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Três Pontas | |
|---|---|
| Município de Três Pontas Municipality of Três Pontas | |
 View of part of the city. | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nickname: Terra do café (Land ofCoffee) | |
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| Coordinates:21°22′13″S45°30′44″W / 21.37028°S 45.51222°W /-21.37028; -45.51222 | |
| Country |  Brazil |
| Region | Southeast |
| State |  Minas Gerais |
| Founded | 1768 |
| Founded by | Bento Ferreira de Brito |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Luciana Ferreira Mendonça (PR) |
| Area | |
• Total | 689.421 km2 (266.187 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 905 m (2,969 ft) |
| Population (2020[1]) | |
• Total | 56,940 |
| Demonym | Trespontano |
| Time zone | UTC-3 (UTC-3) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-2 (UTC-2) |
| Postal Code (CEP) | 37190-000 |
| Website | Prefeitura de Três Pontas |
Três Pontas (Portuguese pronunciation:[ˈtɾesˈpõtas],Three Tips) is amunicipality located in southernMinas Gerais state,Brazil. It's a city with about all streets of urban zone paved and services of water and sewage to all people. The municipality has about 57 thousand inhabitants and apopulation density of 78.12 inhabitants/km2. The roadMG-167 is the only paved road that passes through the city, but theRodovia Fernão Dias (BR-381), is less than 50 km from the city centre passing throughVarginha.
The municipality does not have a rugged relief (the average level is 900m), and there are only three areas in which the altitude reaches 1100m abovesea level. One of them is theSerra de Três Pontas (Three Tips Mountain), a place known in the region for its distinctive shape and natural environment.[citation needed] The streams Araras and Espera are the main water courses that pass through the municipality, and they flow into theFurnas Dam. The rivers Verde and Sapucaí pass on the south boundary and flow into Furnas Dam too. The Municipality is located on the basin of theGrande River.
The suave climate favors the growth ofcoffee, the main economic wealth of the city (known as one of the largest producers of coffee inBrazil).
The city name origin is the peculiar shape of the mountain near the city, that was utilized as a reference point by ancient travelers and by the runaway slaves. These slaves formed near the mountain, theQuilombo do Cascalho[2] which was destroyed some time later.
The first inhabitants of the region was the runaway slaves that has formed twoquilombos. During the colonization process, it had fights of settlers and slaves and explorers looking forgold. The soil of Três Pontas has no gold or important mineral resources. So, it was formed farms to create cattle and culture of subsistence.
The chapel of Nossa Senhora d'Ajuda was the start of the locality, founded on October 15, 1768, by the Captain Bento Ferreira de Brito, attracting people scattered around. The locality, with rural and urban characteristics mixed, was formed slowly around the chapel. Três Pontas has supplied the villages that arose with the gold and later theRio de Janeiro. The locality was elevated to a village in April 1841.
On July 3, 1857, the village received the status of city.[3] With the emergence and affirmation of the coffee, in the mid of the 19th century, and with the creation of roads, Três Pontas reach the international market through Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo ports. Coffee has maintained the city economy ever since. Two persons deserve special mention in the city's history: the Barão da Boa Esperança, influential politician who contributed to the development of the municipality, and Padre Victor, pastor of the city.
Três Pontas also had a rail spur, the Trespontana Railroad, which was inaugurated in 1895,[4] whose terminal was where today is located the City Hall. The railway was closed in 1964 due to, among other reasons, the flooding of part of the line by Furnas Dam.
The municipality is limited to the north withCampos Gerais andSantana da Vargem, on south with the municipality ofVarginha,Elói Mendes andParaguaçu, on east withNepomuceno eCarmo da Cachoeira and west withCampos Gerais.[6] It's located at about 290 kilometers away fromBelo Horizonte, the state's capital. According to the map ofurban hierarchy produced by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, Três Pontas is classified as a B zone center, that means the city has a restricted influence, only over the smaller cities around it. The city is under influence ofVarginha that, on the other hand, is under influence of Belo Horizonte.[7]
The municipality has a wavy relief, with altitudes between 800 and 900meters above sea level, with the city located at about 905 meters.[8] However about twenty percent of the municipality is in mountainous regions, in which the height exceeds one thousand meters above sea level. One of these areas is theSerra de Três Pontas (Three Tips Hill), located nineteen kilometers away from the city, where is located the highest point of the municipality, at 1 234 meters above sea level. The lowest point is located on the margins of the Furnas reservoir, at about 770 meters above the sea level.
