Bom Despacho, Minas Gerais
Encyclopedia
Bom Despacho is a Brazilian municipality located in the west of the state of Minas Gerais
. Its population as of 2007 was 22,260 people living in a total area of 1,202 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho. It became a municipality in 1912.
, Bom Despacho
, Dores do Indaiá
, Estrela do Indaiá
, Japaraíba
, Lagoa da Prata
, Leandro Ferreira
, Luz
, Martinho Campos
, Moema
, Quartel Geral
, and Serra da Saudade
. In 2000 the area of this region was 7,515.50 km² and the population was 146,156 inhabitants.
to Uberaba
. State highway MG-164 leads to Martinho Campos
in the north (63 km.). The São Francisco River
forms the western municipal boundary. Neighboring municipalities are: Martinho Campos
(N), Leandro Ferreira
(E), Araújos
, Moema
, and Luz
(S), and Dores do Indaiá
(W).
Distances to other cities
There were 5 banks (2007). The motor vehicle fleet had 8,354 automobiles, 1,049 pickup trucks, and 2,520 motorcycles. The ratio of inhabitant per motor vehicle was 2/1.
Working population by sector
. Educational needs of 9,700 students were met by 20 primary schools, 6 middle schools, and 18 pre-primary schools.
In 2000 the per capita monthly income of R$307.00 was above the state and national average of R$276.00 and R$297.00 respectively. 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.
Due to the efforts of the Brazilian politician Faustino Assunção the city of Bom Despacho was chosen to participate in the settlement program initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture during the Bernardes government.
(President of the state of Minas Gerais from 1918–1922 and president of Brazil 1922-1926) The aim of this program was to attract European settlers to cultivate the soil surrounding Bom Despacho.
For this purpose, the city provided two large areas of farmland in the direct vicinity of Bom Despacho which were named after Brazilian politicians, Colônia David Campista and Colônia Álvaro da Silveira.
At the beginning of the 1920s settlers from various European countries arrived in several waves.
Most of them were from Germany as the country was in political and economical turmoil after the defeat in World War 1.
The new settlers received agricultural plots, houses, tools, and seeds on a credit basis which they had to pay off from the proceeds of their crop.
The German embassy even established and operated a German school on Colonia David Campista. The school served the families of both settlements, a known total of at least 54 families.
However, the German immigrants on these two settlements dispersed within the next two decades. Unfrugal soil and tropical diseases let many settlers to abandon their lot qickly and seek work in the big cities, such as Belo Horzionte.
Some German families even returned to Germany.
When Brazil joined World War 2 on the side of the Allies in 1942, the German school was closed and it was forbidden to even speak German.
As a result, many more settlers left their plots.
Today, there are only very few descendants of the original German settlers still living on Colonia David Campista and on Colonia Alvaro Da Silveira.
However, some of them still speak German.
The cemetery belonging to the two farmlands is called German cemetery by the locals. Its official inscription on the gate reads Imigrantes da Colonia.
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
. Its population as of 2007 was 22,260 people living in a total area of 1,202 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho. It became a municipality in 1912.
Micro-region of Bom Despacho
Bom Despacho is a statistical micro-region which includes 12 municipalities: AraújosAraújos
Araújos is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 7,201 people living in a total area of 245 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho...
, Bom Despacho
Bom Despacho
Bom Despacho can refer to the following places:*A Brazilian city located in the state of Minas Gerais. It is located 156 km from Belo Horizonte and had a population of 42,215 ....
, Dores do Indaiá
Dores do Indaiá
Dores do Indaiá is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 13,996 people living in a total area of 1,110 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho...
, Estrela do Indaiá
Estrela do Indaiá
Estrela do Indaiá is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 3,651 people living in a total area of 635 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho...
, Japaraíba
Japaraíba
Japaraíba is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 3,688 people living in a total area of 172 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho...
, Lagoa da Prata
Lagoa da Prata
Lagoa da Prata is a Brazilian city in the state of Minas Gerais. In 2006, its population was estimated to be 44,628. The city belongs to the mesoregion of Central Mineira and to the microregion of Bom Despacho.-Early history:...
