Rio de Janeiro is one of the most visited cities in the Southern Hemisphere and is known for its natural settings, Rio de Janeiro has the second largest municipal GDP in the country.  

Ouro Preto (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈoɾu ˈpɾetu], Black Gold), formerly Vila Rica, is a city in the state of Minas Gerais, a former colonial mining town located in the Serra do Espinhaço mountains and designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO because of its outstanding Baroque architecture.  

Iguazu Falls, one of the "Seven Wonders of Nature". The city is characterized by tourism and cultural diversity. There are about 80 nationalities, being the most representative from Italy, Portugal, Lebanon, China, Paraguay and Argentina. Foz do Iguaçu is integrated into a tri-national region, bordering the Argentine city of Puerto Iguazú and the Paraguayan city of Ciudad del Este. The city's economy is based on tourism.

Itabira is a regional economic center, and hosts a thriving iron ore extraction operation headed by Companhia Vale do Rio Doce since 1942. VALE it is the second largest mining company in the world, and a considerable part of its iron ore output comes from the mines at Itabira. The city also host the Belmont mine, which has been producing Emeralds since 1978.

 Governador Valadares is one of the most famous gem-trading centres in Brazil. Gem minerals include Turmalines, Aquamarine Chrysoberyl, Brazilianite, Topaz and Quartz. The Golconda and the Cruzeiro mine, one of the oldest in the area, attracts the curiosity of tourists, stone

collectors and gem dealers from all over the world.

Ametista do Sul is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Known as the Amethyst capital of the world, the municipality takes its name because of the stong activities involving Amethyst mining and processing.