The city of Belo Horizonte is the capital of the state of Minas Gerais and largest city in the entire state. Furthermore, among Brazilian municipalities, Belo Horizonte is the 6th largest city in the country.
The capital of Minas Gerais is the only one in the state with more than 1 million inhabitants, reaching the mark of more than 2,500 million people.
A geography of the region it is quite diverse, surrounded by Serra Curral, full of hills and lowlands.
It was founded in 1897, planned to be the capital of Minas Gerais. However, it suffered from an unexpected population growth, reaching more than 2 million inhabitants.
Uberlândia is the 2nd largest municipality in the state with about 690,000 people, a number far from the state capital.
It is located 537 km from the capital, being the largest municipality in the interior of the state. The city of Uberlândia was part of the municipality of Uberaba, but in the 1880s it was emancipated, becoming a municipality.
The region has a road network that connects the city with some of the main urban centers in the country, such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Goiânia and Brasília.
The municipality of Contagem belongs to the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, located just 21 km from the capital.
With about 663,855 thousand inhabitants, the city faces a population growth, expanding the limits of the municipality and getting even closer to the municipalities that surround it.
It houses an intense and important urban center, with an industrial park relevant to the state's economy.
Juiz de Fora is a city in the interior of Minas Gerais, located 283 km from the capital and close to the state border with Rio de Janeiro.
This city was an integral part of Barbacena, but in 1850 it was emancipated due to its own population and economic growth.
With about 429,340 inhabitants, Betim is the 5th largest municipality in the state of Minas Gerais. It is 26 km away from the capital, integrating the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte.
From 1960, the city received great urban influence and developed its industrialization.
The municipality has easy access to the main state highways, which connect the region with other economic centers.
Montes Claros is a city in the interior north of the state, located 422 km from the capital.
It has about 409,341 inhabitants, with a developed urban center and its main economic activities are industry and commerce.
As a result of industrial activities, it has become a very influential regional industrial center among neighboring municipalities.
Ribeirão das Neves is located 32 km from the state capital, integrating the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte.
Despite having 334,858 inhabitants, most residents carry out economic activities and work in neighboring municipalities, mainly in Belo Horizonte. Therefore, the city of Ribeirão das Neves is considered a dormitory city.
Uberaba is an important city in the Triangulo Mineiro, located in the southeast region of the state, 481 km away from the capital.
The city is home to the headquarters of the Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM) and the Federal Institute of Triângulo Mineiro, developing importance in the education scenario in the state.
It has about 333,000 inhabitants and represents the eighth most populous municipality in the state of Minas Gerais.
Governador Valadares is located in the Rio Doce Valley and approximately 320 km from Belo Horizonte.
In the 16th century, the region had a population referring to the search for precious metals on the banks of the Rio Doce. With that, the region was founded and suffered population growth in the following centuries.
It presents important natural activities for the state, with beautiful landscapes and outdoor attractions.
The city of Ipatinga, like Governador Valadares, is located in the Rio Doce Valley. Located 210 km from the state capital, the city is home to more than 263,000 inhabitants.
The main economic developments in the region are represented by industry and handicrafts.
The municipality belongs to the Metropolitan Region of Vale do Aço.
Sete Lagoas is located approximately 67 km from Belo Horizonte and represents an important industrial center in the region.
It is the most populous municipality in the micro-region to which it belongs and influences the 38 municipalities that surround the city.
The city of Divinópolis has more than 238 thousand inhabitants, located 120 km from the capital. It is the largest city in the Mesoregion of the West of Minas Gerias.
Close to the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, the city is recognized as the state's fashion center and concentrates many textile industries.
Santa Luzia, with approximately 219,134 inhabitants, ranks 13th among the most populous cities in the state of Minas Gerais.
Located just 18 km away from the state capital, it is part of the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte, representing the 4th largest industrial center in Greater Belo Horizonte.
In addition, it has an important railway line and underground gas pipeline for the region.
Ibirité is one of the cities in Minas Gerais with less than 200,000 inhabitants belonging to the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte, 22 km from the capital.
With about 180,204 citizens, it is one of the neighboring municipalities of the large cities of Contagem and Betim.
The main economic activities in the city are mining and vegetable farming.
