Ibirité is a Brazilian municipality located in the state of Minas Gerais. The city belongs to the mesoregion Metropolitana de Belo Horizonte and to the microregion of Belo Horizonte. Its population in 2020 was 182,153.
Ibirité was born in 1880 as a village with the name of Pantano de Vargas, in the parish of Sabará. This village was later chosen by Russian educator Helena Antipoff to be the seat of her works, that are still the major reference of the city. In 1890, became the condition of town, still belonging to Sabará. In 1897, became to belong to the municipality of Santa Quitéria, actually known as Esmeraldas. In 1911, the region becomes part of the municipality of Betim. In 1923, has changed its name to Ibiritê, indigenous word which means iron land. In 1938, become a district belonging to the municipality of Betim, already with the actual name. On December 30, 1962, is categorized as a municipality, with the districts Sede and Sarzedo. On March 1, 1963 Chaffir Ferreira is appointed by the governor of the state as municipal manager. In the first election for mayor, June 30, 1963, was elected Wanderlei José de Barros. In 1976, the district Durval de Barros was created and in 1985 the district of Mario Campos. In 1988, by the state law Nº 954888, Ibirité won the category of judicial district.
