São Lourenço, Minas Gerais

São Lourenço (Saint Lawrence) is a Brazilian municipality and spa town in the southern part of the state of Minas Gerais, in the Southeast of the country. It is one of the smallest Brazilian municipalities, with only 57.2 km² (22.1 sq. mi), and is located at an equal distance - approximately 3.5h - from two major cities, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

São Lourenço
Municipality
The Municipality of São Lourenço
Flag Seal
Motto(s):  Acqua Vitæ Ignis Fidei
Location in Brazil
Coordinates: 22°06′57″S 45°03′14″W
Country	Brazil
Region	Southeast
State	Minas Gerais
Mesoregion	South and Southwest of Minas Gerais
Microregion	São Lourenço
Incorporated	April 1, 1927
Government
• Mayor	Leonardo de Barros Sanches
Area
• Total	57.2 km2 (22.1 sq mi)
Elevation	875 m (2,871 ft)
Population  (2006)[1]
• Total	42,185
• Density	583.3/km2 (1,511/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-3 (BST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-2 (BRST)
Postal Code	37470-000
HDI (2000)	0.839 – high
Website	São Lourenço, Minas Gerais

City of São Lourenço, Minas Gerais state, Brazil

São Lourenço has a yearly mean temperature of 18 °C. In the winter the lows can reach 0 °C, sometimes with heavy frost.

The region has occasionally been affected by flooding; the most severe occurred in 1940, 1986, 1990 and 2000. In January 2000, heavy storms caused the waters of Rio Verde to rise more than 4.5m, leaving parts of the city underwater, including the city centre and the municipal park where the mineral water fountains are located.

Tourism is the main economic activity of the city although it has also become the regional hub for shopping, medical care, and banking. The city is served by Comte. Luiz Carlos de Oliveira Airport.

Throughout the year, several events take place in Sao Lourenço. They include the International Choir Festival, Cachaça Festival - cachaça is a hard liquor distilled from sugar cane juice, Winter Festival, Street Carnaval, Orchid Exhibits, Megacycle (a motorcyclists gathering), Vintage/Classic Cars Expo, a Hot Air Balloonists gathering, as well as several conferences of large Brazilian organizations.

In the beginning of August, the city celebrates its patron saint, Saint Lawrence, with a ten-day festival that includes live music, traditional food, and fireworks.