Caratinga

History

The area now comprising Caratinga saw little colonization until the mid-19th century, except by the indigenous Aimorés (Bugre tribe). Occasionally, the Botocudo people ventured along the Caratinga River from its confluence with the Doce River in search of food or due to weather conditions. Exploration began with expeditions such as that of Spinosa in 1553, heading toward the São Francisco River, and Sebastião Fernandes Tourinho, who explored the Caratinga River in 1573. In the early 18th century, during the colonial period, settlers from the Captaincy of Espírito Santo ventured inland, primarily seeking gold. Notably, Pedro Bueno Cacunda, in 1733, explored the region encompassing much of present-day Caratinga, between the Itapeba River (later named Cuiethé, now Caratinga) and the Mayguassu River (Manhuaçu River), searching for gold in streams and tributaries. By the late 18th century, the Estrada do Degredo was established, crossing the current municipal territory and connecting the Estrada Real in Ouro Preto to the Cuité prison (now Conselheiro Pena), serving as an alternative route to the Doce River. In the 19th century, Domingos Fernandes Lana, from Araponga, explored the region in search of ipecac, a valuable medicinal plant. Around 1841, accompanied by friends, servants, slaves, and catechized indigenous people, he traversed the Caratinga River. Lana named the area's rock formations "Caratinga" due to the abundance of yam, an edible tuber also known as caratinga. The expedition continued toward Cuité, near Conselheiro Pena. with Father Maximiano João da Cruz as its first priest. The fertile lands and its position as the only urban center on the right bank of the Caratinga River sustained population growth, attracting settlers from southern regions aiming to…

Geography

According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), Caratinga's area is , with in the urban area. Caratinga belongs to the Ipatinga Intermediate Geographic Region and the Caratinga Immediate Geographic Region. Previously, under the mesoregion and microregion divisions, it was part of the Caratinga microregion within the Vale do Rio Doce mesoregion. The predominant terrain in Caratinga is characterized by a "sea of hills," with undulating landscapes, isolated rock formations, and susceptibility to erosion and landslides. The municipality lies within the Caratinga River basin, part of the Doce River Basin. The Doce River borders the municipality at its boundaries with Ipatinga and Santana do Paraíso, while the Caratinga River runs through the municipal territory and urban area, joined by smaller streams such as Salim, Sales, Santa Cruz, São João, and Seco. Urban waterways are subject to considerable levels of water contamination, causing flooding, unpleasant odors, and the proliferation of insects. The rural area features numerous springs and streams, including the Providência, Chaves, Calixto, Macaquinho, Silvestre, Marcinos, Leite, Pastor, and São Cândido springs, as well as the Ribeirão do Boi, Macaco, Lagoa Nova, and Laje streams. The Laje stream supplies the city with water. Lagoons are common in the western part of the municipality. with a hot semi-humid climate near the Doce River. The transition between dry and wet seasons often brings thunderstorms, especially from late winter to spring. Precipitation primarily falls as rain, with occasional hail, causing damage in both urban and rural areas. Storms may include lightning and strong wind gusts. According to the National Institute for Space Research’s Atmospheric Electricity Group…

Most-observed species

• Saffron Finch

  Sicalis flaveola (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  20
• Sayaca Tanager

  Thraupis sayaca (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  19
• Venezuelan Troupial

  Icterus icterus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  18
• Double-collared Seedeater

  Sporophila caerulescens (Vieillot, 1823) · Aves
  16
• Ruddy Ground-Dove

  Columbina talpacoti (Temminck, 1810) · Aves
  16
• Rufous-bellied Thrush

  Turdus rufiventris Vieillot, 1818 · Aves
  13
• Blue-black Grassquit

  Volatinia jacarina (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  13
• Smooth-billed Ani

  Crotophaga ani Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  12