Belo Horizonte (Portuguese for "beautiful horizon", (IPA: [bɛloɾiˈzõtʃi] ) is the capital of Minas Gerais state, locate in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country. Belo Horizonte or "Beagá" as it is more familiarly known from the sound of its initials BH in Portuguese; has a population of almost 2.4 million and over 5.3 million in the official Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte.