Founding
municipality of Minas Gerais state, Brazil
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Uberlândia (Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation: [ubɛʁˈlɐ̃dʒi.ɐ]) is a Brazilian municipality located in the interior of the state of Minas Gerais, in the region known as Triângulo Mineiro, Southeast Region of the country. With a population of 754,954 inhabitants, according to the 2024 population estimate by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), it is the second most populous municipality in the state.
Located 537 kilometers from the state capital, Belo Horizonte, the Uberlândia region was inhabited by Caiapó and Bororo indigenous peoples until the arrival of the bandeirante Bartolomeu Bueno da Silva in 1632. In the late 1880s, the municipality of São Pedro de Uberabinha gained independence from Uberaba, but it was not until 1929 that the city was renamed "Uberlândia." Following emancipation, the city's urban area experienced significant growth, and by the early 20th century, Uberlândia had already diversified its industrial sectors.
The gross domestic product (GDP) of the municipality is the 27th largest in Brazil, standing out in the area of service provision. In terms of tourism, the city attracts visitors with its various cultural, natural, and architectural attractions, such as the Uberlândia Municipal Market, Parque do Sabiá, Victorio Siquierolli Municipal Park, Clarimundo Carneiro Square, Tubal Vilela Square, Bicota/Rosário Square, and the renowned Rondon Pacheco Avenue.
The original name of the current city of Uberlândia was São Pedro de Uberabinha, a designation received when it was elevated to a district of Uberaba on 21 May 1852. By State Law No. 23, of 14 March 1891, it was renamed Uberabinha, coinciding with its establishment date. By State Law No. 1,128, of 19 October 1929, the city was renamed Uberlândia, a name it retains to this day.
"Uberlândia" is a term composed of two words from different origins: "uber" and "lândia":
The first European to set foot in the region of the current municipality of Uberlândia, a territory then inhabited by Caiapó and Bororo indigenous peoples, was the bandeirante Bartolomeu Bueno da Silva in 1632. The region, initially part of the Captaincy of São Vicente, was incorporated into the Captaincy of Minas Gerais and São Paulo by a Royal Charter of 3 November 1709. João Pereira da Rocha (1818), after the region was explored by bandeirantes, settled in the area, marking land near the Aldeia de Santana (now Indianópolis). There, he established the headquarters of the sesmaria, which he named São Francisco Farm, giving rise to the municipality. He also demarcated the Letreiro Farm and Salto Farm and named a waterway he found Ribeirão São Pedro. João Pereira's arrival attracted many other families, including the Carrejos, who, in 1835, acquired part of the São Francisco Farm and nearby properties, forming settlements named Olhos d'Água, Lage, Marimbondo, and Tenda (Felisberto's). Felisberto Alves Carrijo, legally recognized as the city's founder in 1964, was a teacher educated in missionary schools. He established the first school in the municipality at his home and led Sunday rosary prayers. A settlement formed, later named Nossa Senhora do Carmo in honor of a chapel of the same name, inaugurated on 20 October 1853.
On 11 June 1857, twelve additional alqueires donated by Luís Alves Pereira's wife, Custódia Fernandes dos Santos, and other citizens were incorporated into the settlement's patrimony. This area, already inhabited by enslaved people, gave rise to the Patrimônio neighborhood in the southern zone, under Provincial Law No. 831. Exactly one month later, the Parish of São Pedro de Uberabinha was created. In 1861, the Chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was expanded, becoming the Nossa Senhora do Carmo de São Pedro de Uberabinha Parish Church, which was demolished in 1943.
By Decree No. 51, of 7 June 1888, the parishes of Santa Maria and São Pedro de Uberabinha were elevated to the status of a town. Two months later, on 31 August of that year, the municipality of São Pedro de Uberabinha, now Uberlândia, was created, separating from Uberaba, under Provincial Law No. 4,643. Over the years, there were several changes in district subdivisions. In the 1911 general census records, the municipality consisted of the districts of Uberabinha (seat) and Santa Maria. By State Law No. 843, of 7 September 1923, the Martinópolis district was created with land detached from the seat district. By State Decree-Law No. 1,058, of 31 December 1943, the districts of Tapuirama and Cruzeiro dos Peixotos were created. Under the same decree-law, the Santa Maria district was renamed Miraporanga, and Martinópolis was renamed Martinésia.
On 14 March 1891, the village of São Pedro de Uberabinha was established and the first Municipal Council was inaugurated. The creation of the judicial district of São Pedro de Uberabinha occurred under Law Eleven, of 13 November of that year. On 21 December, the Civil Court of the Uberabinha Judicial Term, Judicial District of Araguari, was established. On 7 March 1892, the first Municipal Chamber of São Pedro de Uberabinha was sworn in, with Augusto César Ferreira e Souza as the executive agent. On 22 March, the first jury session was held, presided over by Duarte Pimentel de Ulhôa, the first judge of the judicial district, a position he held from 1892 until his death on 2 January 1928.