, Leandro Ferreira
Leandro Ferreira
Leandro Ferreira is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 2,955 people living in a total area of . The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho...
, Luz
Luz, Minas Gerais
Luz is a Brazilian municipality located in the West part of the state of Minas Gerais. Luz is located between the city of Araxa 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...
, Martinho Campos
Martinho Campos
Martinho Campos is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 12,165 people living in a total area of 1,060 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho...
, Moema
Moema
Moema is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 6,754 people living in a total area of 203 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho...
, Quartel Geral
Quartel Geral
Quartel Geral is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 3,200 people living in a total area of 556 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho...
, and Serra da Saudade
Serra da Saudade
Serra da Saudade is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 863 people living in a total area of , making it the smallest municipality of Brazil. The population density is 256.84/km2 . The city belongs to the meso-region of Central...
. In 2000 the area of this region was 7,515.50 km² and the population was 146,156 inhabitants.
Location
The city center of Bom Despahco is located at an elevation of 768 meters just off the major federal highway BR-262, which links Belo HorizonteBelo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
to Uberaba
Uberaba
Uberaba is a city and municipality in the west of the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. Its population is 296.000 with an area of 4529.7 km², giving a density of 60.71 people per km². It is located on a plateau at an elevation of 785 meters and is in the Uberaba River floodplain...
. State highway MG-164 leads to Martinho Campos
Martinho Campos
Martinho Campos is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 12,165 people living in a total area of 1,060 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho...
in the north (63 km.). The São Francisco River
São Francisco River
The São Francisco is a river in Brazil. With a length of , it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America and overall in Brazil...
forms the western municipal boundary. Neighboring municipalities are: Martinho Campos
Martinho Campos
Martinho Campos is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 12,165 people living in a total area of 1,060 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho...
(N), Leandro Ferreira
Leandro Ferreira
Leandro Ferreira is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 2,955 people living in a total area of . The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho...
(E), Araújos
Araújos
Araújos is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 7,201 people living in a total area of 245 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho...
, Moema
Moema
Moema is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 6,754 people living in a total area of 203 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho...
, and Luz
Luz, Minas Gerais
Luz is a Brazilian municipality located in the West part of the state of Minas Gerais. Luz is located between the city of Araxa 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...
(S), and Dores do Indaiá
Dores do Indaiá
Dores do Indaiá is a Brazilian municipality located in the center of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 13,996 people living in a total area of 1,110 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Central Mineira and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho...
(W).
Distances to other cities
- Belo Horizonte/MG - 141 km
- Brasília/DF - 730 km
- Rio de Janeiro/RJ - 576 km
- São Paulo/SP - 580 km
- Martinho Campos/MG - 50 km
- Araújos/MG - 19 km
- Luz/MG - 49 km
- Moema/MG - 23 km
Economic activities
Services, light industry, and agriculture are the most important economic activities. The GDP in 2005 was approximately R$393 million, R$41 million from taxes, 223 million reais from services, 77 million reais from industry, and 51 million reais from agriculture. There were 560 rural producers on 63,000 hectares of land (2006). 179 farms had tractors (2006). Approximately 2,000 persons were involved in agriculture. The main crops are watermelon, soybeans, rice, sugarcane, and corn. There were 78,000 head of cattle (2006). Poultry raising was also substantial with over one million head in 2006.There were 5 banks (2007). The motor vehicle fleet had 8,354 automobiles, 1,049 pickup trucks, and 2,520 motorcycles. The ratio of inhabitant per motor vehicle was 2/1.
Working population by sector
- Transformation industries (218 units): 1,929 workers
- Commerce (937 units): 3,430 workers
- Lodging and restaurants (32 units): 302 workers
- Transport, storage, communications (98 units): 450 workers
- Public administration: 1,000 workers
- Health and social services: 332 workers
Health and education
In the health sector there were 12 public health clinics (2005) and 2 private hospitals with 96 beds. Patients with more serious health conditions are transported to Belo HorizonteBelo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
. Educational needs of 9,700 students were met by 20 primary schools, 6 middle schools, and 18 pre-primary schools.
