638-568: The majority of the Minas Gerais genetic heritage, which has been explained on the basis of the extremely high mortality rates of the enslaved African population and lower reproductive rate of African slaves (the vast majority of them were males, among other reasons for their lower reproductive success). The Amerindian population was hit hard by the diseases brought by the European colonists and they did not have much of an impact either, especially in Minas Gerais, where European presence and colonization

9760-499: The members of the Inconfidência Mineira , republican intellectuals who conspired against the Portuguese dominion of Brazil. In 1889 Brazil became a republic, and it was agreed that a new state capital, in tune with a modern and prosperous Minas Gerais, had to be established. In 1893 due to the climatic and topographic conditions, Curral Del Rey was selected by Minas Gerais governor Afonso Pena among other cities as

9882-603: The metal in what is now the Central-West region of Brazil, finding it years later in Goiás and Mato Grosso . Prior to 1720, Minas Gerais was part of the captaincy of São Vicente . The imposition of the authority of the Portuguese Crown contributed to the end of the conflict, with the creation of the Captaincy of São Paulo and Minas do Ouro in 1709. In 1711, the first villages were created in Minas Gerais, namely Sabará , Vila Rica and Vila de Nossa Senhora do Carmo. In 1720,

10004-485: The meteorological station of the municipality, the average temperature of the city between the years 1961 to 1990 was 20.9 °C. The coldest month (July) had an average of 17.5 °C while the hottest month (February) had an average of 23.0 °C. The four lowest temperature records at the Sete Lagoas meteorological station were as follows: 0.8 °C on July 18, 1926; 1.3 °C on October 31, 1942; 1.5 °C on June 26, 1937 and also on May 8, 1942. Sete Lagoas

10126-441: The metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte. The legally defined Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte consists of 34 municipalities in total, and a population of around six million inhabitants (as of 2021 , according to Brazil's National Institute of Geography and Statistics ( IBGE )). The intense process of urbanization that is taking place in the metropolitan region has made some of the political boundaries between municipalities in

10248-639: The most important was the Vila Rica revolt that ended with the execution of Filipe dos Santos, the revolt's leader, but also with the separation of Minas Gerais from the captaincy São Paulo e Minas de Ouro. The most notable one, however, was the Minas Gerais conspiracy , started in 1789 by a group of middle-class colonists, mostly intellectuals and young officers. They were inspired by the American and French Enlightenment ideals. The conspiracy failed and

10370-540: The municipalities of Caxambu , Lambari , São Lourenço , Poços de Caldas , São Thomé das Letras , Monte Verde (a district of Camanducaia ) and the national parks of Caparaó and Canastra . In the Serra do Cipó , Sete Lagoas , Cordisburgo and Lagoa Santa , the caves and waterfalls are the main attractions. The people of Minas Gerais also have a peculiar culture, marked by traditional religious manifestations and typical countryside cuisine, in addition to national importance in contemporary artistic productions and also in

10492-548: The municipality is in the Serra do Curral , reaching 1,538 metres (5,046 ft). A centre for conservation and preservation of animals and plants it has also developed environmental education projects. The Zoo, which encompasses a total area of 1.4 million square meters, is located at the Foundation's headquarters and is regarded as one of the most complete in Latin America. It has a collection of close to 900 animals representing 200 species, from Brazil and other parts of

10614-540: The names which have survived include José Joaquim Emerico Lobo de Mesquita , Marcos Coelho Neto , Francisco Gomes da Rocha and Ignácio Parreiras Neves; they cultivated a style related to the classical European style , but marked by more a more chordal, homophonic sound, and they usually wrote for mixed groups of voices and instruments. In the 1720s, in the Jequitinhonha valley region, the discovery of diamonds occurred, although its discoverers did not recognize

10736-427: The old baroque chapel was replaced by a neo-Gothic church that became the city's cathedral. The previous capital of Minas Gerais, Ouro Preto (meaning "black gold," due to dark rocks with gold inside found on the region), originally called "Vila Rica" ("wealthy village"), was a symbol of both the monarchic Brazilian Empire and the period when most of Brazilian income was from the mining industry. That never pleased

10858-575: The planning and building of the city. Belo Horizonte is fast becoming a regional center of commerce. The Latin American research and development center of Google, situated in Belo Horizonte, was responsible for the management and operation of the former social networking website Orkut . It continues to be a trendsetter in the arts, particularly where music, literature, architecture, and the avant garde are concerned. The term "Grande BH" ("Greater Belo Horizonte") denotes any of various definitions for

