Montes Claros

Montes Claros is a city located in northern Minas Gerais state, in Brazil. The estimated population in 2005 was 336,132 inhabitants and the total area of the municipality was 3,470 km2. It was made a seat of a municipality in 1831 and attained city status in 1857. The climate is tropical with an annual average temperature of 24.2º. The vegetation of the municipality is mainly Cerrado with areas of transition between cerrado and Caatinga The history of the city is relatively old in Brazilian terms. It began with adventurers moving north from the coast in search of diamonds and gold in the streams. In 1707 the first ranches appeared and a small village took root: Arraial de Formigas. In 1810 the town was made a bishopric. In 1831 the town had grown and become Vila de Montes Claros de Formigas. By 1857, Vila Montes Claros de Formigas had around 2,000 inhabitants and became the city of Montes Claros.