Minas Novas
Encyclopedia
Minas Novas is a municipality in the northeast of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais
. As of 2007 the population was 30,578 in a total area of 1,810 km². The elevation of the urban area is 635 meters. It is part of the IBGE statistical meso-region of Jequitinhonha
and the micro-region of Capelinha
. It became a municipality in 1730.
The economy is based on cattle raising, services, and subsistence agriculture, with the main crops being coffee, rice, beans, sugarcane, and corn. There were plantations of eucalyptus trees for charcoal production. In 2005 there were 3,367 rural producers but only 19 tractors. 10,500 persons were dependent on agriculture. As of 2005 there were 10 public health clinics, with 1 of them carrying out diagnosis and complete therapy. There was one hospital 69 beds. Educational needs were met by 68 primary schools and 5 middle schools and 10 nursery schools. There were 867 automobiles in 2006, giving a ratio of 35 inhabitants per automobile (there were 1,290 motorcycles). There was one bank in 2007.
Neighboring municipalities are: Capelinha
, Chapada do Norte
, Leme do Prado
, Novo Cruzeiro
, Setubinha
, Turmalina
and Virgem da Lapa
. The distance to Belo Horizonte
is 500 km.
The above figures can be compared with those of Poços de Caldas
, which had an MHDI of .841, the highest in the state of Minas Gerais
. The highest in the country was São Caetano do Sul
in the state of São Paulo
with an MHDI of .919. The lowest was Manari in the state of Pernambuco
with an MHDI of .467 out of a total of 5504 municipalities in the country as of 2004. At last count Brazil had 5,561 municipalities so this might have changed at the time of this writing.
Minas Novas was once an important center for diamond exploration during the colonial period. The name is derived from these diamond mines. Today it is famous for its handicrafts, especially figurines made of clay. An important religious festival takes place in June, celebrating the Virgin of Rosario. There is a strong African influence in the dances and costumes since this was a place that was mainly settled by slaves and later ex-slaves.
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
. As of 2007 the population was 30,578 in a total area of 1,810 km². The elevation of the urban area is 635 meters. It is part of the IBGE statistical meso-region of Jequitinhonha
Jequitinhonha
Jequitinhonha is a Brazilian municipality located in the northeast of the state of Minas Gerais.The population as of 2007 was estimated to be 23,982 people living in a total area of 3,518 km². The city belongs to the mesoregion of Jequitinhonha and to the microregion of Almenara. ...
and the micro-region of Capelinha
Capelinha
Capelinha is a Brazilian municipality located in the north-center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 33,061 living in a total area of 966 km². The city belongs to the statistical mesoregion of Jequitinhonha and to the statistical microregion of Capelinha. It became a...
. It became a municipality in 1730.
The economy is based on cattle raising, services, and subsistence agriculture, with the main crops being coffee, rice, beans, sugarcane, and corn. There were plantations of eucalyptus trees for charcoal production. In 2005 there were 3,367 rural producers but only 19 tractors. 10,500 persons were dependent on agriculture. As of 2005 there were 10 public health clinics, with 1 of them carrying out diagnosis and complete therapy. There was one hospital 69 beds. Educational needs were met by 68 primary schools and 5 middle schools and 10 nursery schools. There were 867 automobiles in 2006, giving a ratio of 35 inhabitants per automobile (there were 1,290 motorcycles). There was one bank in 2007.
Neighboring municipalities are: Capelinha
Capelinha
Capelinha is a Brazilian municipality located in the north-center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 33,061 living in a total area of 966 km². The city belongs to the statistical mesoregion of Jequitinhonha and to the statistical microregion of Capelinha. It became a...
, Chapada do Norte
Chapada do Norte
Chapada do Norte is a municipality in the northeast of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. As of 2007 the population was 15,429 in a total area of 828 km². The elevation of the town center is 751 meters. It is part of the IBGE statistical meso-region of Jequitinhonha and the micro-region...
, Leme do Prado
Leme do Prado
Leme do Prado is a municipality in the northeast of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. As of 2007 the population was 4,930 in a total area of 281 km². The elevation is 431 meters. It is part of the IBGE statistical meso-region of Jequitinhonha and the micro-region of Capelinha...
, Novo Cruzeiro
Novo Cruzeiro
Novo Cruzeiro is a Brazilian municipality located in the northeast of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was estimated to be 30,331 people living in a total area of 1,701 km². The city belongs to the mesoregion of Jequitinhonha and to the microregion of Araçuaí. The...
, Setubinha
Setubinha
Setubinha is a municipality in the northeast of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. As of 2007 the population was 10,834 in a total area of 536 km². The elevation is 729 metres. It is part of the IBGE statistical microregion of Teófilo Otoni...
, Turmalina
Turmalina
Turmalina is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2004 was 2,169 and the area is 147.86 km². The elevation is 467 m....
and Virgem da Lapa
Virgem da Lapa
Virgem da Lapa is a Brazilian municipality located in the northeast of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was estimated to be 14,103 people living in a total area of . The city belongs to the mesoregion of Jequitinhonha and to the microregion of Araçuaí...
. The distance to Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
is 500 km.
Social Indicators
Minas Novas is ranked low on the MHDI and was one of the poorest municipalities in the state and in the country in 2000.- MHDI: .633 (2000)
- State ranking: 785 out of 853 municipalities
- National ranking: 4,061 out of 5,138 municipalities in 2000
- Life expectancy: 67
- Literacy rate: 66
- Combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrolment ratio: .739
- Per capita income (monthly): R$81.00
The above figures can be compared with those of Poços de Caldas
Poços de Caldas
Poços de Caldas is a city and municipality in south-western Minas Gerais state, Brazil, in the microregion of the same name. Its estimated population in 2009 was 151,449 inhabitants...
, which had an MHDI of .841, the highest in the state of Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
. The highest in the country was São Caetano do Sul
São Caetano do Sul
São Caetano do Sul is a city in São Paulo state in Brazil, located in the Greater São Paulo Metropolitan Area. It is the city with the highest per capita income in Brazil and it also has the highest Human Development Index .-Geography:São Caetano do Sul is located on a plateau that is part of the...
in the state of São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
with an MHDI of .919. The lowest was Manari in the state of Pernambuco
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
with an MHDI of .467 out of a total of 5504 municipalities in the country as of 2004. At last count Brazil had 5,561 municipalities so this might have changed at the time of this writing.
Minas Novas was once an important center for diamond exploration during the colonial period. The name is derived from these diamond mines. Today it is famous for its handicrafts, especially figurines made of clay. An important religious festival takes place in June, celebrating the Virgin of Rosario. There is a strong African influence in the dances and costumes since this was a place that was mainly settled by slaves and later ex-slaves.
See also
- List of municipalities in Minas Gerais