Nova Lima is a municipality of about 87,000 people, whose downtown is located about 20 kilometers south of Belo Horizonte, the capital of the south-eastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.

The St. John Del Rey Mining Company was founded by British interests in 1834 for the extraction of gold and also caused the settlement of some 150 families from Britain which led to the establishment of the Anglican Church in town.

The municipality contains the 912 hectares (2,250 acres) Mata do Jambreiro Private Natural Heritage Reserve, a protected area operated by the State Forestry Institute in partnership with the MBR mining company.

[10] The city is home to the Villa Nova Atlético Clube, the second-oldest football club of Minas Gerais still active.

With José Perácio in 1938 and Luiz Carlos Ferreira "Luizinho" in 1982 two players born in Nova Lima represented Brazil in World Cups.