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Goiânia

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Goiânia is the capital city of the Brazilian state of Goiás.

Goianiadozoo
Goianiadozoo

It serves as a major administrative and economic hub for the Central-West Region. The city is quite large, with a population of 1,536,097 people. Its metropolitan area is even larger, housing about 2,890,418 residents. This makes the metropolitan area the 12th largest in Brazil. Goiânia is a strategic center for several important industries. These include medicine, fashion, industry, and agriculture.

The geography of the city is mostly flat. It consists of lowlands and continuous land with very few hills. Water flows through the territory via several sources. The Meia Ponte River is a primary feature of the landscape. The area also contains the Botafogo and Capim Puba streams. The city sits within a landscape known as the cerrado. The cerrado is a type of savanna. It features extensive formations of vegetation and gallery forests.

Vaca Brava Park in Goiânia
Vaca Brava Park in Goiânia

Goiânia was designed as a planned city. This means the layout was decided before it was built. The idea to move the capital had existed for a long time. In 1753, Marcos de Noronha wanted to move the capital to Pirenópolis. In 1863, José Vieira Couto de Magalhães suggested the Araguaia river. The goal was to align the capital with the state's economic interests. The original capital was Vila Boa, now known as the City of Goiás. That town thrived when the economy relied on gold extraction. Later, cattle-raising and agriculture became more important. This made the old capital feel too remote for the changing economy.

Governor Pedro Ludovico helped make the new capital a reality. He was appointed after the military revolt of 1930. In 1932, a commission was formed to choose a site. They chose the municipality of Campinas. The local mayor, Andrelino Rodrigues de Moraes, donated 242 acres of land. The foundation stone for Goiânia was laid in 1933. The city's name came from a newspaper contest. Many names were suggested, such as Americana and Anhanguera. In 1935, Pedro Ludovico officially used the name Goiânia in a decree. The city was officially inaugurated in 1942.

Avenida Anhanguera, Goiânia
Avenida Anhanguera, Goiânia

The original urban plan was very specific. It was designed for a population of 50,000 people. The layout used a concentric radius shape. This means the streets were arranged like the spokes of a wheel. The center of this design is the Praça Cívica. This central area holds the seats of the state and municipal governments. It includes the Palace of Emeralds and the Palace of Campinas. Many early buildings were designed in the Art Deco style. This style is characterized by specific geometric shapes and modern looks. Attilio Correia Lima designed many of these first buildings. Today, 22 of these structures are listed as National Heritage.

Goianiadozoo
Goianiadozoo

The natural environment of the region is very diverse. The cerrado contains many different types of plants. You can find buriti palm paths near the water table. There are also alpine pastures at higher altitudes. The area is home to over 1,600 species of animals. This includes 837 types of birds and 195 types of mammals. There are also 180 reptile species and 113 amphibians. Invertebrates like termites and leaf-cutter ants are very important here. They help decompose organic matter in the soil.

Lago das Rosas, em Goiânia
Lago das Rosas, em Goiânia

Goiânia has experienced significant growth and change. The city is a multiracial place due to intense migration. Many people move there from states like Minas Gerais and Bahia. Others come from Tocantins, Maranhão, São Paulo, and Pará. This migration helped the city grow quickly. The city also faced a serious radiation incident in 1987. A radioactive source containing caesium-137 was stolen from a hospital. This event caused four deaths and many cases of radiation poisoning. It led to the demolition of several city blocks. However, officials acted quickly to prevent more injuries.

Corpus Christi em Goiânia, 2005
Corpus Christi em Goiânia, 2005
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🖼️ Images & Media (15)
Avenida_Anhanguera,_Goiânia.tif
File:Goianiadozoo.jpg
Goianiadozoo.jpg
File:Goiânia2006.jpg
Goiânia2006.jpg
File:Estacionamento_do_Flamboyant_Shopping_Center_(1),_Goiânia,_setembro_de_2016.jpg
Estacionamento_do_Flamboyant_Shopping_Cent...
File:Corpus_Christi_em_Goiânia,_2005.jpg
Corpus_Christi_em_Goiânia,_2005.jpg
File:Igreja - panoramio (5).jpg
Igreja - panoramio (5).jpg
File:Assembleia de Deus Campinas (3), Goiânia, outubro de 2016.jpg
Assembleia de Deus Campinas (3), Goiânia,...
File:Av._85_Goiânia.jpg
Av._85_Goiânia.jpg
File:Aeroporto de Goiânia - 01.JPG
Aeroporto de Goiânia - 01.JPG
File:Lago_das_Rosas,_em_Goiânia.jpg
Lago_das_Rosas,_em_Goiânia.jpg
File:Vista_do_Parque_Flamboyant_(1),_Jardim_Goiás,_Goiânia,_dezembro_de_2016.jpg
Vista_do_Parque_Flamboyant_(1),_Jardim_Goi...
File:Vaca_Brava_Park_in_Goiânia.jpg
Vaca_Brava_Park_in_Goiânia.jpg

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