Goiás () is a Brazilian
state located in the
Center-West region. Goiás borders the
Federal District and the states of (from north clockwise)
Tocantins,
Bahia,
Minas Gerais,
Mato Grosso do Sul
Mato Grosso do Sul () is one of the Midwestern states of Brazil. Neighboring Brazilian states are (from north clockwise) Mato Grosso, Goiás, Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Paraná. It also borders the countries of Paraguay, to the southwest, and ...
and
Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso ( – lit. "Thick Bush") is one of the states of Brazil, the third largest by area, located in the Central-West region. The state has 1.66% of the Brazilian population and is responsible for 1.9% of the Brazilian GDP.
Neighboring ...
. The state capital is
Goiânia. With 7.2 million inhabitants, Goiás is the most populous state in the Center-West and the
11th most populous in the country. It has the
ninth largest economy among Brazilian federative units. In Brazil's geoeconomic division, Goiás belongs to the
Centro-Sul (Center-South), being the northernmost state of the southern portion of Brazil. The state has 3.3% of the Brazilian population and is responsible for 2.7% of the Brazilian
GDP.
The history of Goiás dates back to the beginning of the 18th century, with the arrival of pioneers from São Paulo. The Rio Vermelho region was the first to be occupied, where Vila Boa (later renamed
Goiás) was founded. The development and settlement of the state took place, in a more intensified way, starting in the 1930s with the founding of the new capital, Goiânia, and especially with the construction of
Brasília in the 1950s.
Goiás is characterized by a landscape of ''
chapadões'' (plateaus). In the height of the drought season, from June to September, the lack of rain makes the level of the
Araguaia River
The Araguaia River ( pt, Rio Araguaia , Karajá: ♂ ''Berohokỹ'' eɾohoˈkə̃ ♀ ''Bèrakuhukỹ'' ɛɾakuhuˈkə̃ is one of the major rivers of Brazil though it is almost equal in volume at its confluence with the Tocantins. It has a total ...
go down and exposes almost of beaches. At the
Emas National Park in the municipality of
Mineiros, it is possible to observe the typical fauna and flora from the region. At the
Chapada dos Veadeiros the main attractions are the canyons, valleys, rapids and waterfalls. Other attractions include the historical
city of Goiás and the hot springs of
Caldas Novas
Caldas Novas () is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Goiás. It is considered by many to be the largest hydro-thermal resort in the world.
Location
Caldas Novas is located 170 km south of state capital, Goiânia, with good roads link ...
.
Geography

Goiás occupies a large plateau, the vast almost level surface of which stands between 750 and 900 m above sea level and forms the divide between three of Brazil's largest river systems: to the south, Goiás is drained by the
Paranaíba river, a tributary of the
Paraná River
The Paraná River ( es, Río Paraná, links=no , pt, Rio Paraná, gn, Ysyry Parana) is a river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina for some ."Parana River". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Br ...
; to the east it is drained by tributaries of the
São Francisco River
The São Francisco River (, ) is a large river in Brazil. With a length of , it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America and overall in Brazil (after the Amazon, the Paraná and t ...
; and northward the state is drained by the
Araguaia River
The Araguaia River ( pt, Rio Araguaia , Karajá: ♂ ''Berohokỹ'' eɾohoˈkə̃ ♀ ''Bèrakuhukỹ'' ɛɾakuhuˈkə̃ is one of the major rivers of Brazil though it is almost equal in volume at its confluence with the Tocantins. It has a total ...
and the
Tocantins River and their tributaries. Other major rivers in the state are the
Meia Ponte, Aporé, São Marcos,
Corumbá River
The Corumbá River (''Rio Corumbá'' in Portuguese) is the most important river in the Central Plateau region of Brazil. Its source is in the Montes de Pireneus, near Pirenópolis, state of Goiás, near the boundary with the Federal District ...
, Claro,
Maranhão,
Paranã
Paranã (formerly known as São João da Palma) is a municipality in the state of Tocantins
Tocantins () is one of the 26 states of Brazil. It is the newest state, formed in 1988 and encompassing what had formerly been the northern two-fifth ...
and
Preto. None of these rivers is navigable except for short distances by small craft.
