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Minas Gerais | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms | |
| Motto(s): | |
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| Coordinates: 19°49′S 43°57′W / 19.817°S 43.950°W | |
| Country |  Brazil |
| Capital and largest city |  Belo Horizonte |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Romeu Zema (NOVO) |
| • Vice Governor | Mateus Simões (NOVO) |
| • Senators | Carlos Viana (PODE) Cleitinho Azevedo (REP) Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD) |
| Area | |
• Total | 586,528.29 km2 (226,459.84 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 4th |
| Population (2022)[1] | |
• Total | 20,539,989 |
| • Rank | 2nd |
| • Density | 33.41/km2 (86.5/sq mi) |
| • Rank | 14th |
| Demonym | Mineiro/a |
| GDP | |
| • Total | R$ 857.593 billion (US$ 159.084 billion) |
| HDI | |
| • Year | 2021 |
| • Category | 0.774[3] – high (4th) |
| Time zone | UTC-3 (MGT) |
| Postal Code | 30000-000 to 39990-000 |
| ISO 3166 code | BR-MG |
| License Plate Letter Sequence | GKJ to HOK, NXX to NYG, OLO to OMH, OOV to ORC, OWH to OXK, PUA to PZZ, QMQ to QQZ, QUA to QUZ, QWR to QXZ, RFA to RGD, RMD to RNZ, RTA to RVZ, SHB to SIZ, SYA to SYZ, TCA to TCZ, UAI |
| Website | mg.gov.br |
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 the sports scene.
- ^ "2022 Census Overview" (in Portuguese).
- ^ "PIB por Unidade da Federação, 2021". ibge.gov.br.
- ^ "Atlas do Desenvolvimento Humano no Brasil. Pnud Brasil, Ipea e FJP, 2022". www.atlasbrasil.org.br. Retrieved 2023-06-11.