MINAS
GERAIS ECONOMY |
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Minas Gerais (or simply Minas, as it is commonly called) is a major producer
of milk, coffee and other rural commodities, as well as minerals.
Electronics are also produced in Minas. Automakers Fiat and Mercedes have
factories there.
The state has marked divisions in economic terms. The southern part of the
state (close to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro state borders) has several
mid-sized cities with solid industrial basis, such as Juiz de Fora,
Varginha, Pouso Alegre, and Poços de Caldas. The northeastern region is
marked by poverty, but Governador Valadares and Teófilo Otoni attract
foreign traders for its semi-precious gems such as topaz and saphyr. |
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central region of the state (where the capital is located) has big reserves
of iron (and to a lower extend, gold) still being actively mined. The
western part, known as "Triângulo Mineiro" (which means "Minas's triangle"),
is less densely populated than the rest of the state, and it is now a focus
of biotechnology investment, particularly on the cities of Uberlândia and
Uberaba, that includes leading research on cattle, soy and corn cultures. |
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