Belo Horizonte , City (pop., 2010: city, 2,375,444), Capital of Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil. It lies on the western slope of the Serra do Espinhaço at an elevation of 2,720 ft (830 m). The site was chosen in the late 19th century to provide expansions that the former capital could not accommodate. Brazil’s first planned city, it was laid out on a grid following the models of Washington, D.C., and La Plata, Arg. It is the hub of a large agricultural region and the area’s commercial and industrial centre.
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