Araxá | city

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Araxá is a city and municipality in southwest Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The population is around 80,000 inhabitants and the area of the municipality is 1,283 km², with 345 km² making up the urban perimeter.

The town was named after the Indian tribe "Araxas" who lived there at the time it was first discovered and the name means "the place from where the sun is seen first".

The geographical location of Araxá is strategic. In a radius of 600 km. lies the region with the greatest concentration of population in the country, with 73% of the GDP and a potential population of consumers of 43 million persons.

Araxá is served by a good system of federal and state highways that link the municipality to the main economic centers of the country. The highways with access to Araxá are:

* BR 452 - Araxá/Uberlândia/Tupaciguara
* BR 262 - Belo Horizonte/Vitória/Corumbá)
* MG 428 - As far as the border of Minas Gerais - São Paulo

Belo Horizonte, the state capital is 375 kilometers away.

There are also freight railroad connections. Transport is used for cargos of cement, apatite (mineral), phosphates, fertilizers, and fuel.

Araxá is famous in Brazil for its spa with medicinal mud and mineral waters. One of Brazil's most emblematic hotels, the Grand Hotel, is the center of attraction. Opened in 1944 by governor Benedito Valadares and President Vargas, the Hotel initiated an era of splendor to Araxa and the inland region of the state and it was the stage for huge social, political and cultural events. [1] One of Brazil's most famous soap operas, "Dona Beja", a mythical character of the city, was filmed here.

In addition to tourism the city has mines of niobium (columbium) used in jet engine components, rocket sub-assemblies, and heat-resisting and combustion equipment. Reserves are about 460 million tons, sufficient to satisfy current world demand for about 500 years.