The state's highest point is Pouso Alto, at above sea level, in the Chapada dos Veadeiros.
Goiás is covered with a woodland savanna known in Brazil as campo
cerrado, although there are still tropical forests along the rivers. The climate of the plateau is tropical. Average monthly temperatures vary from in the warmest month to in the coldest. The year is divided into a rainy season (October–March) and a dry season (April–September). Average annual rainfall is about , but this varies due to elevation and microclimate.
Some parts of the state, however, have small remnants of tropical
Atlantic forest
The Atlantic Forest ( pt, Mata Atlântica) is a South American forest that extends along the Atlantic coast of Brazil from Rio Grande do Norte state in the northeast to Rio Grande do Sul state in the south and inland as far as Paraguay and th ...
, that mostly appears around rivers and valleys.
The Great Central West Region, consisting of the states of Goiás,
Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso ( – lit. "Thick Bush") is one of the states of Brazil, the third largest by area, located in the Central-West region. The state has 1.66% of the Brazilian population and is responsible for 1.9% of the Brazilian GDP.
Neighboring ...
, Mato Grosso do Sul, and the
Federal District, is among the fastest-growing regions of Brazil. The population of Goiás state tripled in size in the period from 1950 to 1980 and is still growing very quickly. However, outside the Federal District and the Goiânia metropolitan region (with a population of over a million) most of Goiás is very thinly populated. The chief concentration of settlement is in the southeast, in the area of
Goiânia (Goiânia and
Aparecida de Goiânia), across the border from
Minas Gerais (
Catalão,
Rio Verde,
Jataí, and
Caldas Novas
Caldas Novas () is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Goiás. It is considered by many to be the largest hydro-thermal resort in the world.
Location
Caldas Novas is located 170 km south of state capital, Goiânia, with good roads link ...
), and around the Federal District (
Formosa
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, press and literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of the land area of the territorie ...
,
Planaltina de Goiás, and
Luziânia
Luziânia is municipality in the state of Goiás, Brazil. This city is a producer of agricultural products including soybeans and beans.
Location
Luziânia is located 68 km south of Brasília and is part of the area, called Entorno do ...
).
History
The first European exploration of this interior part of Brazil was carried out by expeditions from
São Paulo in the 17th century. Gold was discovered in the gravel of a tributary of the Araguaia River by the bandeirante Bartolomeu Bueno da Silva (the Anhanguera) in 1682. The settlement he founded there, called Santa Anna, became the colonial town of
Goiás Velho, the former state capital. In 1744 the large inland area, much of it still unexplored by Europeans, was made a
Captaincy General
A captaincy ( es, capitanía , pt, capitania , hr, kapetanija) is a historical administrative division of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires. It was instituted as a method of organization, directly associated with the home-rule a ...
, and in 1822 it became a province of the
empire of Brazil. It became a state in 1889. The Brazilian constitution of 1891 specified that the nation's capital should be moved to the Brazilian Highlands (
Planalto Central), and in 1956 Goiás was selected as the site for the federal district and capital national,
Brasília. The seat of the federal government was officially moved to Brasília in 1960.
Goiânia, the largest city and capital was planned in 1933 to replace the old, inaccessible former state capital of Goiás, northwest. In 1937 the state government moved there, and in 1942 the official inauguration was held. Goiânia is now one of the fastest-growing cities in Brazil and one of the most livable cities in the country. It stands out as both an industrial center (along with the neighboring towns of
Anápolis and
Aparecida de Goiânia) and as a cultural center for country culture and music, known as
Sertanejo.
Due to the relatively large territory of the state, which was over , communications were obviously very difficult. The northern part of the state began to feel abandoned by the southern government and began a movement for separation. Local political leaders also encouraged the movement. In 1988 the northern half of Goiás became a separate state called
Tocantins.
Demographics

According to the
IBGE of 2010, there were 6,004,045 people residing in the state. The population density was 16.9 inh./km
2.
