Perdizes, Minas Gerais


Perdizes is a Brazilian municipality located in the west of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 13,924 people living in a total area of 2,450 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Triângulo Mineiro and Alto Paranaíba and to the micro-region of Araxá. It became a municipality in 1938.

Location

Perdizes is located at an elevation of 830 meters, 95 km. southeast of Uberlândia and south of the Nova Ponte Reservoir. Neighboring municipalities are: Patrocínio, Serra do Salitre, Ibiá, Araxá, Uberaba, Santa Juliana and Pedrinópolis.

Communications and Distances

Perdizes is connected to both Araxá and Uberlândia by national highway BR-462. The distance to Araxá is 46 kilometers; Pedrinópolis is 35 km; Uberaba is 95 km. The distance to the state capital, Belo Horizonte, is 480 km.

Economic activities

The GDP in 2005 was approximately R$195 million, with 22 million reais from taxes, 84 million reais from services, 54 million reais from industry, and 33 million reais from agriculture. There were 628 rural producers on 18,000 hectares of land. The land is very fertile and agricultural production is high. 136 farms had tractors. Approximately 2,400 persons were dependent on agriculture. The main crops are coffee, rice, soybeans, beans, and corn. There were 18,000 head of cattle.
There were 4 bank and 3,525 automobiles, giving a ratio of 4 inhabitants per automobile.

Health and education

In the health sector there were 7 public health clinics and 1 hospital with 50 beds. Patients with more serious health conditions are transported to Araxá or to Uberlândia, which are connected by good roads. Educational needs were met by 15 primary schools, 4 middle schools, and 7 pre-primary schools.
In 2000 the per capita monthly income of R$273.00 was just below the state and national average of R$276.00 and R$297.00 respectively.
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 Manari in the state of Pernambuco has the lowest rating in the country—0,467—putting it in last place.