The Espinhaço Mountains extend for about 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) from the iron quadrilateral in the south-central region of Minas Gerais north to the Chapada Diamantina in Bahia.

In 2005 UNESCO recognized a large portion of the Espinhaço Chain in Minas Gerais as a Biosphere Reserve.

[2] The relevant area was defined as 910,000 hectares (2,200,000 acres) of the upper portion of the Jequitinhonha and Serra do Cabral valley, including conservation units and their buffer zones.

It included seven fully protected units and five environmental protection areas in 14 municipalities: Itamarandiba, Senador Modestino Gonçalves, São Gonçalo do Rio Preto, Felício dos Santos, Rio Vermelho, Couto de Magalhães de Minas, Santo Antônio do Itambé, Serra Azul de Minas, Serro, Diamantina, Buenópolis, Joaquim Felício, Bocaiúva and Olhos-d'Água.

[3] The Espinhaço Mosaic in the state of Minas Gerais was recognized by ordinance 444 of 26 November 2010, which also created the managing council.