Urbanization: 88.6% (2006);
Population growth
Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a population or dispersed group. Actual global human population growth amounts to around 83 million annually, or 1.1% per year. The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to ...
: 2.5% (1991–2000); Houses: 1,749,000 (2006).
The last PNAD (National Research for Sample of Domiciles) census revealed the following numbers: 3,433,000
White people (51.45%), 2,076,000
Pardo (
Multiracial
Mixed race people are people of more than one race or ethnicity. A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mixed race people in a variety of contexts, including ''multiethnic'', ''polyethnic'', occasionally ''bi-ethn ...
) people (42.44%), 329,000
Black people (5.60%), 16,000
Asian people (0.26%), 15,000
Amerindian people (0.25%).
Ethnic groups found in Goiás include:
Italians,
Amerindians,
Portuguese,
Africans
African or Africans may refer to:
* Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa:
** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa
*** Ethn ...
,
Germans,
Arabs,
Lebanese
Lebanese may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Lebanese Republic
* Lebanese people
The Lebanese people ( ar, الشعب اللبناني / ALA-LC: ', ) are the people inhabiting or originating from Lebanon. The term may al ...
and
Syrian
Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend of both indi ...
.
According to an autosomal DNA study from 2008, the ancestral composition of Goiás is 83.70% European, 13.30% African and 3.0% Amerindian.
Religion
According to the Census of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), in 2010 58.89% of the state's population was
Roman Catholic, 28.07% were
Protestants or evangelicals, 8.11% had no religion, 2.46% were
Spiritists, 0.67%
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...
, 1.01% other Christian religions (which include the
Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church,
Eastern Orthodox Church,
Mormonism and others) and 0.79% from other religions.
Education
Portuguese is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. English and Spanish, however, are also part of the official high school curriculum.
Educational institutions
Universidade Federal de Goiás(UFG);
Universidade Federal de Jataí(UFJ);
Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás(PUC GOIÁS);
Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Goiás(IFG);
Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Goiano(
IFGoiano);
Universidade Estadual de Goiás(UEG);
Universidade Paulista(UNIP Flamboyant);
Universidade de Rio Verde
* and many others.
Economy
The
service sector
The tertiary sector of the economy, generally known as the service sector, is the third of the three economic sectors in the three-sector model (also known as the economic cycle). The others are the primary sector (raw materials) and the second ...
is the largest component of GDP at 43.9%, followed by the
industrial sector
In macroeconomics, the secondary sector of the economy is an economic sector in the three-sector theory that describes the role of manufacturing. It encompasses industries that produce a finished, usable product or are involved in construction ...
at 35.4%. Agriculture represents 20.7%, of GDP (2004). Goiás exports: soybean 49.2%, meat of cattle 10.5%, gold 9.1%, other meat 7.5%, iron 7.4%, leather 4% (2002).
Share of the Brazilian economy: 2.4% (2005).
Goiás is a leader in the country in crop raising. In 2016, Goiás had the 3rd largest
cattle herd in Brazil: 22.6 million head of cattle. The number of
pigs in Goiás was approximately 2.0 million head in 2015. The State had the 6th largest Brazilian herd, 5% of the national herd. Among the municipalities in Goiás that stood out,
Rio Verde had the 3rd largest national population. In 2016, Goiás was the 4th largest
milk producer, accounting for 10.1% of the country's milk production. The number of
chickens
The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...
in the State was 64.2 million head in 2015. The production of chicken
eggs this year was 188 million dozens. Goiás was the 9th largest producer of eggs, 5% of national production.

Agriculture as a total represented 21% of the GDP of the state. The state of Goiás stands out in the production of
sugarcane
Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...
,
corn
Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Th ...
,
soy,
sorghum
''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family (Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many othe ...
,
beans,
sunflower
The common sunflower (''Helianthus annuus'') is a large annual forb of the genus ''Helianthus'' grown as a crop for its edible oily seeds. Apart from cooking oil production, it is also used as livestock forage (as a meal or a silage plant), as ...
,
tomato,
garlic
Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...
