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| Goias | |
|---|---|
| Name | Goias |
| Capital | Goiânia |
| Largest city | Goiânia |
| Established | 1727 |
| Area km2 | 340086 |
| Population | 7,000,000 |
| Population as of | 2020 |
| Iso code | BR-GO |
Goias Goias is a state in the Central-West region of Brazil centered on the city of Goiânia and historically associated with the colonial bandeirante expeditions, the Gold rush in Brazil, and the expansion of agriculture in the Brazilian Highlands. The state occupies a strategic position between Brasília, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Mato Grosso, connecting infrastructural corridors such as the BR-153, the Belém–Brasília Highway, and the Cerrado agricultural frontier. Goias is noted for its mix of savanna landscapes, protected areas like Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, and cultural legacies tied to Vila Boa de Goiás, Goiânia Cathedral, and regional festivals.
The name derives from the indigenous Goyaz people encountered by Portuguese explorers during the 18th century and appears in records alongside expeditions led by figures such as Bartolomeu Bueno da Silva (Anhanguera) and Antônio Rolim de Moura. Early colonial documents referencing Santíssimo Sacramento and the captaincy system use orthographies influenced by Portuguese Empire nomenclature and by interactions with Jesuit missionaries like Padre Antônio Vieira. Similar to other toponyms in Brazil, the appellation reflects contact between the Tupí–Guaraní languages and colonial administrators tied to the State of Grão-Pará and Maranhão and the Captaincy of São Paulo.
Located on the Brazilian Highlands the state features the Cerrado biome, river systems including the Araguaia River, the Tocantins River, and tributaries of the Paraná River basin, as well as geological outcrops related to the Goiás Alkaline Province. Protected areas include Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, Serra da Canastra National Park (adjacent), and municipal reserves near Pirenópolis and Caldas Novas, which are noted for thermal springs and karst formations. Climatic influences stem from the Intertropical Convergence Zone, seasonal rainfall patterns observed in South America, and anthropogenic pressures from agribusiness connected to companies headquartered in Goiânia and industrial corridors toward Anápolis and Itumbiara.
The region was inhabited by indigenous groups such as the Tapajós, Kayapó, and Xavante prior to contact; early colonial incursions by bandeirantes like Antônio Raposo Tavares and Bandeirante expeditions sought gold during the 18th-century Brazilian gold rush and established settlements such as Vila Boa de Goiás. The province later became integrated into the imperial administrative network under names used in documents of the Empire of Brazil and experienced republican-era developments linked to figures like Juscelino Kubitschek and the construction of Brasília; twentieth-century modernization included the founding of Goiânia in 1933 and industrialization in Anápolis and Catalão. Political transformations involved state-level actors connected to national parties such as the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB), the Workers' Party (PT), and Progressistas (PP), affecting land reform debates associated with movements like the Landless Workers' Movement.
The population is composed of descendants of indigenous peoples, Portuguese Empire settlers, African diaspora communities, and internal migrants from Northeast Brazil and Minas Gerais, producing linguistic and cultural syncretism reflected in festivals such as Festa do Divino, carnival celebrations influenced by Sertanejo music, and culinary traditions featuring dishes found in Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso do Sul. Urban centers like Goiânia, Anápolis, Aparecida de Goiânia, and Rio Verde host universities such as the Federal University of Goiás, cultural institutions including the Goiás State Symphony Orchestra, and museums referencing colonial art linked to Aleijadinho-era sculpture traditions. Religious practices involve Roman Catholic Church, evangelical denominations exemplified by Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, and Afro-Brazilian elements connected to broader regional religiosity.
Economic activity centers on agribusiness commodities—soybean and corn production tied to export routes through Port of Santos and Port of Paranaguá—and livestock ranching linked to feedlot operations near Goiânia and Catalão. Industrial sectors include fertilizer and phosphate production associated with companies in Catalão and metallurgical plants connected to mining operations for niobium and gold referenced in geological surveys of the Cerrado and the Goiás Alkaline Province. The service sector encompasses logistics hubs in Anápolis, commercial markets in Goiânia Shopping areas, and energy projects involving the Itaipu Binacional grid interconnections and regional thermoelectric plants. Financial and policy instruments from institutions such as the Central Bank of Brazil and regional development agencies influence credit flows to agribusiness conglomerates and smallholder cooperatives like Cooperativa Agroindustrial groups.
State administration is seated in Goiânia with executive authority held by the governor elected under Brazil's federal constitution; legislative functions occur in the Legislative Assembly of Goiás, and judicial matters are adjudicated in courts integrated into the Brazilian judicial system including the Tribunal de Justiça de Goiás. Political life has featured figures who participated in federal cabinets, electoral contests involving parties such as the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), Democrats (DEM), and Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL), and policy debates over land tenure influenced by rulings from the Supreme Federal Court. Intergovernmental relations include coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply and infrastructure programs undertaken with the Ministry of Transport.
Transport corridors include the BR-153 (Transbrasiliana), the BR-060 linking Goiânia to Brasília, and rail proposals tied to the North-South Railway project, while airports such as Santa Genoveva-Goiânia Airport and regional airfields support passenger and cargo movements. Urban transit systems in Goiânia and Aparecida de Goiânia utilize bus networks and discussions about bus rapid transit draw on models from Curitiba and São Paulo. Utilities infrastructure involves state-controlled companies and federal regulators including the National Electric Energy Agency and water management initiatives coordinated with agencies like the National Water Agency, particularly for irrigation projects in agricultural municipalities such as Rio Verde and Jataí.