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Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais [Port.,=various mines], state (1996 pop. 16,660,691), 226,707 sq mi (587,171 sq km), E Brazil. The capital is Belo Horizonte . Minas Gerais continues to produce more than half of Brazil's mineral wealth. Gold was discovered at the end of the 17th cent. and was mined extensively. The state has long led the country in iron-ore mining and steel production. In the mid-1990s, Minas Gerais, with its low land and labor costs and inexpensive power, experienced the highest industrial growth in South America, making its economy in Brazil second only to São Paulo. Numerous expansion programs have been pursued in the automobile, mining, and manufacturing sectors. Agriculture and livestock also are important to the state's economy. |
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"Minas Gerais." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Minas Gerais." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-MinasGer.html "Minas Gerais." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-MinasGer.html |
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Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais, Brazil A state with a Portuguese name meaning ‘General Mines’, large deposits of gold being discovered here in 1692. The capitania of Minas Gerais was established in 1720 to regulate the competition over mining sites.
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JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Minas Gerais." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Minas Gerais." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-MinasGerais.html JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Minas Gerais." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-MinasGerais.html |
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