Luz is a Brazilian municipality located in the West (south of the west) part of the state of Minas Gerais. Luz is located between the city of Araxá and the capital city of the state of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte. The population is 18,257 (2020 est.) in an area of 1172 km<sup>2</sup>. The city belongs to the Central Mineira region and to the micro-region of Bom Despacho. It became a municipality in 1923.

Origin of the name

In the region there was a spring with a dam that supplied water to the small settlement that had grown around a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Light, or Nossa Senhora da Luz. The first name of the town was Nossa Senhora da Luz do Aterrado, or Our Lady of the Light of the Dam.

Geography

Location

The city center of Luz is located at an elevation of 675 meters a short distance south of federal highway BR-262. The São Francisco River lies to the east. Neighboring municipalities are: Estrela do Indaiá and Dores do Indaiá (N), Bom Despacho (NE), Moema and Lagoa da Prata (E), Japaraíba (SE), Arcos and Iguatama (S), Bambuí and Córrego Danta (W). *

Distances

  • Belo Horizonte: 188&nbsp;km on BR-262
  • Bom Despacho: 50&nbsp;km east on BR-262
  • Dores do Indaiá: 36&nbsp;km north on MG-176
  • Brasília: 640&nbsp;km
  • Rio de Janeiro: 635&nbsp;km
  • São Paulo: 595&nbsp;km

Geographical data

Elevation

  • Maximum: 956 m (Serra Deus me Livre)
  • Minimum: 680 m (Foz do Ribeirão Jorge Grande)
  • Center of the city: 674.96 m

Temperature

  • Average annual: 22.1 °C
  • Average annual maximum: 29.1 °C
  • Average annual minimum: 16.7 °C

Rainfall

  • Average annual rainfall: 1,415.7&nbsp;mm

Topography

  • Flat: 40%
  • Hilly: 50%
  • Mountainous: 10%

Rivers

  • Ribeirão Jorge Pequeno
  • Rio São Francisco
  • River basin: Basin of the Rio São Francisco

In 2000 the per capita monthly income of R$369.00 was above 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.