city, eastern Minas Gerais estado (state), Brazil. It lies on the left bank of the Doce River. The city was made the seat of a municipality in 1937. It is an agricultural trade centre dealing in beans, rice, sugarcane, coffee, and livestock. Sawmills and food-processing plants are in the city, and mica and beryl are mined in the area. Governador Valadares is one of the most famous gem-trading centres in Brazil. Gem minerals include amethyst, chrysoberyl, brazilianite, topaz, and quartz. The city is on the Belo Horizonte–Vitória railway and on the Rio de Janeiro–Salvador highway. It can also be reached by air. Pop. (2005 est.) 246,000.