Belo Horizonte

Belo Horizonte (bəl'rēzôN`tĭ) [Port.,=beautiful horizon], city (1996 pop. 2,091,770), capital of Minas Gerais state, E Brazil. The distribution and processing center of a rich agricultural and mining region, Belo Horizonte is the nucleus of a burgeoning industrial complex; its chief industries are furniture, textiles, food processing, and publishing. Belo Horizonte is also a transportation hub, with direct highway connections with Brasília, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro. A small airport is located in Pampulha, a suburb. Belo Horizonte was Brazil's first planned metropolis and was built (1895–97) to replace Ouro Prêto as the state capital. With its wide, tree-lined avenues, skyscrapers, and spacious parks, and with its beautiful surroundings and bracing climate, Belo Horizonte is a fashionable resort. It is also a leading cultural center, with a historical museum, three universities, and numerous libraries and sports stadiums. The Chapel of São Francisco, with paintings by Candido Portinari, is famous.

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Belo Horizonte

City (pop., 2003 est.: city, 2,305,800; metro. area, 5,100,359), southeastern Brazil. Capital of Minas Gerais state, it lies on the western slope of the Serra do Espinhaço at an elevation of 2,720 ft (830 m). The site was chosen in the late 19th century to accommodate expansions that the former capital could not. Brazil's first planned city, it was laid out on a grid following the models of Washington, D.C., and La Plata, Arg. It is the hub of a large agricultural region and the area's commercial and industrial centre.

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Belo Horizonte

a city in SE Brazil, the capital of Minas Gerais state. Pop.: 5 304 000 (2005 est.)