10980-524: The population varies from town to town. For example, in Córrego do Bom Jesus, a small town located in the extreme south of Minas Gerais, White people make up 98.7% of the population. The South of Minas Gerais is both the most European and the most densely populated part of the state. On the other hand, in Setubinha , located in the northeast part of the state, 71.8% are mixed-race and 14.7% Black . It

11102-467: The rebels were arrested and exiled. The most famous of them, Joaquim José da Silva Xavier (known as Tiradentes), was hanged by order of Queen Maria I of Portugal , becoming a local hero and a national martyr of Brazil. The Minas Gerais flag—a red triangle on a white background, along with the Latin motto "Libertas quæ sera tamen", "freedom albeit late"—is based on the design for the national flag proposed by

11224-412: The region obsolete. The city is now composed of a relatively contiguous urban area, centred on Belo Horizonte, which extends out into municipalities such as Contagem , Betim , Nova Lima , Raposos , Ribeirão das Neves , Ibirité , Santa Luzia and Sabará , among others. The municipality is bounded to the north by Vespasiano , to the north east by Santa Luzia, by Sabará to the east, by Nova Lima to

11346-653: The region, along with textiles like Group Rachelle Textil, Ematex and Cedro Textil, cosmetic , food, chemicals , pharmaceuticals , furnishing and refractory companies. Among the companies headquartered in the city are steel producer Açominas (held by Gerdau , one of the largest multinationals originated in Brazil); Usiminas ; Belgo-Mineira (held by Arcelor ); Acesita (partially held by Arcelor); mobile communication Vivo ; and Telecom Italia Mobile , Dasein Executive Search, executive coaching company, as well as

11468-646: The region. Due to the large quantity of fossils uncovered, the Paleontological Research Center Llewellyn Ivor Price was established in 1991, alongside the Dinosaurs Museum in Peirópolis , which is currently dedicated to the study of local paleontology in collaboration with research institutions worldwide. In March 2024, Uberaba was officially designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark , marking it as

11590-555: The right due to having discovered and conquered it, and did not want others to take possession of the mines. As a result, in 1707, they came into conflict with the Portuguese and other Brazilian settlers (nicknamed " emboabas ", a Tupi term that means "one who offends"), causing the War of the Emboabas , which ended in 1709. The São Paulo settlers were defeated and many of them had to abandon the gold deposits in Minas Gerais, having to look for

11712-543: The society of Minas Gerais, once restricted to Whites. This happened through a process of "whitening" their descendence and through the assimilation of the culture of the White elite, like being members of Catholic brotherhoods. Cohabitation was the most common crime in Minas Gerais. The Catholic Church was strict in the punishment of this crime, in order to prevent the widespread miscegenation between White, mostly Portuguese males with Black or Mulatto women. According to

11834-403: The source of some of Brazil's main rivers, such as the São Francisco and Grande rivers, which places it in a strategic position with regard to the country's water resources. It has a tropical climate , which varies from colder and humid in the south to semi-arid in its northern portion. All of these combined factors provide it with a rich fauna and flora distributed in the biomes that cover

11956-700: The southeast, Brumadinho to the south and Ribeirão das Neves, Contagem and Ibirité to the west. According to the current geographic classification by IBGE, the municipality belongs to the Immediate Geographic Region of Belo Horizonte , in the Intermediate Geographic Region of Belo Horizonte . Belo Horizonte lies on a region of contact between different geological series of the Proterozoic . The geology largely comprises crystalline rocks , which give rise to

12078-524: The sports scene. Two interpretations are given for the origin of the name Minas Gerais. The first interpretation is that the name simply means "General Mines", referring to a number of mines which were located in several spots spread around a larger region. The second interpretation derives the name from the former name of the colonial province, "Minas dos Matos Gerais" ("Mines of the General Woods"), referring to two distinct regions encompassed by

12200-554: The state, especially the Cerrado and the threatened Atlantic Forest . Minas Gerais' territory was inhabited by indigenous peoples when the Portuguese arrived in Brazil . It experienced a large migration wave following the discovery of gold in the late 17th century. The mining of gold brought wealth and development to the then captaincy , providing its economic and cultural development; however, gold soon became scarce, causing

