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| State of Goiás | |
|---|---|
| Name | Goiás |
| Native name | Estado de Goiás |
| Settlement type | State |
| Capital | Goiânia |
| Largest city | Goiânia |
| Coordinates | 16°39′S 49°16′W |
| Area total km2 | 340086 |
| Population total | 7,113,540 |
| Population as of | 2021 |
| Established title | Founded |
| Established date | 1727 |
| Iso code | BR-GO |
| Website | governo.go.gov.br |
State of Goiás Goiás is a federative unit in central Brazil, centered on the city of Goiânia, occupying a plateau of the Brazilian Highlands and bordering Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Tocantins, and the Federal District. The state features ecosystems such as Cerrado and river systems including the Araguaia River and Paraná River basins, and hosts urban centers linked to federal projects like the construction of Brasília. Goiás has a history tied to bandeirante expeditions, gold rushes, and agrarian expansion, shaping its population and industries.
Goiás lies on the central plateau of the Brazilian Highlands, with elevations ranging from the Cerrado savanna to the chapada formations of the Chapada dos Veadeiros, drained by tributaries of the Tocantins River, Araguaia River, and Paraná River. The state contains protected areas such as the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park and the Emas National Park, and geological features tied to the Cerrado biome and the Brazilian Shield, influencing climate patterns associated with the South American Monsoon System. Municipalities like Anápolis, Catalão, and Rio Verde sit on agricultural plains, while landscapes near Caldas Novas feature geothermal springs connected to tourism circuits.
Colonial-era exploration by bandeirantes and bandeiras from São Paulo led to settlements and gold discoveries around towns like Vila Boa (now Goiás Velho) and Piracanjuba, prompting administrative links to the Captaincy of São Paulo and later the Captaincy of Goiás. The 18th-century gold rush spawned political changes culminating in the formation of provincial structures under the Empire of Brazil and figures such as Joaquim José da Silva Xavier influenced broader independence-era currents. In the Republican era, construction of Brasília and policies of presidents like Getúlio Vargas altered internal migration, while 20th-century industrialization around Goiânia and agribusiness booms connected Goiás to markets in São Paulo and international trade regimes negotiated by entities like the World Trade Organization. Social movements linked to land reform engaged with organizations such as the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra.
Goiás's population includes mestizo, European-descended, African-descended, and indigenous communities historically associated with groups like the Xavante and Karajá, concentrated in municipalities such as Formosa and Rio Verde. Urban growth around Goiânia and Aparecida de Goiânia reflects internal migration from Minas Gerais, Bahia, and the Northeast Region of Brazil, while census data collected by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) records shifts in fertility, life expectancy, and literacy correlated with public programs like the Bolsa Família and health initiatives under the Sistema Único de Saúde. Religious landscapes show Catholic influence through dioceses like the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Goiânia alongside evangelical denominations and Afro-Brazilian traditions.
Agribusiness dominates with crops such as soybeans and corn produced in municipalities like Rio Verde and Catalão, and cattle ranching concentrated in western Goiás linked to export corridors toward ports such as Paranaguá and Santos. Mining activities extract minerals near Goiás Velho and Itaberaí and include operations by companies listed on the B3 (stock exchange), while industrial clusters in Anápolis and Goiânia host pharmaceuticals, fertilizer plants, and automotive suppliers connected to multinational firms like Embraer and logistics firms serving the BR-153 corridor. Fiscal policy at the state level interacts with federal transfers under the Constitution of Brazil and investment incentives administered via agencies such as the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), affecting infrastructure projects and public-private partnerships.
Goiás's political structure follows the federal model with an executive headed by a governor elected alongside a vice governor, and a unicameral Legislative Assembly (Assembleia Legislativa de Goiás); notable political actors have included governors affiliated with parties like the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) and the Workers' Party (PT). The judiciary operates through the Court of Justice of the State of Goiás and federal courts linked to the Superior Court of Justice, while electoral processes are overseen by branches of the Superior Electoral Court and local electoral zones in Goiânia, Anápolis, and elsewhere. Policy debates in Goiás address land tenure disputes adjudicated by agencies such as the National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA) and environmental licensing influenced by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA).
Transportation networks include federal highways BR-060, BR-153, and BR-050, connecting Goiás to the Federal District and ports on the Atlantic Coast, while airports such as Goiânia/Santa Genoveva Airport and regional airfields serve passenger and cargo flows linked to agribusiness exports. Energy grids tie into national systems managed by companies like Eletrobras and hydroelectric projects on rivers feeding the Paraná Basin and Tocantins Basin, whereas water supply and sanitation investments often coordinate with the Ministry of Regional Development and state utility Companha de Saneamento de Goiás. Rail proposals and inland waterway initiatives aim to connect Goiás's production to corridors like the North-South Railway and the Araguaia-Tocantins Waterway.
Goiás hosts cultural expressions including sertanejo music popularized by artists associated with festivals in Goiânia and folk traditions preserved in Goiás Velho, which contains colonial architecture and sites like the Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário. Annual events such as rodeos in Rio Verde and religious pilgrimages to Trindade attract visitors alongside ecotourism in Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park and thermal resorts in Caldas Novas. Museums like the Museu Pedro Ludovico and institutions such as the Federal University of Goiás support research on regional history and arts, while gastronomy features dishes influenced by Minas Gerais and indigenous ingredients.