Contagem

Contagem is a large city in Minas Gerais with over 620,000 inhabitants, part of the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte. The settlement spreads across gentle hills at roughly 850 m elevation, connecting residential, commercial and industrial areas.

An outpost arose here in 1716 as a checkpoint for traders on the route to Vila Rica. The first industrial zone of the state was established in 1946, transforming the rural village into a factory town.

The name comes from its historical function as a counting point for cattle herds traveling to the capital. Urban life today centers on working-class neighborhoods and industrial zones, where restaurants, small shops and community squares blend into an everyday mosaic of working culture.

The city sits right next to Belo Horizonte and is easy to reach via several main roads. Many visitors come for business purposes or in transit, rather than for leisure stays.

The municipal wholesale market Ceasa Minas ranks among the largest of its kind in South America, supplying traders from the entire region daily. Operations start in the early morning hours when trucks arrive with fresh produce, vegetables and flowers.

Location: Minas Gerais

Inception: 1716

Elevation above the sea: 858 m

Shares border with: Belo Horizonte, Betim, Esmeraldas, Ibirité, Ribeirão das Neves

Website: http://contagem.mg.gov.br

GPS coordinates: -19.93194,-44.05389

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:03