12322-404: The state: the region of the mines (Minas), and the "general" region ("Matos Gerais" or "Campos Gerais", roughly meaning "General Fields"). The latter corresponded to the areas of sertão which were farther and hard to access (with an economy based on farming and agriculture) from the mining spots, whose economic space was urban in origin. Part of the history of the current state of Minas Gerais

12444-446: The surroundings of Belo Horizonte. The Mangabeiras Park (Parque das Mangabeiras), 6 km (4 mi) southeast of the city centre in the hills of Curral Ridge (Serra do Curral), has a broad view of the city. It has an area of 2.35 km (580 acres), of which 0.9 km (220 acres) is covered by the native forest. The Jambreiro Woods (Mata do Jambreiro) nature reserve extends over 912 hectares (2,250 acres), with vegetation typical of

12566-483: The theory that the peopling of the Americas was due to a wave of individuals with Australoid traits and another of Mongoloid individuals. The indigenous peoples of Minas Gerais, as well as throughout Brazil and South America, are descendants of the groups who migrated there through North America. In the region of the municipalities of Januária , Montalvânia , Itacarambi and Juvenília , in northern Minas Gerais, archaeological excavations have led to estimates that

12688-478: The trade in slaves brought from the African continent to work in the mines intensified. Many slaves tried and managed to escape, which led to the emergence of quilombos throughout Minas Gerais. It is estimated that during the 18th century more than 120 of these communities emerged throughout the captaincy. These settlements were not so far from mining centers, which made it easier for more slaves to escape. There

12810-462: The urban area, which was defined by Avenida do Contorno (a long avenue that goes around the city's central areas). Reserved for government workers (hence the name of the trendy neighbourhood "Funcionários"), and bringing about an accelerated occupation outside the city's area well provided with infrastructure since its very beginning. Obviously, the city's original planners did not count on its ongoing population growth, which proved especially intense in

12932-401: The value of this precious stone for decades. However, the Portuguese Crown, upon recognizing the region's mineral production, soon established a way of charging taxes in a similar way to the gold tax. The main diamond exploration center was close to where Arraial do Tijuco (today Diamantina ) emerged. At the height of gold mining, enslaved labor was essential for large landowners. In this way,

13054-536: The varied morphology of the landscape. It is located in a large geological unit known as the craton of São Francisco , referring to extensive crustal nucleus of central-eastern Brazil, tectonically stable at the end of the Paleoproterozoic and bordering areas that suffered the regeneration at the Neoproterozoic . The archean rocks members of Belo Horizonte complex and supracrustal sequences of

13176-603: The whole state): The discovery of the Maxakalisaurus topai (Dinoprata) fossils was a significant paleontological find. The fossil is a genus of titanosaurid dinosaur found 45 kilometers (28 mi) from the city of Prata , in the state of Minas Gerais in 1998. It was closely related to Saltasaurus , a sauropod considered unusual because it had evolved apparently defensive traits, including bony plates on its skin and vertical plates along its spine; such osteoderms have also been found for Maxakalisaurus. The genus name

13298-481: The work is done with 80% of locals, reducing unemployment and increasing family income. Former mayor Fernando da Mata Pimentel was nominated for World Mayor in 2005 on the strength of these and other programs. Belo Horizonte receives large numbers of visitors, as it is in the Brazilian main economic axis, exerting influence even on other states. Multinational and Brazilian companies, such as Google, Deloitte , Thoughtworks , Localiza and Oi , maintain offices in

13420-597: The world, as well as the first public butterfly sanctuary in South America. Pampulha Ecological Park is administered by the Zoo-Botanical Foundation of Belo Horizonte and was inaugurated on May 21, 2004. It is 30 acres (12 ha) of green area that offers to the population and the tourists a permanent programming of environmental , cultural and patrimonial education. The city contains the 102 hectares (250 acres) Baleia State Park , created in 1988 but still not implemented as of 2014. It contains part of

13542-407: The world. For a long time it was marked by the predominance of its industrial sector , but from the 1990s there has been a constant expansion of the service sector economy, particularly in computer science , biotechnology , business tourism , fashion and the jewelry-making. The city is considered to be a strategic leader in the Brazilian economy . The move towards business tourism transformed