- Municipal Human Development IndexHuman Development IndexThe Human Development Index is a composite statistic used to rank countries by level of "human development" and separate "very high human development", "high human development", "medium human development", and "low human development" countries...
: 0.799 (2000) - State ranking: 42 out of 853 municipalities as of 2000
- National ranking: 584 out of 5,138 municipalities as of 2000
- Literacy rate: 90%
- Life expectancy: 72 (average of males and females)
In 2000 the per capita monthly income of R$307.00 was above the state and national average of R$276.00 and R$297.00 respectively. Poços de Caldas
Poços de Caldas
Poços de Caldas is a city and municipality in south-western Minas Gerais state, Brazil, in the microregion of the same name. Its estimated population in 2009 was 151,449 inhabitants...
had the highest per capita monthly income in 2000 with R$435.00. The lowest was Setubinha
Setubinha
Setubinha is a municipality in the northeast of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. As of 2007 the population was 10,834 in a total area of 536 km². The elevation is 729 metres. It is part of the IBGE statistical microregion of Teófilo Otoni...
with R$73.00.
The highest ranking municipality in Minas Gerais in 2000 was Poços de Caldas
Poços de Caldas
Poços de Caldas is a city and municipality in south-western Minas Gerais state, Brazil, in the microregion of the same name. Its estimated population in 2009 was 151,449 inhabitants...
with 0.841, while the lowest was Setubinha
Setubinha
Setubinha is a municipality in the northeast of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. As of 2007 the population was 10,834 in a total area of 536 km². The elevation is 729 metres. It is part of the IBGE statistical microregion of Teófilo Otoni...
with 0.568. Nationally the highest was São Caetano do Sul
São Caetano do Sul
São Caetano do Sul is a city in São Paulo state in Brazil, located in the Greater São Paulo Metropolitan Area. It is the city with the highest per capita income in Brazil and it also has the highest Human Development Index .-Geography:São Caetano do Sul is located on a plateau that is part of the...
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
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
has the lowest rating in the country—0,467—putting it in last place.
History of Immigration
The city of Bom Despacho has seen a significant influx of German settlers in the 1920s, however, their tradition has vanished and their history is almost forgotten.Due to the efforts of the Brazilian politician Faustino Assunção the city of Bom Despacho was chosen to participate in the settlement program initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture during the Bernardes government.
(President of the state of Minas Gerais from 1918–1922 and president of Brazil 1922-1926) The aim of this program was to attract European settlers to cultivate the soil surrounding Bom Despacho.
For this purpose, the city provided two large areas of farmland in the direct vicinity of Bom Despacho which were named after Brazilian politicians, Colônia David Campista and Colônia Álvaro da Silveira.
At the beginning of the 1920s settlers from various European countries arrived in several waves.
Most of them were from Germany as the country was in political and economical turmoil after the defeat in World War 1.
The new settlers received agricultural plots, houses, tools, and seeds on a credit basis which they had to pay off from the proceeds of their crop.
The German embassy even established and operated a German school on Colonia David Campista. The school served the families of both settlements, a known total of at least 54 families.
However, the German immigrants on these two settlements dispersed within the next two decades. Unfrugal soil and tropical diseases let many settlers to abandon their lot qickly and seek work in the big cities, such as Belo Horzionte.
Some German families even returned to Germany.
When Brazil joined World War 2 on the side of the Allies in 1942, the German school was closed and it was forbidden to even speak German.
As a result, many more settlers left their plots.
Today, there are only very few descendants of the original German settlers still living on Colonia David Campista and on Colonia Alvaro Da Silveira.
However, some of them still speak German.
The cemetery belonging to the two farmlands is called German cemetery by the locals. Its official inscription on the gate reads Imigrantes da Colonia.
See also
- List of municipalities in Minas Gerais
- Colônia Álvaro da Silveira (in PortuguesePortuguese languagePortuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
) - Colônia David Campista (in PortuguesePortuguese languagePortuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
)