The municipal seat is located at an elevation of 710 meters on the north flank of the Serra do Espinhaço mountain range.

Neighboring municipalities are: Montes Claros, Engenheiro Navarro, Glaucilândia, Joaquim Felício, Buenópolis, Diamantina, Olhos-d'Água, Carbonita, Turmalina, Botumirim, Itacambira, Guaraciama and Claro dos Poções[9] Location: Serra do Espinhaço Location: Rio Jequitinhonha / the boundary with the municipalities of Engenheiro Navarro/Joaquim Felício Temperatura Relief Main Rivers Bocaiuva is also a statistical micro-region composed of 5 municipalities: Bocaiuva, Engenheiro Navarro, Francisco Dumont, Guaraciama, and Olhos-d'Água.

According to popular tradition, everything began with the carrying of an image of Our Lord of Bonfim who became too heavy and a chapel was built at that spot.

[13] The most important economic activities are cattle raising for meat and dairy, industry, commerce, and agriculture, with the main crops being corn, and rice.

Bocaiuva is in the middle tier of municipalities in the state with regard to economic and social development.

The highest ranking municipality in Minas Gerais in 2000 was Poços de Caldas with 0.841, while the lowest was Setubinha with 0.568.