Leopoldina, Minas Gerais
Leopoldina | |
|---|---|
Cathedral of St. Sebastian | |
Location of the municipality in Minas Gerais | |
| Coordinates: 21°31′55″S 42°38′34″W / 21.53194°S 42.64278°W | |
| Country | Brazil |
| State | Minas Gerais |
| Mesoregion | Zona da Mata |
| Microregion | Cataguases |
| Founded | April 27, 1854 |
| Government | |
| • Body | Municipal Chamber of Leopoldina |
| • Mayor | Pedro Augusto Junqueira Ferraz (2021-2024) |
| Area | |
• Total | 942.74 km2 (363.99 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 225 m (738 ft) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 52,640 |
| • Density | 56/km2 (140/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−3 (BRT) |
| CEP | 36700-000 to 36709-999 |
| HDI (PNUD/2010) | 0,726 |
| GDP (IBGE/2010) | R$ 567 947,947 |
| GDP per capita (IBGE/2010) | R$ 11 106,62 |
| Website | http://www.leopoldina.mg.gov.br/ |
Leopoldina is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Minas Gerais. It belongs to the Zona da Mata mesoregion and it located 322 kilometers southeast of Belo Horizonte, the state capital. In 2022, its estimated population was 51 145 inhabitants, according to IBGE. Its territory covers an area of 943 km2.
The municipal headquarters has an average annual temperature of 21°C and the vegetation is predominantly Atlantic forest. Regarding the automobile fleet, 16,575 vehicles were registered in 2012. The municipality's Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.726, classified as high.
The political emancipation of the municipality took place in 1854, and its name is a tribute to Princess Leopoldina de Bragança e Bourbon, daughter of Emperor D. Pedro II. Currently it is formed by the headquarters and the districts of Abaíba, Piacatuba, Providência, Ribeiro Junqueira and Tebas. The city, during the coffee cycle, was one of the most important in the former province of Minas Gerais. With the great economic crisis of 1929, the economy of the municipalities of Minas Gerais linked to coffee growing suffered a great impact. Nowadays, its economy is based on dairy farming, rice cultivation and the service sector.
Leopoldina has cultural, natural and architectural attractions, such as the Cathedral of St. Sebastian, the Espaço dos Anjos Museum, the Electricity Museum, the Maurício Hydroelectric Power Plant reservoir, the Cruzeiro Hill, among others. One of the main events that happen in the city are the Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition, the Feira da Paz and the traditional Viola and Gastronomy Festival of Piacatuba.