Red/yellowoxisols. According with Brazilian Systems of Soils Classification all (or almost all) oxisols are acidic and nutrient-poor. However, when adjusted and fertilized these soils become highly productive.
According to the Geologic Map of Minas Gerais,[9] the soils in the south portion of the municipality have kianitegranulite rocks. In the north, it has rocks of theortogneissics complexes (ortogneissesgranitics,granulite,migmatite andanphibolite) and in the region of Três Pontas Mountain the rocks are formed by metapelitic graphitous[clarification needed] alternated withquartzite.
According to IBGE Brazil Climate Map[10] theclimate of Três Pontas is Tropical semi-humid, with a dry season that last between four and five months and the average temperature is between 15 °C and 18 °C in at least one month in the year.
During the summer rains are common in the late afternoon. Temperatures at this time are always very high. In the winter the arrival of polar air masses that drop and cause frost. In this time of year the relative humidity is too low, and causes discomfort to the population.
| Climate data for Três Pontas | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.2 (88.2) | 33.5 (92.3) | 30.3 (86.5) | 27.4 (81.3) | 25.9 (78.6) | 23.5 (74.3) | 25.1 (77.2) | 28.8 (83.8) | 32.3 (90.1) | 31.5 (88.7) | 29.5 (85.1) | 29.4 (84.9) | 29 (84) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19 (66) | 17.4 (63.3) | 17.2 (63.0) | 16.9 (62.4) | 11.4 (52.5) | 10.2 (50.4) | 10.8 (51.4) | 12.9 (55.2) | 13.5 (56.3) | 14.3 (57.7) | 15.8 (60.4) | 17.4 (63.3) | 15.3 (59.5) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 321 (12.6) | 98 (3.9) | 293 (11.5) | 49 (1.9) | 25 (1.0) | 41 (1.6) | 0 (0) | 12 (0.5) | 0 (0) | 139 (5.5) | 178 (7.0) | 192 (7.6) | 1,331 (52.4) |
| Source: COCATREL Temperatures="Temperatures in Três Pontas". COCATREL. Retrieved24 February 2012. | |||||||||||||
The municipality is watered by Verde and Sapucaí rivers (dammed in Furnas), belonging to Grand River Drainage. It also has the Araras and Espera streams, that are formed by the joining of several smaller streams. The Arara stream rises near the town and moves west to flow into the reservoir of Furnas. The Espera stream rises near the Três Pontas Mountain and flows into Furnas near a farm with the same name. Other streams that rises on the north of Três Pontas Mountain go north and flow into Rio Grande.
Três Pontas is in the transition area between the biomeMata Atlântica and the biomeCerrado.[11] The original vegetation of the Municipality is highly modified because of coffee production, but some woods still remain.
The water and sewage service is by S.A.A.E. (Serviço Autônomo de Água e Esgoto,Water and Sewage Autonomous System). Três Pontas has 12644 water connections, that means 100% of urban area homes served with treated water.[12]
The sewage system serves 12572 homes, that means 99.2% of houses have access to the sewage system, that put the city among the cities with better sanitation inBrazil.[12]
In the municipality, 14004 homes have water connections, 1776 draw water from wells or springs on their own property and 263 have other forms of obtaining water.
Electrical power is supplied byCEMIG (Compania Energética de Minas Gerais, or Energetic Company of Minas Gerais).
Três Pontas has about 98% of paved streets in the urban area. Due to the fleet growing in the last years, there is a lack of parking lots in downtown and in peak hours, the traffic becomes slow in some streets.
The city has bus lines that serve almost all neighborhoods of the urban area.
The urban area is crossed for the streams Candongas, Custodinho, Bambus and Quatis. All of them are tributaries of Araras stream.