After Uberlândia's emancipation, the city's urban area experienced significant growth. In 1897, the first secondary school in the municipality was established: the Uberabinhense School. On 7 January of the same year, the newspaper "A Reforma," the city's first newspaper, began circulation, founded and directed by Professor João Luiz da Silva. By the early 20th century, the city had diversified its industries to include a brewery, a shoe factory, a cigarette factory, a blacksmith shop, a carpentry shop, and a saddlery shop. Besides these relatively simple industries, which produced household goods, construction materials, agricultural tools, and riding equipment, there was an agropastoral industry that, though rudimentary, was regulated by the Municipal Code. The pastoral industry centered on raising cattle for local consumption and pigs for both consumption and export to other municipalities and states.
On unpaved streets and avenues, wagons, carts, and oxcarts operated under regulated traffic. This legislation governed vehicle registration, passenger capacity for carts, fare prices, and animal welfare standards. Besides wagons and carts, oxcarts were among the most significant and demanded means of transport. Even with the arrival of the Mogiana Railway in Uberabinha in 1895, these transport methods retained their importance, as trade between the city and areas not served by rail relied on oxcarts for transporting goods. For small purchases, visits, and various other activities, horses were used as a means of transport.
Until 1908, the population's social activities revolved around religious celebrations and sacraments, such as attending Mass on Sundays, participating in baptisms, weddings, and organizing and attending kermesses, which helped fulfill religious duties and fostered community ties. Sunday band performances were also held. Additionally, some residents enjoyed organizing and participating in beauty pageants. There were also gaming houses which served as social interaction spaces.
With the city's demographic growth, there was a need to invest in municipal infrastructure and culture. Throughout the 20th century, about ten movie theaters were established in Uberlândia. Several entertainment venues and theaters were also opened, along with the Cultural Center, an institution housing the municipality's cultural collections, inaugurated in 2008. Its headquarters is located in a building constructed between 1922 and 1924, originally intended as the residence of Eduardo Marquez, mayor from 1923 to 1926.
The municipality's area is 4,115.82 km², representing 0.7017% of the state, 0.4452% of the Southeast Region, and 0.0484% of the entire Brazilian territory. Of this total, 135.3492 km² are within the urban perimeter.
Uberlândia's average elevation is 887 m. The highest point in the municipality is located at the headwaters of Cachoeirinha Stream, measuring 930 m. The lowest elevation is at the mouth of the Uberabinha River, at 622 m. The municipal seat is situated at an elevation of 863.18 m. The municipality is located within the Plateaus and Highlands domain of the Paraná Basin, specifically in the Southern Plateau subunit of the Paraná Basin. It features a typical highland landscape (gently rolling over sedimentary formations, with spaced valleys). The characteristic vegetation in this region is the Cerrado and its variants. The soils are acidic and have low fertility. Approximately 70% of Uberlândia's territory consists of rolling terrain, with the remaining 30% being flat.
Uberlândia is located within the Paranaíba River basin, with several sub-basins of small and medium streams playing significant roles in its configuration. It is drained by the Tijuco River basin (the second largest tributary of the Paranaíba River), located in the south and southwest of the municipality, with main tributaries including the Babilônia, Douradinho, and Estiva Streams, the Cabaçal River, all in rural areas, and the Araguari River. The Araguari basin covers the eastern portion of the municipality. Its main tributary within the municipality is the Uberabinha River, which runs through the urban perimeter. The hydroelectric potential of this river is exploited through the operation of the Nova Ponte, Miranda, and Amador Aguiar I and II hydroelectric plants.
The Uberabinha River is part of the Araguari River basin and highly significant for the city. Along with its tributaries, it serves as the water source for the population. The main tributaries of the Araguari in rural areas are the Beija-Flor, Rio das Pedras, and Bom Jardim Streams, another important water source for the municipality's water supply. In the urban area, the Uberabinha River has smaller tributaries, such as the Cajubá, Tabocas, São Pedro (fully channeled), Vinhedo, Lagoinha, Liso, do Salto, Guaribas, Bons Olhos, do Óleo, and Cavalo Streams, among others.
The predominant vegetation in the municipality is the Cerrado and its variants, such as clean fields, dirty fields, cerradões, floodplain forests, riparian forests, and mesophytic forests. Only in the western part of the municipality, where altitudes range from 700 to 850 m, are the soils shallower with low fertility, and the predominant vegetation is semideciduous forest.
The city has eleven areas protected by environmental legislation, known as Conservation Units, which include riparian forest along the banks of watercourses (rivers, streams, etc.), protecting their waters against siltation and their slopes against erosion, contributing to the preservation of the fauna and flora of the Cerrado.
To further environmental preservation, the city hall has organized the Environment Week annually in June since 2007, with an average participation of approximately 1,500 people. The event includes lectures, workshops, and guided visits.
The city of Uberlândia also features several other green spaces, such as:
The climate of Uberlândia is characterized as tropical, with reduced rainfall in winter and an annual average temperature of around 22 °C. Autumn and spring are transitional seasons. Rainfall is slightly above 1,600 millimeters (mm), concentrated in the summer months. Precipitation occurs as rain, with occasional hail. During the dry season, the municipality often records critically low relative humidity levels, sometimes below 20%, with levels below 30% considered a state of alert.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Uberlândia”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.