Doce River
Encyclopedia
The Doce River is a river in southeast Brazil
, which has an extension of 853 km.
It is formed by the junction of the Piranga and the Carmo near the historical city of Ouro Preto
, whose sources are located in the foothills of the Mantiqueira
and Espinhaço
mountain chains at altitudes of about 1,200 meters. It flows in a northeastern direction via Ipatinga
, makes a wide curve near Governador Valadares
, and flows in a southeastern direction passing through Conselheiro Pena
, to enter the Atlantic Ocean
near Linhares
in Espírito Santo
state. Its main tributaries are the Piracicaba, Casca, Matipó, Caratinga-Cuieté, Manhuaçu, Santo Antônio and Suaçuí Grande, in Minas Gerais
; the Pancas, Guandu, and São José, in Espírito Santo.
The Doce river has great economic importance for the region. The basin is home to the largest steel making complex in Latin America
. Three of the five largest companies in Minas Gerais state in the year 2000, Companhia Siderúrgica Belgo Mineira, Arcelor Mittal (Acesita
) and Usiminas
, are located there. The largest open-pit mine in the world is operated in the basin by the Companhia Vale do Rio Doce
. These industrial conglomerates have an important role in Brazilian exports of iron ore, steel, and cellulose (Cenibra). In addition, the Doce basin contributes greatly to production of coffee
from Minas Gerais
and Espírito Santo
as well as fruit pulp from Espírito Santo.
Fifteen percent of the GDP of the state of Minas Gerais
is produced in the region with the municipality of Ipatinga
accounting for 5.4% of that total. Ipatinga is the major city of the Vale do Aço Metropolitan Area
.
The economy of the basin is based on the following activities:
According to the Anuário Estatístico do Brasil (IBGE) the Doce basin has a population of about 3,100,000, with the urban population making up 68.7% of the total population. In recent years the population has declined, with small towns and rural areas losing up to 40% of their population.
Major cities located along the Doce or in its basin are: Timóteo
, Coronel Fabriciano
, Ipatinga
, Governador Valadares
, Colatina
, and Linhares
.
According to the Koppen classification, there are three climatic types in the Doce basin:
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, which has an extension of 853 km.
It is formed by the junction of the Piranga and the Carmo near the historical city of Ouro Preto
Ouro Preto
-History:Founded at the end of the 17th century, Ouro Preto was originally called Vila Rica, or "rich village," the focal point of the gold rush and Brazil's golden age in the 18th century under Portuguese rule....
, whose sources are located in the foothills of the Mantiqueira
Mantiqueira Mountains
The Mantiqueira Mountains are a mountain range in Southeastern Brazil, with parts in the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro. It rises abruptly from the northwestern bank of the Paraíba do Sul River and extends northeastward for approximately , reaching a height of 2,798 m ...
and Espinhaço
Espinhaço Mountains
The Espinhaço Mountains is a mountain range in Brazil. The range runs roughly north and south through the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia, and forms the divide between the upper watershed of the São Francisco River and those of the shorter rivers which flow east into the Atlantic, including the...
mountain chains at altitudes of about 1,200 meters. It flows in a northeastern direction via Ipatinga
Ipatinga
Ipatinga is a city and municipality located in eastern Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The city was founded in 1962 and covers a total area of 166.5 km². Its population is 240,338 . It is part of the Vale do Aço Metropolitan Area .Ipatinga is located at the site where the Piracicaba River flows into...
, makes a wide curve near Governador Valadares
Governador Valadares
Governador Valadares is a Brazilian city in the state of Minas Gerais. In 2006, its population was 260,405 inhabitants.It is an economical center of the middle Valley of the Rio Doce, making a significant influence on the east and northeast of Minas Gerais and local authorities of the state of the...
, and flows in a southeastern direction passing through Conselheiro Pena
Conselheiro Pena
Conselheiro Pena, formerly known as "Lajao", is located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This town of 20,000 inhabitants, was formed alongside the "Rio Doce", or Sweet River....
, to enter the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
near Linhares
Linhares
Linhares is the name of a municipality in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, 135 km north of the state capital, Vitória. It is the largest municipality by area in the state, at 9,501.6 km², and has a population of 130,901 people ....
in Espírito Santo
Espírito Santo
Espírito Santo is one of the states of southeastern Brazil, often referred to by the abbreviation "ES". Its capital is Vitória and the largest city is Vila Velha. The name of the state means literally "holy spirit" after the Holy Ghost of Christianity...
state. Its main tributaries are the Piracicaba, Casca, Matipó, Caratinga-Cuieté, Manhuaçu, Santo Antônio and Suaçuí Grande, in Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
; the Pancas, Guandu, and São José, in Espírito Santo.
