Goiânia , is the capital and the largest city in the
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
ian
stateThe Federative Republic of Brazil is a union of twenty-six estados and one district, the Distrito Federal which contains the capital city, Brasília....
of
GoiásGoiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The most central of the Brazilian states and most populous of the region, Goiás is characterized by a landscape of chapadões...
. With a population of 1,265,394 people, it is the second largest city in the Central-West Region and the thirteenth largest in the country. Its
metropolitan areaThe Goiânia metropolitan area, popularly known as Greater Goiânia, is a conurbation of cities around Goiânia, capital of Brazilian state of Goiás.-History:...
has a total population of 2,063,744, being the eleventh largest in Brazil.
Goiânia, unlike most cities in Brazil, was completely planned. The city was founded on October 24, 1933 by then Governor
Pedro LudovicoPedro Ludovico was the founder of Goiânia, Brazil, and one of the most important figures in the history of the state of Goiás....
to be the new state capital and center for all state matters. Prior to this date, the state capital was the town of
GoiásGoiás is a small city and municipality in the state of Goiás in Brazil. The population was 24,072 in a total area of 3,108 km² . It is the former capital of the state and preserves much of its colonial heritage...
. Goiânia is considered the greenest city in Brazil and the second only to
EdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. The city is located on the North Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province, an area with some of the most fertile farmland on the prairies...
in the world .
History
(1753-1930)
The idea of creating a new
stateThe Federative Republic of Brazil is a union of twenty-six estados and one district, the Distrito Federal which contains the capital city, Brasília....
capital had been bounced around from early on in the history of the state of Goiás. The first plan came from D. Marcos de Noronha who in 1753 wanted to establish the state capital in the municipality of Pirenópolis, then again in 1863 José Vieira Couto de Magalhães put forward a plan to move the capital to the edge of the river Araguaia.
The impetus behind the efforts to move the state capital was the need to locate it in accordance with the economic interests of the state. The first state capital, Vila Boa (today
City of GoiásGoiás is a small city and municipality in the state of Goiás in Brazil. The population was 24,072 in a total area of 3,108 km² . It is the former capital of the state and preserves much of its colonial heritage...
), had been chosen when the economy was based on
goldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. It has been a highly sought-after precious metal for coinage, jewelry, and other arts since the beginning of recorded history. The metal occurs as nuggets or grains in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. Gold is...
extraction. Later, when cattle-raising and
agricultureAgriculture is the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and...
came to dominate the state's development, the old state capital was too out of the way.
Legislators kept the idea of a change alive for a long time. In 1891 the constitutional delegates made the idea of the transfer of the capital official including it in the constitution, ratifying it in 1898 and again in 1918.
Vaguely remembered until 1930, the idea of a change became a reality during the government of Pedro Ludovico, who was the new governor appointed for the state of
GoiásGoiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The most central of the Brazilian states and most populous of the region, Goiás is characterized by a landscape of chapadões...
after the military revolt of 1930. In 1932 a commission was created to choose the place where the new capital would be built. In 1933 the commission decided on the present location and the foundation
stoneIn geology, rock is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
was laid.
The plan was for a city of 50,000 with the shape of a concentric radius – streets in the form of a spoke, with the Praça Cívica as the center, with the seats of the state and municipal government – The
PalaceA palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome...
of Emeralds and the Palace of Campinas.
In 1937 a decree was signed transferring the state capital from the Cidade de
GoiásGoiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The most central of the Brazilian states and most populous of the region, Goiás is characterized by a landscape of chapadões...
to Goiânia. The official inauguration only occurred in 1942 with the presence of the president of the republic, governors, and ministers.
The name, Goiânia, came about in 1933 after a contest was put on by a local
newspaperA newspaper is a publication containing news, information, and advertising. General-interest newspapers often feature articles on political events, crime, business, art/entertainment, society and sports. Most traditional papers also feature an editorial page containing columns that express the...
. Readers from all over the state contributed, with some of the most voted names being Petrônia, Americana, Petrolândia, Goianópolis, Goiânia, Bartolomeu Bueno, Campanha, Eldorado,
AnhangueraAnhanguera is a small town and municipality in south Goiás state, Brazil. In 2007 the population was 966 and the total area of the municipality was 55,0 km², making it the smallest municipality in the state of Goiás both in population and area.-Geography:...
, Liberdade,
GoianésiaGoianésia is a municipality in the state of Goiás, Brazil. It is a large producer of sugarcane for production of alcohol used as a source of fuel.-Location:...
, and Pátria Nova, among others. In 1935 Pedro Ludovico used the name Goiânia for the first time signing a decree creating the municipio of Goiânia.
Art deco
The first buildings in this planned city, designed by Atílio Correia Lima, were inspired by
Art DecoArt Deco was a popular international art design movement from 1925 until the 1940s, affecting the decorative arts such as architecture, interior design, and industrial design, as well as the visual arts such as fashion, painting, the graphic arts, and film...
