Goiás

Goiás is a state in the Central-West region of Brazil. It borders several states, including Tocantins, Bahia, Minas Gerais, and Mato Grosso do Sul. The capital city is Goiânia, and the state is the most populous in the Central-West region, with over 7 million people.

The history of Goiás began in the early 1700s when pioneers from São Paulo arrived. The area around the Rio Vermelho was first settled, and the town of Vila Boa, later called Goiás, was founded there. The state grew more quickly after the 1930s, especially with the building of the new capital, Goiânia, and the construction of Brasília in the 1950s.

Goiás has beautiful natural landscapes, including plateaus called chapadões. During dry months, the Araguaia River level drops, revealing long sandy beaches. Visitors can see local wildlife at the Emas National Park and enjoy canyons and waterfalls at the Chapada dos Veadeiros. The old city of Goiás and the hot springs of Caldas Novas are also popular attractions.

Each year on June 25th, the state government moves its offices to the historic city of Goiás in honor of its founding day, a tradition that has been kept since 1962.

Geography

Goiás is a large state in Brazil that sits on a wide, flat area between 750 and 900 meters above sea level. This area helps separate three big river systems in Brazil. To the south, water flows into the Paranaíba river, which joins the Paraná River. To the east, rivers lead to the São Francisco River. To the north, the Araguaia River and the Tocantins River collect the water. Some other rivers in Goiás include the Meia Ponte, Aporé, São Marcos, Corumbá River, Claro, Maranhão, Paranã, and Preto, but only small boats can travel on these rivers for short distances.

The highest point in Goiás is Pouso Alto, which stands at 1,676 meters above sea level. The land in Goiás is mostly covered with a type of woodland called campo cerrado, with some tropical forests near the rivers. The climate there is tropical, with temperatures ranging from 22 °C to 26 °C. There is a rainy season from October to March and a dry season from April to September. The area receives about 1,700 millimeters of rain each year, though this can change depending on the height of the land and local weather.

Goiás is part of Brazil's Great Midwest Region, which also includes Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, and the Federal District. This region is growing quickly. The population of Goiás grew three times bigger between 1950 and 1980 and is still increasing fast. Most people live close together in the southeast, especially around Goiânia and nearby cities like Aparecida de Goiânia, Catalão, Rio Verde, Jataí, Caldas Novas, Formosa, Planaltina de Goiás, and Luziânia. Away from these areas, the state is mostly empty.

History

Further information (in Portuguese): History of Goiás (redirect)

People from São Paulo were the first Europeans to explore the inside areas of Brazil in the 1600s. They found gold near a river and built a town called Goiás Velho, which used to be the capital. Later, this area became part of the Empire of Brazil and then a state in 1889.

In 1956, the new capital city Brasília was built in this area, and the government moved there in 1960. The city of Goiânia was planned in the 1930s to be the new capital of the state. It grew quickly and is now a big city with industry and culture.

Because Goiás is very big, the northern part felt left out. In 1988, the northern area became its own state called Tocantins.

Demographics

According to the 2022 census, about 7 million people lived in Goiás. Most people lived in cities, and the state had many different ethnic groups, including Italians, Amerindians, Portuguese, Africans, Germans, Arabs, Lebanese, and Syrian people.

The main religions in Goiás included the Catholic Church, Protestantism, and Spiritism, with some people having no religion at all. The capital city, Goiânia, is an important place for learning, where Portuguese is taught in schools, along with English and Spanish.

Economy

Goiás has a strong economy with three main parts: services, industry, and farming. Services make up the biggest part of the state’s money-making at 43.9%. Industry comes next at 35.4%, and farming adds 20.7%.

Goiás is very good at growing crops. It is a top producer of sugarcane, soybeans, corn, sorghum, and tomatoes in Brazil. The state also leads in raising cattle and produces a lot of milk, chickens, and eggs. In mining, Goiás is important for metals like nickel, copper, and gold. The state’s industry is growing fast, especially in food processing, construction, and making medicines. Big car companies also have factories here.