The Doce river has great economic importance for the region. The basin is home to the largest steel making complex in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. Three of the five largest companies in Minas Gerais state in the year 2000, Companhia Siderúrgica Belgo Mineira, Arcelor Mittal (Acesita
Acesita
Aperam, before known as ArcelorMittal Inox Brasil or, formerly known as Acesita, is a biggest Brazilian manufacturer of specialty steels. Headquartered in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, the company is a supplier of stainless, silicon and special carbon steels...
) and Usiminas
Usiminas
Usiminas is a large producer of steel in the Americas, with major steel mills in Brazil with a total capacity of 9.5 million metric tons of steel per year. The company accounts for 28 % of total steel output in Brazil. Usiminas has an installed capacity of producing 9.5 million tons of crude...
, are located there. The largest open-pit mine in the world is operated in the basin by the Companhia Vale do Rio Doce
Companhia Vale do Rio Doce
Vale S.A. Vale S.A. Vale S.A. (BM&F Bovespa: / , / , / , / , is an Brazilian diversified mining multinational corporation and one of the largest logistics operators in Brazil. In addition to being the second-largest mining company in the world, Vale is also the largest producer of iron ore,...
. These industrial conglomerates have an important role in Brazilian exports of iron ore, steel, and cellulose (Cenibra). In addition, the Doce basin contributes greatly to production of coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
from Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
and Espírito Santo
Espírito Santo
Espírito Santo is one of the states of southeastern Brazil, often referred to by the abbreviation "ES". Its capital is Vitória and the largest city is Vila Velha. The name of the state means literally "holy spirit" after the Holy Ghost of Christianity...
as well as fruit pulp from Espírito Santo.
Fifteen percent of the GDP of the state of Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
is produced in the region with the municipality of Ipatinga
Ipatinga
Ipatinga is a city and municipality located in eastern Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The city was founded in 1962 and covers a total area of 166.5 km². Its population is 240,338 . It is part of the Vale do Aço Metropolitan Area .Ipatinga is located at the site where the Piracicaba River flows into...
accounting for 5.4% of that total. Ipatinga is the major city of the Vale do Aço Metropolitan Area
Vale do Aço metropolitan area
The Vale do Aço Metropolitan Region is a metropolitan area in Minas Gerais, Brazil, comprising only the four municipalities of Coronel Fabriciano, Ipatinga, Santana do Paraíso and Timóteo, but have an influence area of 22 other municipalities.-History:The name means Steel Valley in Portuguese...
.
The economy of the basin is based on the following activities:
- agriculture: dairy and beef cattle, pig raising, coffee, sugar cane, fruits and vegetables and cocoa;
- industry: siderurgy, metallurgy, mechanical, chemical, food, alcohol, textile, leather, paper and paper pulp; and
- mining: iron, gold, bauxite, manganese, and precious stones.
According to the Anuário Estatístico do Brasil (IBGE) the Doce basin has a population of about 3,100,000, with the urban population making up 68.7% of the total population. In recent years the population has declined, with small towns and rural areas losing up to 40% of their population.
Major cities located along the Doce or in its basin are: Timóteo
Timóteo
Timóteo is a Brazilian city in the state of Minas Gerais, located by the Piracicaba River. The population as of 2006 was 81,219 inhabitants. the city belongs to the metropolitan area of the Steel Valley . It is the hometown of Acesita, a steel factory specialized in the production of stainless...
, Coronel Fabriciano
Coronel Fabriciano
Coronel Fabriciano is a Brazilian city of the Vale do Aço metropolitan area in the State of Minas Gerais....
, Ipatinga
Ipatinga
Ipatinga is a city and municipality located in eastern Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The city was founded in 1962 and covers a total area of 166.5 km². Its population is 240,338 . It is part of the Vale do Aço Metropolitan Area .Ipatinga is located at the site where the Piracicaba River flows into...
, Governador Valadares
Governador Valadares
Governador Valadares is a Brazilian city in the state of Minas Gerais. In 2006, its population was 260,405 inhabitants.It is an economical center of the middle Valley of the Rio Doce, making a significant influence on the east and northeast of Minas Gerais and local authorities of the state of the...
, Colatina
Colatina
-Geography:Colatina is the second largest city in the north of Espírito Santo, Brazil, 127 km north of the capital Vitória and on the trainline from Vitória to Minas Gerais. It lies on the banks of the Doce river, through which as much as 700 cubic meters of water per second may flow...
, and Linhares
Linhares
Linhares is the name of a municipality in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, 135 km north of the state capital, Vitória. It is the largest municipality by area in the state, at 9,501.6 km², and has a population of 130,901 people ....
.
According to the Koppen classification, there are three climatic types in the Doce basin:
- Tropical with altitude climate with summer rains and cool summers, present on the slopes of the Mantiqueira and the Espinhaço Mountains and at the sources of the Doce river.
- Tropical with altitude climate with summer rains and hot summers, present at the sources of its tributaries.
- Hot climate with summer rains, present in the middle and lower sections of the Doce and its tributaries.