Almenara, Minas Gerais

Almenara
Municipality
Flag of Almenara
Flag
Official seal of Almenara
Seal
Location in Minas Gerais
Location in Minas Gerais
Almenara is located in Brazil
Almenara
Almenara
Location in Brazil
Coordinates: 16°11′02″S 40°41′38″W / 16.18389°S 40.69389°W / -16.18389; -40.69389
Country Brazil
RegionSoutheast
StateMinas Gerais
MesoregionJequitinhonha
MicroregionAlmenara
Incorporated (municipality)13 January 1938
Government
 • MayorAdemir Gobira
Area
[1]
 • Total2,300.797 km2 (888.343 sq mi)
Elevation
188 m (617 ft)
Population
 (2020 [2])
 • Total42,143
 • Density16.9/km2 (44/sq mi)
DemonymAlmenarense[3]
Time zoneUTC−3 (BRT)
CEP postal code
39900-000
Area code33
HDI (2010) [4]0,642
WebsiteOfficial website

Almenara, is a municipality in the northeast of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Situated on the Jequitinhonha River it is the largest city in that river valley. Its 2020 population was estimated at 42,143 and the municipal area was 2,301 km².

It was founded on 13 January 1938. In 1981 the city was made the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Almenara.

The elevation is 248 meters. The postal code is 39900-000. The distance to the state capital, Belo Horizonte, is 744 kilometers. Almenara is also the center of a statistical microregion of the same name. Municipalities belonging to this microregion are: Bandeira, Divisópolis, Felisburgo, Jacinto, Jequitinhonha, Joaíma, Jordânia, Mata Verde, Monte Formoso, Palmópolis, Rio do Prado, Rubim, Salto da Divisa, Santa Maria do Salto, and Santo Antônio do Jacinto.[5]

The main economic activity is cattle raising with over 89,000 head of cattle counted in 2006. Agriculture is important with the main crops being coffee, coconuts, banana, corn, and sugarcane. There were 4 banking agencies in 2006. There were 2 private hospitals with 180 beds (2005). In the rural area there were 983 farms in 2006. More than 3,000 people depended on agriculture for a living. Only 33 farms had tractors, which was a ratio of one tractor for 30 farms.[6]

The municipality contains a small amount of the 50,890 hectares (125,800 acres) Mata Escura Biological Reserve, created in 2003.[7] The river beach of Almenara was once considered one of the most beautiful in the country. Today, with mining in the tributaries of the Jequitinhonha its waters are polluted with mercury and oil. Its clean sands have become dark and dirty.[citation needed]

The hill called Morro do Cruzeiro is used for hang gliding. There is also an arched bridge with a span of 300 meters crossing the river. When the river is full some people dive off the bridge.[8]

[9]

  • Degree of urbanization: 78.48% (2000)--the rate for Minas Gerais was 82.0%
  • Illiteracy rate: 30.66% (15 years old or older) The rate for Minas Gerais was 11.96%; the rate for Brazil was 13.63%
  • Urban area covered by sewage system: 80.80%--the rate for Minas Gerais was 81.39%
  • Health centers and hospitals: 13 health centers and 02 hospitals with 172 beds[10]
  1. ^ "Área territorial oficial" [Official Territorial Area] (in Portuguese). Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). 10 October 2002. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  2. ^ IBGE 2020
  3. ^ "IBGE - Cidades@ - Almenara". O Brasil Município por Município. Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  4. ^ "Ranking IDHM Municípios 2010" [Ranking of HDI-M of Brazilian Municipalities (2010)] (in Portuguese). United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  5. ^ "Citybrazil". Archived from the original on 26 April 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2008.
  6. ^ IBGE Archived 9 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ REBIO da Mata Escura (in Portuguese), ISA: Instituto Socioambiental, retrieved 23 February 2017
  8. ^ "City government site". Archived from the original on 21 May 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  9. ^ Frigoletto Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "Data on Health and Education" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2008.