, in addition to also producing
cotton,
rice,
coffee and
wheat. In 2019, Goiás was the Brazilian state with the 4th highest grain production, 10% of the national production. Goiás is the 2nd largest producer of
sugarcane
Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...
in the country, 11.3% of national production, with 75.7 million tons harvested in the 2019–20 harvest. In the same year, it was the 4th largest producer of
soy, with 12.46 million tons. It has the national leadership in the production of
sorghum
''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family (Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many othe ...
: it produced 44% of the Brazilian crop production in the 2019–2020 cycle, with a harvest of 1.09 million tons. In 2017, it was the 4th largest producer of
maize in the country. The state is also the Brazilian leader in
tomato production: in 2019 it produced over 1.2 million tons, a third of the country's total production. In 2019, Goiás became the leader of the Brazilian production of
garlic
Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...
. Goiás was the 4th largest producer of
beans in Brazil in the 2017–18 harvest, with 374 thousand tons, and has about 10% of the country's production. The state is also in 3rd place in the national production of
cotton, however, most of the national production is from Mato Grosso and Bahia - Goiás has only 2.3% of participation. In
sunflower
The common sunflower (''Helianthus annuus'') is a large annual forb of the genus ''Helianthus'' grown as a crop for its edible oily seeds. Apart from cooking oil production, it is also used as livestock forage (as a meal or a silage plant), as ...
, in 2020 Goiás was the 2nd largest national producer, with 41.8%, losing only from Mato Grosso. In
rice, Goiás is the 8th largest producer in Brazil, with 1% of national production.

Minerals are also important with the state being a major producer of
nickel,
copper,
gold,
niobium
Niobium is a chemical element with chemical symbol Nb (formerly columbium, Cb) and atomic number 41. It is a light grey, crystalline, and ductile transition metal. Pure niobium has a Mohs hardness rating similar to pure titanium, and it has sim ...
and
aluminum (
bauxite). Goiás had 4.58% of the national mineral participation (3rd place in the country) in 2017. At
nickel, Goiás and Pará are the only two producers in the country, Goiás being the 1st in production, having obtained 154 thousand tons at a value of R$1.4 billion. In
copper, it was the 2nd largest producer in the country, with 242 thousand tons, at a value of R$1.4 billion. In
gold, it was the 4th largest producer in the country, with 10.2 tons, at a value of R$823 million. In
niobium
Niobium is a chemical element with chemical symbol Nb (formerly columbium, Cb) and atomic number 41. It is a light grey, crystalline, and ductile transition metal. Pure niobium has a Mohs hardness rating similar to pure titanium, and it has sim ...
(in the form of pyrochlorine), it was the 2nd largest producer in the country, with 27 thousand tons, at a value of R$312 million. In
aluminum (
bauxite), it was the 3rd largest producer in the country, with 766 thousand tons, at a value of R$51 million.
In gemstones, Goiás is one of the
emerald
Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral beryl (Be3Al2(SiO3)6) colored green by trace amounts of chromium or sometimes vanadium.Hurlbut, Cornelius S. Jr. and Kammerling, Robert C. (1991) ''Gemology'', John Wiley & Sons, New York, p ...
producing states in Brazil.
Campos Verdes
Campos Verdes is a municipality in north Goiás state, Brazil. Campos Verdes was known as the emerald capital of Goiás but is fast losing population as the emeralds have run out.
Location
It is located 321 kilometers from the state capital, Goi ...
is considered the "Capital of the Emeralds". The state also has known production of
tourmaline (Brazil is one of the biggest productors of this gem), and
sapphire (in a scarce mode).

The strongest growing area in the state has been in industry and commerce. Goiás had in 2017 an industrial GDP of R$37.1 billion, equivalent to 3.1% of the national industry. It employs 302,952 workers in the industry. The main industrial sectors are: Construction (25.6%), Food (25.2%), Industrial Public Utility Services, such as Electricity and Water (17.2%), Petroleum Products and Biofuels (7.4%) and Chemicals (3.7%). These 5 sectors concentrate 79.1% of the state's industry.
