Minas Gerais

Lore & Background

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, Grande, Paranaíba, Doce and Jequitinhonha rivers. 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.

Reader's Guide

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 distinctive culture, marked by traditional religious festivals and typical countryside cuisine, in addition to national importance in contemporary artistic productions and also in the sports scene.

Did You Know?

• The state's name may derive from 'Minas dos Matos Gerais' ('Mines of the General Woods'), referring to two distinct regions: the mining areas and the 'general' fields of the sertão.
• Danish paleontologist Peter Wilhelm Lund discovered human remains in the Lagoa Santa region in the mid-19th century, belonging to a population nicknamed the 'Lagoa Santa People'.
• The oldest human fossil found in the Americas, Luzia woman, was discovered in 1974 in Lapa Vermelha, a cave between Lagoa Santa and Pedro Leopoldo, estimated to be 11,400 to 12,000 years old.
• More than a hundred indigenous groups inhabited the current territory of Minas Gerais at the time of the Portuguese arrival, including the Cataguás, the most numerous in colonial times.
• The first gold deposits in Minas Gerais were discovered by bandeirante Antônio Rodrigues Arzão between 1692 and 1693.