Araxá

Araxá is a municipality in southwest Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Its estimated population by IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) in 2012 is 95,888 inhabitants and the area of the municipality is 1,283 km², with 345 km² making up the urban perimeter.

Geography

The elevation of the city center is 973 meters. The highest point in the municipality is Serrra da Bocaina with 1,359 meters, and the lowest point is Rio Capivara with 910 meters. In 2004 the annual average temperature was 20.98 °C. The annual rainfall was 1,905 mm.

Demographics

Origin of the name

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".

Micro-region

Araxá is a statistical micro-region including 10 municipalities: Araxá, Campos Altos, Ibiá, Nova Ponte, Pedrinópolis, Perdizes, Pratinha, Sacramento, Santa Juliana, and Tapira. The population of this micro-region was 171,936 (2000) in an area of 14,145.60 km².