Vale do Aço metropolitan area
Vale do Aço Metropolitan Area | |
|---|---|
Metropolitan Area of Brazil | |
Satellite image showing Coronel Fabriciano (center of the image) and parts of Ipatinga (above) and Timóteo (below). | |
| Coordinates: 19°28′33″S 42°31′48″W / 19.47583°S 42.53000°W | |
| Country | Brazil |
| Region | Southeast |
| State | Minas Gerais |
| Law | Complementary Law No. 51 |
| Founded | 30 December 1998 |
| Seat | No official seat city. However, the metropolitan agency is headquartered in Ipatinga. |
| Municipalities | 4 main municipalities 24 in the metropolitan belt |
| Area | |
• Total | 806.584 km2 (311.424 sq mi) |
| Population (IBGE Census/2022) | |
• Total | 458,846 |
| • Density | 568.876/km2 (1,473.38/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-3 (BST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-2 (BDT) |
| Postal Code | 30000-000 |
| Area code | +55 31 |
| HDI (UNDP/2010) | 0.745 |
| GDP (IBGE/2015) | R$13,226,864.29 |
| GDP per capita (IBGE/2015) | R$27,223.95 |
The Vale do Aço Metropolitan Region (RMVA), commonly known as Vale do Aço, is a Brazilian metropolitan region located in the interior of the state of Minas Gerais, in the Southeast Region of Brazil. It was established by Complementary Law No. 51 on 30 December 1998 and officially designated as a metropolitan region on 12 January 2006. Situated in the Vale do Rio Doce, it comprises the cities of Coronel Fabriciano, Ipatinga, Santana do Paraíso, and Timóteo, along with a metropolitan belt consisting of 24 additional municipalities.
The region's exploration, which began in the 16th century but intensified in the 19th century, led to the emergence of the first urban centers, giving rise to several municipalities in the metropolitan belt. Due to the vast forests, the area was initially known as Vale Verde (Green Valley). The construction of the Vitória-Minas Railway between 1911 and 1929 facilitated colonization, but the establishment of Belgo-Mineira in Coronel Fabriciano in 1936 was pivotal in accelerating population growth, deforestation, and the development of housing, businesses, and streets. The establishment of Acesita (in Timóteo) and Usiminas (in Ipatinga) in the 1940s and 1950s, respectively, further provided basic infrastructure and recreational spaces, solidifying the integration of the current cities, which were under Coronel Fabriciano's jurisdiction until 1964.
Due to the economic significance of the steel industries, the region became known as Vale do Aço (Steel Valley). It gained international recognition for its major local companies, such as Aperam South America (formerly Acesita), Cenibra, and Usiminas. Despite its relatively recent settlement, it is one of the main urban hubs in the state's interior. According to statistics from the IBGE, the four main municipalities had a combined population of 458,846 inhabitants in 2022. Attractions such as the Rio Doce State Park, the Ipanema Park, and Serra dos Cocais are also present in the RMVA, alongside handicrafts, rural congado groups, and cultural spaces such as the Aperam Acesita Foundation and the Usiminas Cultural Center.