Ouro Preto, founded in 1698, is nestled near the Espinha?o Mountains in Brazil’s southeastern Minas Gerais State. It covers an area of 1,246 km² and has a population of approximately 75,000. It was a renowned mining city in the Portuguese colonial period, and was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980 for its outstanding Baroque architectures, making it the first Brazilian city to receive such a recognition.

Ouro Preto, which translates to “Black Gold” in Portuguese, got its name from the palladium-bearing gold mines in the area which take on a black color after absorbing gases. In the 18^th century, gold seekers from Europe flocked to the city, rapidly transforming it into a center of wealth in Brazil and the entire Americas.

In November 2006, Kunshan and Ouro Preto established a friendly-exchange relationship.