formerly called Villa Rica, a town of Brazil, capital of the province of Minas Geraes, is built on a tract of uneven ground in the midst of lofty and barren mountains that abound in gold, 190 miles N.N.W. of Rio de Janeiro. Although it looks well from a distance, the streets are narrow, ill-paved, and irregular, and the houses have no appearance of uniformity. Of its six churches, one or two are fine buildings; the governor's palace is a large and well-built edifice of a square form; and there are also a town-house, barracks, treasury, and theatre. The educational establishments consist of a college, school of agriculture, and other schools; botanic garden, and public library. The town has declined very much in consequence of the gold mines becoming exhausted. These, however, are still worked by English companies; and an active trade is carried on with Rio de Janeiro. Pop. 10,000.