According to the census, there are 18517 houses[13] in the municipality, that totalize 21819 addresses,[13] being 3474 in the countryside and 18345 in the urban area.[13]
Still according to 2010 census, 15474 homes are houses (96.5%), 526 are apartments (3.3%) and 40 belongs to a condominium (0.2%).[14]
According with the map of Urban Hierarchy of Brazil,[7] Três Pontas is classified as a center of zone B, that means the city has a small regional influence, restricted to small cities which Três Pontas is bordered. The city is under influence ofVarginha that, on the other hand, is under influence ofBelo Horizonte.
Três Pontas is today the greatest producer ofcoffee in the country. There are more than 50 million coffee trees in an area of approximately 300 square kilometres, producing an average of 400 thousand sacks each harvest.
Três Pontas is crossed by the state highwayMG-167 giving access toBR-491 (passing through Varginha) andBR-265 (passing through Santana da Vargem). Both federal highways give access toRodovia Fernão Dias (BR-381).
There is a project for creation of the road Três Pontas - Paraguaçu passing through Pontalete and other for creation of the road Três Pontas - Carmo da Cachoeira.[15]
The city has the Leda Mello Resende Airport[16], 3 km from downtown, with paved runway, measuring 1,150m in length by 20m in width, which allows for the landing and takeoff of small and medium-sized planes.Airlines fromVarginha : TAE, TAM, TAV.
The municipality is crossed by more than 300 km of rural roads, mostly in good condition. Through these routes is possible get directly to Campos Gerais, Nepomuceno, Carmo da Cachoeira and Paraguaçu (passing throughPontalete crossing the Furnas Dam by a ferry line)
It's possible arrive to thePontalete district by boat, because the district is watered by Furnas Dam.
According to the 2010 census, 50.4%(27155) of Três Pontas population are women, and 49.6%(26705) are men.[14]
| Skin color | Number of people[14] | Percentage[14] |
|---|---|---|
| White | 26754 | 49.7% |
| Black | 5554 | 10.3% |
| Yellow | 305 | 0.6% |
| Brown | 21220 | 39.4% |
MunicipalHuman Development Index
The municipal economy is mixed, but coffee is the most important economic product.
Coffee is the predominant crop in Três Pontas, occupying the majority of the cultivated land. The municipality has over 30 million coffee trees spread across approximately 24,000 hectares, making it the largest coffee-producing municipality in Brazil. About 75% of its coffee production is sold through the Coffee Growers' Cooperative of the Três Pontas Region (Cooperativa dos Cafeicultores da Zona de Três Pontas).[18]
Other crops cultivated in the region include corn, beans, and various vegetables. In 2010, the city produced 29,808 tons of coffee, equivalent to around 1% of Brazil's national output, with an average yield of 1,440 kg per hectare, generating a total revenue of R$ 157,982,000.
| Year | Banana | Coffee | Guava | Orange | Passion fruit | Tangerine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 26 | 24032 | - | 6630 | - | 1740 |
| 2000 | 3 | 35904 | - | 5538 | - | 702 |
| 2010 | 40 | 29808 | 4 | 108 | 10 | 126 |
| Production value (R$) | ||||||
| 2000 | 13000 | 42474000 | - | 223 | - | 49 |
| 2010 | 22 | 157982000 | 6 | 52 | 6 | 40 |
| Product | Production Value (R$) (2000).[20] | Production value (R$)(2010) | Planted area (ha)(1990).[21] | Planted area (ha)(2000) | Planted area (ha) (2010) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice | 49 000 | 11000 | 603 | 200 | 8 |
| Sugar cane | - | 14000 | 6118 | (sem dados) | 10 |
| Beans | 502000 | 1764000 | 2400 | 1100 | 1200 |
| Cassava | 77000 | 90000 | 14 | 17 | 10 |
| Corn | 3125000 | 6300000 | 4000 | 4000 | 3500 |
| Tomato | - | 960000 | - | - | 12 |
| Year | Cows | Horses | Buffalo | Asinines | Hinnies | Swine | Goats | Sheep | Chickens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 26724 | 848 | - | - | - | 3124 | 22 | 91 | 40000 |
| 1980 | 20261 | 1500 | - | - | 350 | 6307 | - | - | 37826 |
| 1990 | 20500 | 1070 | - | 119 | 119 | 438 | - | 27 | 32000 |
| 2000 | 20000 | 1620 | 120 | 20 | 140 | 2110 | 50 | 20 | 6400 |
| 2009 | 21727 | 1790 | 262 | 80 | 185 | 1770 | 72 | 21 | 6120 |
Três Pontas has an Industrial park, with small and medium industries:fertilizer industry, agricultural machinery, fabrics, plastic ware, precast products, metalwork, furniture, roasting, baking, graphics, stills and other miscellaneous.