Goiânia and
Aparecida de Goiânia have become centers of food-processing industries,
Anápolis of pharmaceutical factories.
Rio Verde, in the southwest, is one of the fastest growing small cities with many new industries locating in the area and
Catalão is a metal-mechanical and chemical center.
In Brazil, the
automotive sector represents close to 22% of industrial GDP. Goiás has
Mitsubishi
The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries.
Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group historically descended from the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company which existed from 1870 ...
,
Suzuki
is a Japan, Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, All-terrain vehicle, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs ...
and
Hyundai Hyundai is a South Korean industrial conglomerate ("chaebol"), which was restructured into the following groups:
* Hyundai Group, parts of the former conglomerate which have not been divested
** Hyundai Mobis, Korean car parts company
** Hyundai ...
factories.
Economic indicators
* Agriculture (in tons): sugarcane (9.251.798), soybeans (3.420.653), corn (3.414.601), tomato (759.009), rice (352.135), cotton (278.363), manioc (255.639), beans (200.977)--(1999).
* Livestock (in head): fowl (80.000.000 est.), cattle (18.000.000 est.), pigs (1.000.000 est.) --(1999).
* Minerals: titanium-ilmenite (1.624 t), nickel (52.302 t), manganese (23.242 t), cobalt (484 t), iron (199 brute tons), niobium-pirocloride (54.953 t), gold (4.512.882 grams), silver (211.917)--(1998).
* Industry: food, metallurgy, extraction of non-metallic minerals.
Statistics
* Vehicles: 1,610,972 (March/2007);
* Mobile phones: 3.6 million (April/2007); Telephones: 1.3 million (April/2007)
* Cities: 246 (2007).
Infrastructure

In 2017, the state had a total road network of 96,642.1 km, including municipal, state and federal roads. As of December 2021, Goiás owned, in addition to municipal roads, 21,212.67 km of Goiás state roads and 2,094.3 km of federal roads. There are more than 13,000 km of paved roads and about 1,200 km are
duplicated highways. The
BR-060
BR-060 is a federal highway of Brazil. The 1329 kilometre road connects Brasília to Bela Vista, on the Paraguayan border.
It is also designated as part of the Belém–Brasília Highway, in its stretch between Brasília and Anápolis.
Duplic ...
has more than 520 km duplicated between
Brasilia,
Goiânia and
Jataí. The
BR-050
BR-050 is a federal highway of Brazil. The 1025.3 kilometre road connects Brasília to Santos. Inside of São Paulo, the highway also receives the designation of Rodovia Anhanguera (SP-330).
Economic importance
The BR-050 is undoubtedly one o ...
is almost entirely duplicated in the state, with more than 200 km of highways between
Cristalina and the border with Minas Gerais. The
BR-153 between Goiânia and the border with Minas Gerais is also duplicated, in addition to the highways that connect Goiânia with the
BR-070. Duplication of highways in the state began in the 2000s and has been constantly evolving ever since. There is currently a project to duplicate the
BR-153 between
Anápolis and the border with
Tocantins.
Highways in the
Brazilian Highway System include
BR-020,
BR-040,
BR-050
BR-050 is a federal highway of Brazil. The 1025.3 kilometre road connects Brasília to Santos. Inside of São Paulo, the highway also receives the designation of Rodovia Anhanguera (SP-330).
Economic importance
The BR-050 is undoubtedly one o ...
,
BR-060
BR-060 is a federal highway of Brazil. The 1329 kilometre road connects Brasília to Bela Vista, on the Paraguayan border.
It is also designated as part of the Belém–Brasília Highway, in its stretch between Brasília and Anápolis.
Duplic ...
,
BR-070,
BR-080,
Rodovia Transbrasiliana (BR-153),
BR-158
BR-158 is a federal highway of Brazil. One of the longest highways in the country, the road connects Altamira, Pará, to Santana do Livramento on the Uruguayan border where it joins Route 5 (Uruguay).
In the original planning of the Ministry of ...
,
BR-251,
BR-364
BR-364 is an inter-state highway in Brazil connecting the southeast state of São Paulo to the western state of Acre. The highway was opened in the 1960s and paved in the 1980s. It has brought economic development and population growth in the Amaz ...
