Luz, Minas Gerais

Luz is a Brazilian municipality located in the West (south of the west) part of the state of Minas Gerais. Luz is located between the city of Araxá and the capital city of the state of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte. Its population as of 2007 was 17,173 people living in a total area of 1,171 km². The city belongs to the Alto São Francisco region and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho. It became a municipality in 1923.^[1]

Origin of the name

In the region there was a spring with a dam that supplied water to the small settlement that had grown around a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Light, or Nossa Senhora da Luz. The first name of the town was Nossa Senhora da Luz do Aterrado, or Our Lady of the Light of the Dam.^[2]

Location

The city center of Luz is located at an elevation of 675 meters a short distance south of federal highway BR-262. The São Francisco River lies to the east. Neighboring municipalities are: Estrela do Indaiá and Dores do Indaiá (N), Bom Despacho (NE), Moema and Lagoa da Prata (E), Japaraíba (SE), Arcos and Iguatama (S), Bambuí and Córrego Danta (W). *^[3]

Distances

• Belo Horizonte: 188 km on BR-262
• Bom Despacho: 50 km east on BR-262
• Dores do Indaiá: 36 km north on MG-176
• Brasília: 640 km
• Rio de Janeiro: 635 km
• São Paulo: 595 km

^[4][5]

Geographical Data

Elevation

• Maximum: 956 m (Serra Deus me Livre)
• Minimum: 680 m (Foz do Ribeirão Jorge Grande)
• Center of the city: 674.96 m

Temperature

• Average annual: 22.1 °C
• Average annual maximum: 29.1 °C
• Average annual minimum: 16.7 °C

Rainfall

• Average annual rainfall: 1,415.7 mm

Topography

• Flat: 40%
• Hilly: 50%
• Mountainous: 10%

Rivers

• Ribeirão Jorge Pequeno
• Rio São Francisco
• River basin: Basin of the Rio São Francisco ^[2]

Economic activities

Services, small industries, and agriculture are the most important economic activities. Charcoal production from eucalyptus plantations is also important. In 2005 there were 78 transformation industries employing 540 workers and 342 retail units employing 926 workers. The GDP in 2005 was approximately R$158 million, with 11 million from taxes, 77 million reais from services, 17 million reais from industry, and 52 million reais from agriculture. There were 651 rural producers on 69,000 hectares of land. 183 farms had tractors (2006). Approximately 1700 persons were occupied in agriculture. The main crops are coffee, rice, beans, and corn. There were 96,000 head of cattle, of which 24,000 were milk cows (2006).^[1]

There were 5 banks (2007): Banco Bradesco (Banco Postal, Correios), Banco do Brasil, Banco Itaú, Caixa Econômica Federal, Crediluz (Cooperativa de Crédito dos Produtores Rurais de Luz). There were 3 hotels: Hotel Turista, Hotel Oeste, and Hotel Planalto.^[2]

In the vehicle fleet there were 2632 automobiles, 252 trucks, 326 pickup trucks, 19 buses, 43 micro-buses, and 857 motorcycles (2007).^[1]

Health and education

In the health sector there were 8 public health clinics and 1 private hospital with 56 beds. (2005). Patients with more serious health conditions are transported to Belo Horizonte. Educational needs of 3800 students were met by 10 primary schools, 2 middle schools, and 4 pre-primary schools.^[1]

• Municipal Human Development Index: 0.801 (2000)
• State ranking: 35 out of 853 municipalities as of 2000
• National ranking: 537 out of 5,138 municipalities as of 2000
• Literacy rate: 90%
• Life expectancy: 71 (average of males and females)^[6]

In 2000 the per capita monthly income of R$369.00 was above the state average of R$276.00 and below the national average of R$297.00. Poços de Caldas had the highest per capita monthly income in 2000 with R$435.00. The lowest was Setubinha with R$73.00.

