Mantiqueira Mountains

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The Mantiqueira Mountains (Portuguese: Serra Da Mantiqueira) is a mountain range in southeastern Brazil, rising abruptly from the northwestern bank of the Paraíba do Sul River and extending northeastward for approximately 320 km, reaching a height of 2,791 m in the Pico das Agulhas Negras. The mountains, which eventually merge with the Serra do Espinhaço, were originally forest-covered except for the peaks that rise above the tree line. They provide charcoal and pasture for cattle; on the lower slopes there are several health and tourist resorts, including Campos do Jordão. The name Mantiqueira derives from a Tupi-guarani word meaning “mountains that cry", denoting the large number of springs and streams found there.

The name shows their great importance as a source of drinking water and the waters supply a great number of important cities in the southeast of Brazil. From its brooks are formed the Jaguary River, which supplies the northern region of Greater São Paulo, the Paraíba do Sul River, which crosses a densely populated and highly industrialized region, and the Grande River, which forms the greatest hydroelectric complex of the country.

Many springs of mineral water lie in the regions of Caxambu and São Lourenço in Minas Gerais, Campos do Jordão, Poços de Caldas and Águas da Prata in São Paulo.

1 Ecology
2 Altitudes and Climate
3 Micro-regions
4 External links

[edit] Ecology

The Serra da Mantiqueira is a part of the Mata Atlântica ecosystem. Despite the clearing of the land for livestock raising, there are still regions of well-preserved forest with trees such as the jacarandá, spanish cedar, canjerana, guatambu, ipês, canela, angico, jequitibá, and also the araucaria, typical of tropical climates of elevation. The region's closest point is only 100 km from the city of São Paulo.

It is also the habitat of a varied fauna: pampas deer (locally known as veado campeiro), maned wolves (lobo guará), cougars (onça-parda or suçuarana), bush dogs (cachorro vinagre), ocelots (jaguatirica), pacas, howler monkeys (bugio), Atlantic Titis (sauá), squirrels, and hedgehogs can still be found there. Birds of note are the azure jay, the toucan, the scaly-headed parrot (maitaca), the inhambu, the jaçanã, the seriema and the carcará.

[edit] Altitudes and Climate

The Mantiqueira is a popular region for mountain climbers and trekkers, where in the winter, which is the dry season, one can climb some of the highest peaks in the country:

Pedra da Mina – 2,897 m, between Passa Quatro and Queluz.
Pico das Agulhas Negras – 2,787 m, in the Itatiaia National Park.
Pico Três Estados – 2,665 m, between Passa Quatro and Queluz
Pico dos Marins – 2,420 m, between Marmelópolis and Cruzeiro.

Here are also some of the highest Brazilian cities:

Campos do Jordão - SP – 1,620 m
Monte Verde (district of Camanducaia) – MG – 1,550 m
Senador Amaral - MG – 1,500 m
Bom Repouso – MG – 1,370 m
Maria da Fé – MG – 1,280 m
Munhoz – MG - 1,260 m
Gonçalves – MG - 1,250 m
Delfim Moreira – MG - 1,200 m
Bueno Brandão – MG - 1,200 m

Due to the altitude the winter in the Serra da Mantiqueira sees low temperatures, with the occurrence of fog in the beginning of the morning and not infrequent frost, giving the landscape the appearance of regions of cold climate. It is common for the thermometer to reach temperatures near 0ºC, while in the highest cities like Campos do Jordão and Monte Verde there have been temperatures of - 5ºC in recent years. On the highest peaks the cold can be more intense and the temperatures can drop to -10ºC.

[edit] Micro-regions

Cidades altas: region lying on the right of the Rio Jaguari and taking in the cities of Itapeva, Camaducaia, Munhoz, Senador Amaral, Bom Repouso, Bueno Brandão e Ouro Fino, in Minas Gerais and Pedra Bela and Serra Negra in São Paulo.

Entre Rios: between two rivers, the Jaguari, which flows in a north south direction and is part of the Tietê riverbasin, and the Sapucaí-Mirim, which flows from south to north and forms the Rio Grande. It takes in the cities of Extrema, Monte Verde (district of Camanducaia) and Gonçalves in Minas Gerais and Sapucaí-Mirim-SP.

Pinhais: it contains the largest cities, Campos do Jordão and Santo Antônio do Pinhal, in São Paulo, and São Bento do Sapucaí, Brasópolis, Piranguçu e Wenceslau Braz, in Minas Gerais.

Terras Altas: containing some of the oldest cities of the region: Passa Quatro, Itanhandu, Itamonte, Pouso Alto, Alagoa, Virgínia, Delfim Moreira and Marmelópolis.