,
BR-414,
BR-452; additionally, over 60 state highways run through the state.
Modernization work will soon get under way at
Santa Genoveva Airport
Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnigh ...
in the northeast side of Goiânia. With nominal yearly capacity of 600,000 passengers, in 2004 it received 950,000. With its new terminal, it will be able to handle up to 2 million users a year. Air traffic in Goiás has several airports. An airbase has been built in
Anápolis for supersonic aircraft of the
Brazilian Air Force
"Wings that protect the country"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Hino dos Aviadores
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 22 May (anniver ...
.
There is only a waterway on the Paranaíba River, and its main port is
São Simão, which forms part of the
Hidrovia Tietê-Paraná.
One of the most important railways in the state is the
Ferrovia Norte-Sul (North-South Railway). On March 4, 2021, the section between
São Simão (GO) and
Estrela d'Oeste
Estrela d'Oeste is a municipality in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The population is 8,419 (2020 est.) in an area of 296.3 km2. Estrela d'Oeste belongs to the Mesoregion of São José do Rio Preto.
History
The area of Estrela d´Oes ...
(SP) entered into operation. In São Simão, a terminal with a static capacity of 42,000 tons and the capacity to process 5.5 million tons of soybeans, corn and soybean meal per year was built. On May 29, 2021, the first railway composition loaded with soybeans departed from the multimodal terminal of
Rio Verde (GO), bound for the
Port of Santos. This trip marked the inauguration of the section between Rio Verde and São Simão (GO) with just over 200 km.
Main sights

* Caldas Novas
It is a city located in the southeast of the state, where hot springs are located, being the largest hydrothermal resort in the world, with several resorts that use the waters of these thermal springs for therapeutic and leisure purposes. Some resorts in the city are inspired by the ancient Roman Baths.The Region attracts tourists from all over Brazil and the world.
* Chapada dos Veadeiros
It is an ecological national park famous for the diversity of its landscape and the richness of its fauna and flora.
* City of Goiás
An internationally famous
World Heritage Site, the city is notable for its historical importance and colonial architecture.
* Parque Nacional das Emas
The Emas National Park is another
World Heritage Site in Goiás.
* Pirenópolis
Pirenópolis is a city in the interior of the State of Goiás, known for its preserved
colonial homes
American colonial architecture includes several building design styles associated with the colonial period of the United States, including First Period English (late-medieval), French Colonial, Spanish Colonial, Dutch Colonial, and Georgian. ...
and steep stone streets.
Cities

The 15 most populous cities as estimated in 2017 by IGBE:
*
Goiânia (1.466.105)
*
Aparecida de Goiânia (542.090)
*
Anápolis (375.142)
*
Rio Verde (217.048)
*
Luziânia
Luziânia is municipality in the state of Goiás, Brazil. This city is a producer of agricultural products including soybeans and beans.
Location
Luziânia is located 68 km south of Brasília and is part of the area, called Entorno do ...
(199.615)
*
Águas Lindas de Goiás (195.810)
*
Valparaíso de Goiás (159.500)
*
Trindade (121.266)
*
Formosa
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, press and literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of the land area of the territorie ...
(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)
Se
City population of Goiásfor table showing population from 1991 to 2005 in the 37 largest cities.
;Cities with tourist interest
Sport

The main sport in the state is football. The main football clubs are
Goiás,
Atlético Goianiense,
Vila Nova,
Anápolis,
Itumbiara,
Anapolina,
CRAC and
Goiânia. The main stadiums in Goiás are the
Serra Dourada Stadium and the
Pedro Ludovico Teixeira Olympic Stadium, which was chosen as one of the hosts of the
2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup
The 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup was the 18th edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, the biennial international men's youth association football, football championship contested by the under-17 national teams of the member associations of FIFA. It was ...
.