The highest ranking municipality in Minas Gerais in 2000 was Poços de Caldas with 0.841, while the lowest was Setubinha with 0.568. Nationally the highest was São Caetano do Sul in São Paulo with 0.919, while the lowest was Setubinha. In more recent statistics (considering 5,507 municipalities) Manari in the state of Pernambuco has the lowest rating in the country—0,467—putting it in last place.^[6]

Luz important names:

Ronaldo Costa Couto (Writer)

Edmar Bernardes da Silva - also written DaSilva (Writer, Geographer and Pedagogue)

Belchior José Joaquim da Silva Neto (Writer and the second bishop of Luz Diocese)

Iara Maria Coelho (Miss Luz, Miss Minas Gerais and Second Running up Miss Brazil)

Capitão Alexandre Du (the first mayor of Luz)^[7]

References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 IBGE
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Prefeitura municipal de Luz
3. ↑ Citybrazil
4. ↑ DERMG
5. ↑ A onde fica
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Frigoletto
7. ↑ http://www.jornaldeluz.com.br/ - Jornal de Luz - periódico do munícipio de Luz

Ronaldo Costa Couto - Economista/escritor/historiador/jornalista/professor/PHD história/presidente do Tribunal de Contas do Distrito Federal/ex-secretário de Estado do Planejamento dos Estados de Minas Gerais e do Rio de Janeiro/ex-ministro de Estado do Interior/ex-ministro de Estado do Trabalho/ ex-ministro de Estado da Casa Civil/ex-governador do Distrito Federal/membro do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico do Distrito Federal e da Academia Mineira de Letras. Nascido em Luz.

Edmar Bernardes da Silva - Escritor/Poeta/Pesquisador/Pedagogo/Professor Universitário nos Estados Unidos/Doutorado em Pedagogia da Educação/Membro da Associação dos Geógrafos Americanos nos Estados Unidos (AAG - Association of the American Geographers)/Membro do Coselho Nacional Para Educação Geográfica (National Council For Geographic Education)/Membro do Conselho Nacional das Ciências Sociais nos Estados Unidos (NCSS - National Council for the Social Studies)/residência e trabalho nos Estados Unidos. Nascido em Luz.

ÉLCIO COSTA COUTO - Economista/ex-presidente interino do BID/ex-vice-presidente do BID/ex-secretário-geral do Ministério do Planejamento/um dos autores do Plano de Metas do Milagre Econômico/Ex-presidente do Café Brasília/ex-secretário de Estado da Agricultura do Rio de Janeiro/ex-presidente da Fenabram. Nascido em Luz.

OZÓRIO JOSÉ ARAÚJO DO COUTO - Escritor/editor/poeta/jornalista/advogado/historiador/produtor cultural/membro do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico de Minas Gerais, da Arcádia de Minas Gerais e da Academia de Letras João Guimarães Rosa da Polícia Militar de Minas Gerais. Nascido em Luz.

JOSAPHÁ MACÊDO - Médico/cônsul da Holanda em Minas/ ex-prefeito de Mariana, MG/fundador da FAEMG/construtor da Casa Grande em Luz, cópia do Palácio do Catete, sede do Governo Federal quando o Rio de Janeiro era capital do Brasil. Nascido em Luz.

CÉSAR MACÊDO - Ator/comediante/Rede Globo de Televisão/Rede Bandeirantes de Televisão. Nascido em Luz.

DOM VICENTE ZICO - Arcebispo Emérito de Belém do Pará. Nascido em Luz.

TÍNDARO SILVANO - Bailarino/coreógrafo/foi 1º solista do Palácio das Artes, Belo Horizonte, MG; 2º solista do Teatro Municipal de São Paulo, SP; 2º solista do Teatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro. Dançou nos principais teatros das Américas e da Europa. Nascido em Luz.

OTÁVIO MACHADO NETO(Vavinho Couto) - Ex-jogador do Botafogo de Ribeirão Preto/advogado/odontólogo/ex-presidente da Câmara de Ribeirão Preto, SP, por dois mandatos. Nascido em Luz.

IARA MARIA COELHO JEREISATTI - Modelo/Miss Beleza Minas/Miss Minas Gerais/Miss Brasil World/outros títulos internacionais: Ucrânia/China... Nascida em Luz.

MANOEL MENDES FREITAS - Ministro do Tribunal Federal do Trabalho. Nascido em Luz.

Outros nomes históricos (Não Nascidos em Luz, mas que viveram e fizeram muito por Luz): "Capitão" ALEXANDRE DE OLIVEIRA S. DÚ ANTÔNIO GOMES DE MACÊDO "Coronel" JOSÉ THOMÁZ "MAJOR" ANTÔNIO ALVES CORGOZINHO Dom Belchior Neto

See also

• List of municipalities in Minas Gerais

Coordinates: 19°48′03″S 45°41′09″W / 19.80083°S 45.68583°W / -19.80083; -45.68583