Infrastructure

Goiás has many roads for traveling. In 2017, there were about 96,000 kilometers of roads, including local, state, and national highways. Some of these roads are paved, and some have two lanes going in each direction. Important roads include the BR-060, which connects big cities like Brasília, Goiânia, and Jataí.

There are also airports, such as Santa Genoveva Airport in Goiânia, which handles many passengers each year. Another airport in Anápolis was built for special airplanes used by the Brazilian Air Force.

There is a small waterway on the Paranaíba River with a port at São Simão. One important railway, called the Ferrovia Norte-Sul, began operating between São Simão and Estrela d'Oeste in 2021. This railway helps move crops like soybeans from places such as Rio Verde to big ports.

Main sights

• Caldas Novas

It is a city in the southeast of the state, famous for its hot springs. It is the largest hydrothermal resort in the world, with many places to relax and enjoy the warm waters. Some of these places are designed like ancient Roman baths. People travel from all over Brazil and the world to visit this area.

• Chapada dos Veadeiros

Main article: Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park

It is a beautiful national park known for its amazing landscapes and many different plants and animals.

• City of Goiás

An internationally famous World Heritage Site, this city is important for its history and old buildings made during colonial times.

• Parque Nacional das Emas

Main article: Emas National Park

The Emas National Park is another World Heritage Site in Goiás.

• Pirenópolis

Main article: Pirenópolis

Pirenópolis is a city in Goiás, known for its well-preserved colonial homes and streets made of steep stone.

Cities

Goiás is divided into 246 municipalities. Here are the 15 most populous cities as of 2017:

• Goiânia (1,466,105)
• Aparecida de Goiânia (542,090)
• Anápolis (375,142)
• Rio Verde (217,048)
• Luziânia (199,615)
• Águas Lindas de Goiás (195,810)
• Valparaíso de Goiás (159,500)
• Trindade (121,266)
• Formosa (115,789)
• Novo Gama (110,096)
• Senador Canedo (105,459)
• Itumbiara (102,513)
• Catalão (102,393)
• Jataí (98,128)
• Santo Antônio do Descoberto (90,525)

Some cities in Goiás are popular for tourists.

Further information: List of municipalities in Goiás

Sport

The main sport in the state of Goiás is football. Some of the important football clubs include Goiás, Atlético Goianiense, Vila Nova, and several others. The main stadiums are the Serra Dourada Stadium and the Pedro Ludovico Teixeira Olympic Stadium, which hosted part of the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Volleyball is also very popular in Goiás, and futsal comes in second place in popularity. Rugby is also enjoyed by many people. The city of Anápolis is a great place for volleyball and futsal, with a large international gymnasium called the Newton de Faria International Gymnasium.

Some Olympic medalists, like Dante in volleyball and Carlos Jayme in swimming, were born in Goiás. Other top athletes from the state include César Sebba in basketball and Diogo Villarinho in aquatic marathon.

Flag

The flag of Goiás has green bars that stand for spring and yellow bars that stand for gold. In the top left corner, there is a blue rectangle representing the sky. Inside this blue rectangle are five stars that make up the shape of the Southern Cross. The flag was officially adopted on July 30, 1919. It is a simpler version of the original flag of Brazil.

Further information: List of Goiás state symbols

Notable people

Goiás has been home to many talented people. Some famous individuals from the state include Joaquim Xavier Curado, a military officer and politician, as well as Carlos Jayme, an Olympic swimmer. Other well-known figures are Amado Batista, a singer, and Arthur, a footballer. The state has also produced athletes like Douglas Lima, an MMA champion, and Diogo Villarinho, an open water swimmer. Politicians such as Henrique Meirelles, former president of Banco Central do Brasil, and Ronaldo Caiado, a governor, are also from Goiás. Additionally, the state has many popular musicians and sports stars, including Leandro e Leonardo, Léo Jaime, Wanessa, and Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano.