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Poços de Caldas is a municipality in the south of Minas Gerais state, Brazil, in the microregion of the same name. Its estimated population in 2022 Census was 163,742 inhabitants.

Poços de Caldas occupies a highly strategic geographical location, due to its proximity to São Paulo (243&nbsp;km), Belo Horizonte (460&nbsp;km) and Rio de Janeiro (470&nbsp;km), whose connections are made with good highways, and due to its integration into the routes of the hydro-mineral spas of Serra Negra, Águas de Lindóia, Socorro, Monte Alegre do Sul, Águas da Prata, Caldas (Pocinhos do Rio Verde), Cambuquira, Lambari, Caxambu and São Lourenço. Poços de Caldas is also close to the most developed regions of the interior of the state of São Paulo, such as Ribeirão Preto (240&nbsp;km), Campinas (160&nbsp;km) and São José dos Campos (315&nbsp;km).

Climate

The climate is characterized by dry winters and mild summers. The winter is from April to September and has an average temperature of 15&nbsp;°C and rainfall of 315&nbsp;mm. The summer is from October to March and has an average temperature of 21&nbsp;°C with rainfall of 1,430&nbsp;mm. The annual rainfall is 1,745&nbsp;mm. The average annual temperature is 17&nbsp;°C with record low of -6&nbsp;°C and record high of 31.7&nbsp;°C.

Economy

Known principally for its thermal baths, there are several resorts in the city. Due to its wealth in hydro-mineral resources, Poços de Caldas is also known for the quality of the soap that it produces. There are four factories in the city: Raízes, Antares, Sarandi and Terra Brasil. Poços is famous for its glass, which is known internationally. The founders of the factories were descendants of the artistic glassmakers who lived on the Island of Murano, near Venice, in Italy. In the city there are four glass factories: Ca'D'oro, São Marcos, Veneza and Bonora.

The local soils are rich in minerals that yield thorium and zirconium. One rare zirconium ore, caldasite, was named for the area. The city has Brazil's first uranium-ore concentration plant, for use in the Angra Nuclear Power Plant in Angra dos Reis.

Poços is also the home of one of the largest bauxite mines in the world, owned by Alcoa. Bauxite is an ore that contains at least 45% alumina, which is extracted to make aluminum. The smelting operations at Poços de Caldas have an annual capacity of 90,000 tons/year of primary aluminum. The facility is the largest aluminum-powder production facility in Latin America, and the second largest in the world.

The plant has a capacity of 14,000 tonnes/year of aluminum powder and meets the market demand for ferroalloys, refractories, pigments, metallurgy, chemicals, explosives and solid fuel for rockets. The facility began production of hydrated aluminas and hard-burned calcined aluminas in 1985.

The city gets most of its electricity from hydroelectric power plants, built and administrated with local resources (Departamento Municipal de Eletricidade), leading to independence from the state's power system.

Tourism

The city has parks, squares, gardens, and São Domingos mountain, which has trails for walking. The sulphurous water is the main attraction and can be consumed in several fountains and at Thermas Antônio Carlos. There is an aerial tram to get to the Statue of Christ the Redeemer (1,686&nbsp;m).

At the top of the mountain there is a great view of the nearby mountains. The city also offers options such as a Japanese tea garden, a theme park, museums, theaters, and other cultural events, including the yearly Music in the Mountains Festival (Festival Musica nas Montanhas).

The city is served by Emb. Walther Moreira Salles Airport.

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File:Thermas Antonio Carlos - panoramio.jpg|Antônio Carlos Spa

File:Teleférico em Poços de Caldas - panoramio.jpg|Cable car and Palace Casino

File:-vaisuldeminas Ensaio da cidade (8222402025).jpg|Luminous fountain

File:2002 Poços de Caldas - MG - panoramio.jpg|The region of the volcanic caldera inactive 90 million years ago

</gallery>

Notable people

  • Mauro Ramos de Oliveira, 1958 and 1962 FIFA World Cup champion with Brazil National Football Team
  • Xandó (born c. 1961), Brazilian volleyball player, Olympic runner-up

Sister cities

Poços de Caldas is twinned with:

  • Takasaki, Japan (1968)
  • Jundiaí, Brazil (1991)
  • Caldas da Rainha, Portugal (2001)
  • General Pueyrredón, Argentina (2009)
  • São Luís, Brazil (2011)
  • São João del-Rei, Brazil (2012)
  • Bagé, Brazil (2014)
  • Mount Vernon, United States (2014)

See also

  • List of municipalities in Minas Gerais

References

  • Official city government site
  • Music in the Mountains Festival