13664-638: The world. A replica has been displayed at the National Museum of Brazil , since August 28, 2006. In the 1940s, fossil records from the Late Cretaceous period began to be unearthed in the territory of Uberaba , many of them exceptionally well-preserved. Subsequently, extensive research efforts were initiated by the National Department of Mineral Production (DNPM), which appointed paleontologist Llewellyn Ivor Price to work in

13786-438: Was 341,568 inhabitants in a total area of 8,560.40;km². The economy is based on services, industry and some agriculture. The GDP in 2005 was R$ 2 billion 800 million, with 1 billion 120 million from services, 1 billion 250 thousand from industry, and 17 million from agriculture. There were 824 transformation industries in 2005 with 15,000 workers. Heavy industry was important with 23 factories producing mainly pig iron . There

13908-632: Was 35.02 inhabitants per square kilometre (90.7/sq mi). Urbanization : 85% (2006); Population growth : 1.4% (1991–2000); Houses: 5,741,000 (2006). The last PNAD (National Research for Sample of Domiciles) census revealed the following numbers: 9,605,151 Brown ( Multiracial ) people (46.8%), 8,437,697 White people (41.1%), 2,432,877 Black people (11.8%), 31,885 Amerindian people (0.2%), 31,681 Asian people (0.2%). Ethnicities of Minas Gerais in 2022. Ethnic groups found in Minas Gerais include: Amerindians , Portuguese , Africans , Italians , Germans and Lebanese . The ethnic composition of

14030-467: Was also a trade in subsistence products between slaves and traders, who took advantage of the lower price offered by the former. In 1753, Rosa Egipcíaca , was enslaved and forced to work as a prostitute in a mine in the region, until she became ill and began to have religious visions. These visions led to her arrest and imprisonment and ultimately interrogation by the Inquisition. She recorded them in

14152-461: Was an explosion of musical activity in Minas Gerais in the 18th century. Printed copies of European music, as well as accomplished musicians, made the journey to the area, and soon a local school of composition and performance was born and achieved considerable sophistication. Several composers worked in Minas Gerais in the 18th century, mainly in Vila Rica, Sabará, Mariana, and other cities. Some of

14274-480: Was determined by the exploration of the great mineral wealth found in its territory. Its name, in fact, comes from the large quantity and variety of mines present, which began to be explored since the 17th century and to this day drive an important fraction of the state's economy. In the mid-19th century, Danish paleontologist Peter Wilhelm Lund discovered, in the Lagoa Santa region, human remains belonging to

14396-619: Was extracted from riverbeds, which forced miners to move as the deposits ran out. After some time, exploration also began to be carried out on mountain slopes, which forced the permanent settlement of miners, leading to the emergence of the first settlements. The news of the discovery of gold soon spread, initiating a gold rush , and in the following decades hundreds of thousands of people eager for wealth, mainly Portuguese (which included New Christians ), but also colonial Brazilians from São Paulo, Bahia, Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro, settled in Minas Gerais. The arrival of large numbers of people in

14518-453: Was massive. During the colonial period, the disproportion between the number of men and women was quite sharp. The census of 1738 in Serro do Frio, which included Diamantina, revealed that of the 9,681 inhabitants, 83.5% were men and 16.5% women. Among the slaves, women were only 3.1%. The number of free "women of color" (Black and "Mulatto") was very high. The same census revealed that 63% of

14640-527: Was only one block distance from each, which was an extra spice for the rivality. The old Democrata's Arena was demolished, but the original and glorious BV arena is still there. In 2010 and 2011, Arena do Jacaré served as a home stadium for Atlético Mineiro , Cruzeiro and América-MG , as both Belo Horizonte stadia - Mineirão and Independência - were going through reforms. Other smaller, but very competitive clubs are Ideal Sport Club , América Futebol Clube . Belo Horizonte Belo Horizonte

14762-425: Was the inclusion of a symmetrical array of perpendicular and diagonal streets named after Brazilian states and indigenous Brazilian indigenous tribes. In 1906 the name was changed to Belo Horizonte. At that time, the city was experiencing a considerable industrial expansion that increased its commercial and service sectors. From its very beginning, the city's original plan prohibited workers from living inside

14884-400: Was used for several regional types of administrations. The municipality of Sete Lagoas was founded in 1867. Although "Sete Lagoas" means "Seven Lakes", there are currently more than seven lakes in Sete Lagoas (10 within the urban perimeter, 17 in the municipality). Some were dug out while others became part of the town when the town expanded. There are, however, 7 'official' lakes according to

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