city, northern Minas Gerais estado (state), southeastern Brazil. It is located near the Verde Grande River in the Espinhaço Mountains, at 2,093 feet (638 metres) above sea level. It was made a seat of a municipality in 1831 and attained city rank in 1857. Livestock raising is the area's principal source of income, supplemented by the cultivation of cassava (manioc), corn (maize), feijão (beans), cotton, sugarcane, and other crops. The city, a trade and manufacturing centre, has furniture and textile factories. The State University of Montes Claros (1962) is there. The city is accessible by railway and highway from Belo Horizonte, the state capital, 219 miles (352 km) south. Montes Claros has a commercial airport. Pop. (2005 est.) 322,800.