Prata is aBrazilianmunicipality located in the west of thestate ofMinas Gerais. Its population as of 2020 was 28,017, living in a total area of 4,856 km2.[1] The city belongs to the statisticalmesoregion ofTriângulo Mineiro andAlto Paranaíba and to the statisticalmicroregion ofUberlândia. It became a municipality in 1873.[2]
Prata is located at an elevation of 631 meters in the rich region known as theTriângulo Mineiro. It is southwest ofUberlândia and northwest ofUberaba and is connected to Uberlândia by federal highway BR-497.
The distance toUberlândia is 74 km; and the distance toBelo Horizonte is 640 km. Neighboring municipalities are:Monte Alegre de Minas(N);Ituiutaba,Campina Verde (W) ;Comendador Gomes,Campo Florido (S);Uberlândia andVeríssimo (E).[3]
The main economic activities are services, agriculture, and small industries. The GDP in 2005 was R$261 million, with 112 million from services, 29 million from industry, and 102 million from agriculture. There were 1,487 rural producers on 327,000 hectares of land. 607 farms had tractors. The main crops were peanuts, rice, sugarcane, beans, corn, and soybeans (15,000 hectares). There were 344,000 head of cattle (2006).[2][4]
The social indicators rank it in the top tier of municipalities in the state.
The highest ranking municipality in Minas Gerais in 2000 wasPoços de Caldas with 0.841, while the lowest wasSetubinha with 0.568. Nationally the highest wasSão 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 ofPernambuco has the lowest rating in the country—0,467—putting it in last place.[5]
There was one hospital with 41 beds in 2005. Patients with more serious health conditions are taken care of inUberlândia orUberaba.
At Prata there were found rock paintings and fossils of the biggest dinosaur found in Brazil which lived 80 million years ago in the region of Serra da Boa Vista, 40 km from the municipal seat.The dinosaur was calledMaxakalisaurus topai and, after popular vote, it is now known as DINOPRATA.The model of the 13 meter long titanossauro (made in resin) has been on display in the Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro since August, 2006.
19°18′25″S48°55′26″W / 19.30694°S 48.92389°W /-19.30694; -48.92389