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Iturama is a municipality with a total area of 401 km² in the center-west of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.

In 2020 the population was estimated at 39,690.^[1] It became a municipality on 27 December 1948.

Location

Iturama belongs to the micro-region of Frutal. It is located in the region of western Minas Gerais known as Triângulo Mineiro at an elevation of 453 meters. It is bounded in the south, at the border with the state of São Paulo, by a large artificial lake and the river Rio Grande, created by the Água Vermelha Dam. Iturama has neighboring municipalities:

Distances from other places:

Belo Horizonte: 764 km
Uberaba: 286 km
São Francisco de Sales: 51 km
Frutal: 145 km ^[3]

São Paulo: 637 km

History and culture

The name "Iturama" comes from Itu (big) and Rama (waterfall) in the language of the pre-Columbian inhabitants, the Kayapó.

Politically, in last 100 years, the Iturama region was dominated by rich farmers' families who received their lands from the King of Portugal. Lands belonging to the Kayapós was dominated by Portuguese Empire explorers and distributed to them and their partners, called Bandeirantes. They killed more than 3 million Indigeans to dominate Brazil from 1522-1822. In Iturama there is still much prejudice, including against black people and Indigeans. Culture is often related to religious expression. There is music and songs called Folia de Reis (Kings Dance, remembering Jesus' birth visited by a black and two white kings). Education takes place in more than 10 basic and high schools, a free federal university and a private university, and more than five privates poles^{[clarification needed]} of distance or semi-distance higher education. The federal university (Universidede Federal do Triângulo Mineiro) teaches Agronomy, Sciences for teachers graduating (Biologic Science and Chemistry). The private university teaches lawyers, managers, engineers and teachers.

Economic activities

The most important economic activities are cattle raising, commerce, and agriculture. GDP in 2005 was R$ R$796 million. Iturama is in the top tier of municipalities in the state with regard to economic and social development. In 2007 there were 5 banking agencies in the town. There is well-developed retail infrastructure serving the surrounding area of cattle and agricultural lands. There are about 5,800 automobiles in the municipality, about one for every 5 inhabitants—a high ratio for Brazil.^[4]

Iturama is an important agricultural producer. In the rural area there are about 530 establishments occupying 77,000 hectares. About 1,300 persons are employed in agriculture. 180 of the farms had tractors, a ratio of one in three. There were 87,000 head of cattle in 2006, of which 30,000 were dairy cows. In permanent crops there were 4,000 ha. planted, while in perennial crops 3,500 ha. were planted (2006). The crops with a planted area of more than 100 hectares were peanuts, rice, sugarcane, corn, and soybeans.^[4]

Health and education

In the health sector there are 7 public health clinics and 12 private health clinics. There is one private hospital with 70 beds. In the education sector there are 14 primary schools and 5 middle schools.^[4]

Municipal Human Development Index: 0.803 (2000)
State ranking: 34 out of 853 municipalities as of 2000
National ranking: 512 out of 5,138 municipalities as of 2000
Literacy rate: 88%
Life expectancy: 73 (average of males and females)

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 other 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.^[5]