thumb|right|250px|Location of Alpinópolis on a map of the state of Minas Gerais
Alpinópolis is a Brazilian municipality located in the southwest of the state of Minas Gerais. , its population was 19,958 people and its area was of 458 km<sup>2</sup>. The city is located in the micro-region of Passos. It became a municipality in 1938.
Name and history
Founded as the village of São Sebastião da Ventania, it had its name later shortened to Ventania. In 1914, the name was officially changed to the current one: Alpinopolis. After so many years, Ventania still is the name used by its inhabitants.
right|thumb|Alpinopolis seen from the Monte das Oliveiras Park - partial view. Photo: Felix Tansil.
Geography
The city center of Alpinópolis is located at an elevation of 700 meters southeast of Passos and west of the Furnas reservoir. Neighboring municipalities are São José da Barra (N), Carmo do Rio Claro (E), Nova Resende and Bom Jesus da Penha (S), and Passos (W).
Distances
- Belo Horizonte: 332 km
- Passos: 43 km (north on MG-446 for 17 km, then west on MG-050 for 26 km)
Economic activities
The economy is diversified with corn, high-quality coffee, beans, soybeans, semi-precious stones, dairy products, a feed factory, and manufacture of sweets being some of the main products. While coffee and milk were the main products for many years, nowadays one of the main products of the local economy is the extraction and commercialization of quartz. Small and medium-sized properties predominate in the municipality, which contribute for a better distribution of income.
City facts
- Municipal Human Development Index: 0.779 (2000)
- State ranking: 122 out of 853 municipalities
- National ranking: 1094 out of 5,138 municipalities
- Literacy rate: 89%
- Life expectancy: 73 (average of males and females)
In 2000 the per capita monthly income of R$239.00 was below the state average of R$276.00 and below the national average of R$297.00. Poços de Caldas had the highest per capita monthly income in 2000 with R$435.00. The lowest was Setubinha with R$73.00.
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 (considering 5,507 municipalities) Manari in the state of Pernambuco has the lowest rating in the country—0,467—putting it in last place.