Volleyball is also widely practiced by the population of Goiás, occupying the 3rd place in preference, with futsal in second place. Rugby occupies the fourth place in the preference of Goiás. A place where volleyball and futsal are widely practiced is in the city of Anápolis, which has an international gymnasium capable of hosting official matches, the Newton de Faria International Gymnasium.
Olympic medalists
Dante in volleyball and
Carlos Jayme in swimming were born in the state, as well as medalists in world championships, such as
César Sebba in basketball and
Diogo Villarinho in aquatic marathon.
Diogo Villarinho
/ref>
Flag
The green bars in the flag symbolize the spring and the yellow bars gold. The blue rectangle in the topleft corner symbolizes the sky, with the five stars forming the constellation
A constellation is an area on the celestial sphere in which a group of visible stars forms Asterism (astronomy), a perceived pattern or outline, typically representing an animal, mythological subject, or inanimate object.
The origins of the e ...
of the Southern Cross. The flag was adopted on 30 July 1919. It is a toned down version of the original Republican flag of Brazil, in itself not original.
Notable people
* Alok (DJ)
Alok Achkar Peres Petrillo (; born 26 August 1991) is a Brazilian musician, DJ, and record producer. He is known for his single "Hear Me Now (Alok song), Hear Me Now". In 2021 and 2022, Alok was ranked the 4th best DJ in the world by ''DJ Mag'' ...
, DJ
* Amado Batista
Amado Batista (Catalão, 17 February 1951) is a Brazilian singer. He also acted in some Brazilian films of the 1980s. He placed 86 in the poll O Maior Brasileiro de Todos os Tempos. During his more than 40 years of career, he recorded 38 albums ...
, singer
* Arthur, footballer
* Carolina Ferraz
Maria Carolina Álvares Ferraz (born January 25, 1968) is a Brazilian actress, TV host, and former model.
TV roles
* 2016 - ''Haja Coração'' as Penélope Bacellar Vélazquez
* 2013 - ''Além do Horizonte'' as Tereza
* 2012 - '' Avenida Brasi ...
, actress
* Cora Coralina, poet
* Henrique Meirelles
Henrique de Campos Meirelles (born 31 August 1945) is a Brazilian manager and former Minister of Finance and an executive of the Brazilian and the international financial sectors and former president of Central Bank of Brazil (Portuguese: ''Banco ...
, president of Banco Central do Brasil
The Central Bank of Brazil ( pt, Banco Central do Brasil) is Brazil's central bank. It was established on Thursday, 31 December 1964, a New Year's Eve.
The bank is not linked to any ministry, currently being autonomous. Like other central banks, ...
* Ingrid Guimarães, actress
* Leandro e Leonardo, singers
* Léo Jaime, singer and songwriter
* Marconi Perillo, former governor
* Marcos Hummel, Rede Record presenter
* Nana Gouvêa, adult model
* Pedro Ludovico political
* Ronaldo Caiado, governor
* Siron Franco
Gessiron Alves de Franco, known as Siron Franco (born July 26, 1947) Brazilian painter and sculptor, Siron Franco was born in Goiás Velho, GO, on July 26, 1947.
Siron Franco spent his childhood and adolescence in Goiânia, taking his first paint ...
, Painter
* Túlio Maravilha
Túlio Humberto Pereira Costa (born 2 June 1969), sometimes simply referred as Túlio or Túlio Maravilha ("Wonder Túlio"), is a former Brazilian international footballer who played as a forward. He played for many Brazilian club teams, such a ...
, former soccer player
* Wanessa, singer
* Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano, singers
* Paulo Nunes, former soccer player
* Dante Amaral, Brazilian national volleyball team
See also
* Goiânia accident
* Government of Goiás
The Government of Goiás, a state in Brazil, includes an executive, the State Governor, a Legislative Assembly and a judiciary. The State Governor is directly elected for 1-2 four year terms. The main governmental headquarters is called the Pa ...
References
External links
Historic Centre of the Town of Goiás World Heritage Sit
Google Arts and Culture Platform
Government of Goiás website
Legislative Assembly of Goiás website
Court of Justice of Goiás website
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Goias
States of Brazil
*
States and territories established in 1889
1889 establishments in Brazil