Besides the growth of tourism in the region driven by the dam and farm hotels.
The services correspond to 62% ofGNP of the municipality .[23] The trade contributes significantly to the growth of the city.
About 58% of health facilities are in the responsibility of the municipality. The other 42% are private. The city has a Pronto Atendimento Municipal (Municipal Emergency Services), which attends to the urgent and emergency cases. It also has the Hospital São Francisco de Assis (St. Francis Hospital), which has about 100 beds, surgical, obstetric, pediatric,ICU and medical clinic .[24] The hospital also offers radiology services, ultrasound, sterilization center and clinic.
The Department of Health of Três Pontas manages various clinics scattered throughout neighborhoods.
There are also centers in rural communities and periodic visits.
The Municipal Pharmacy provides medications to low income families.
The Municipal Health Department also carries out periodic preventive campaigns for public awareness about the prevention of various diseases, especiallydengue.
Três Pontas has a Centre of Ophthalmology and a dental center, both with free care for low income families.
There are also several private clinics in several areas of health.
According to the 2010 Census, there are 51 health facilities[13] public and private in Three Points.
About 45% are on elementary school, 41% on kindergarten and 14% on high school.[23]
Most schools are under the responsibility of Municipal Secretary of Education. The city has 14 municipal schools on urban area (being 11 day care centers and kindergarten school, 1 of 1st to 3rd grade, 1 of 1st to 5th grade and 1 of 1st to 9th grade) and 8 on rural zone (being 6 from 1st to 5th grade and 1 kindergarten).[25]
The city has four state schools (that have students from 6th to 9th grade and high school) and four private school (that have students from kindergarten to high school).
Centro Universitário do Sul de Minas (University Center of South Minas).[26]
Três Pontas has many schools with professional courses to serve young people wishing to enter the labor market. A professional school of the SEST/SENAT is also being built.[27]
According to the 2010 census, there are 34 schools[13] in Três Pontas.
Administrated by Culture, Leisure and Tourism Secretary, the library has more than 20 thousand books. It was created in 1959.
School of Guitar, Violin, Cello, Piano, Keyboard, Accordion, Sweet Flute, Flute, Saxophone, Drums, Guitar, Choir, Canto Single, Music Perception, Practice Set, Musicalization Music and Image. It was established in 1987.
Theatre which presents the main cultural events of the city.
The Sports Municipal Secretary arranges several events to promote sports in the city. Among these are: karate classes, football and volleyball for children and teenagers.
There are also many championships among teams of schools and neighborhoods.
The main football matches are played at Ítalo Tomagnini Municipal Stadium, but there are other football fields in other neighborhoods. Other sports, like futsal and volleyball are played at the Gymnasium Aureliano Chaves.
In Três Pontas the preferred tourist destination is thePontalete District,[28] because of the Furnas Dam. Perfect for those who like water sports, the district has many good bars and restaurants.
Other people can visit the Três Pontas (Three tips) Mountain[29] that's about 19 km from city. On the mountain there are many trails,[30] some waterfalls and even a wall made by the slaves.
On the road between Três Pontas and Varginha, the tourist can visit he Coffee Museum that show how thecoffee culture was.
Most people, areCatholic.
The city has threeparishes
The three parishes belong to theDiocese of Campanha.
Thecarmelite nunTereza Margarida of the Heart of Mary founded a contemplativecarmel in Três Pontas.
Sentinela FM - 99.9 MHz[32]
Community Radio Liberdade FM - 87.9 MHz[33]
Radio Três Pontas - AM 1540 kHz[34]
Transamérica Hits - Fm 92.5 MHz
Jornal Correio Trespontano (Trespontano Mail Newspaper)[35]
Commemorated with shows and parties
One of the biggest events of the coffee growing country, where millions of dollars are moved, and the event grows every year. In 2012 was held between June 19 and June 22.[36]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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