. The collection of buildings in the city is considered one of the most important in
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
. Mostly built in the 1940s and 1950s they have been recognized by the National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage. Included are 22
buildingIn architecture, construction, engineering and real estate development the word building may refer to one of the following:# Any man-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy, or...
s and
monumentA monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of past events. They are frequently used to improve the appearance of a city or location. Cities that are planned...
s, the original center of Goiânia, and the pioneering nucleus of
CampinasCampinas is a city and county located in the interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil.The county area is 797,6 km². Population is approximately 1,059,420 , with over 98% in the urban region. Its metropolitan area, defined in 2000, has some 19 cities and a population of 3,2 million people...
, the town that gave birth to Goiânia.
Radiation incident
In 1987 an old
medicalRadiation therapy is the medical use of ionizing radiation as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells . Radiotherapy may be used for curative or adjuvant cancer treatment...
radiation source scavenged from an abandoned hospital in Goiânia caused several deaths and many more non-fatal cases of
radiation poisoningRadiation poisoning, also called radiation sickness or a creeping dose, is a form of damage to organ tissue due to excessive exposure to ionizing radiation...
.
Geography
Climate
The climate is continental tropical humid with an average temperature of . There's a wet season, from October to April, and a dry one, from May to September. Annual rainfall is around 1,520 mm.
The lowest temperature ever recorded was on July 18, 2000, in the suburbs. was the lowest recorded downtown, in July 9, 1938. However, such lows are very rare. Temperatures may fall below every winter, mainly in the suburbs. The highest temperature ever recorded was on October 17, 2007.
Vegetation
The "
cerradoThe cerrado is a vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil. The cerrado is characterised by an enormous range of plant and animal biodiversity...
" landscape is characterized by extensive
savannaA savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close...
formations crossed by gallery forests and stream valleys. Cerrado includes various types of
vegetationVegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
. Humid fields and "buriti"
palmThe Moriche Palm, Mauritia flexuosa, also known as the Ité Palm, Ita, Buriti, or aguaje , is a palm tree. It grows in and near swamps and other wet areas in tropical South America....
paths are found where the
waterWater is an ubiquitous chemical substance that is composed of hydrogen and oxygen and is essential for all known forms of life.In typical usage, water refers only to its liquid form or state, but the substance also has a solid state, ice, and a gaseous state, water vapor or steam. Water covers 71%...
table is near the surface. Alpine pastures occur at higher altitudes and mesophytic forests on more fertile
soilSoil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics. It is composed of particles of broken rock that have been altered by chemical and...
s. More than 1600 species of mammals, birds and reptiles have been identified in the cerrado ("Cerrado's Fauna", Costa et al., 1981), including 180 reptile species, 113
amphibianAmphibians , such as frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians, are ectothermic animals that metamorphose from a juvenile water-breathing form, to an adult air-breathing form. Though amphibians typically have four limbs, the Caecilians are notable for being limbless. Unlike other land...
s, 837
birdBirds are winged, bipedal, endothermic , vertebrate animals that lay eggs. There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most numerous tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Birds range in size from the Bee Hummingbird to the ...
s and 195
mammalMammals are a class of vertebrate animals whose females are characterized by the possession of mammary glands while both males and females are characterized by sweat glands, hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in the brain.Mammals are divided into three main...
s (WWF). Among the invertebrates, the most notable are the termites and the leaf-cutter ants ("saúvas"). They are the main herbivores of the cerrado, important to consuming and decomposing of organic matter, as well as constituting an important
foodFood is any substance, usually composed of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and water, that can be eaten or drunk by an animal, including humans, for nutrition or pleasure. Items considered food may be sourced from plants, animals or other categories such as fungus or fermented products like alcohol...
source to many other
animalAnimals are a major group of mostly multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously...
species.
Economy
While Goiânia's economy today is based on a variety of industries, the local economy's roots are found in the Agricultural industry thriving in and around the city. The supply of agricultural equipment, tools, fertilizer and various other products make up a large portion of the city's economic activity.
Second to agriculture is the vehicle sales and service industry. Repairs, sales and reconditioning of vehicles is wide spread and visible in all areas of the city.
The third largest contributor to the economy is the governmental sector. As Goiânia is the state capital of
GoiásGoiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The most central of the Brazilian states and most populous of the region, Goiás is characterized by a landscape of chapadões...
, it is home to many Federal and State governmental agencies that provide a large number of jobs to the population.
In recent years, modern telecommunications, along with its supporting industry, has begun to expand into Goiânia, and many large Brazilian companies established offices in the city.
In addition, due to Goiânia being the state capital, it is home to countless private medical centers/clinics of all kinds.
In 2005, the GDP of the city was R$ 13,354,065,000 (2005).
In the same year, the
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was R$ 11,119 (2005).
Education
PortuguesePortuguese is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia and northern Portugal. It is derived from the Latin spoken by the romanized Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula around 2000 years ago...
is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. But
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
and
SpanishSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
are parts of the official
high schoolHigh school is the name used in some parts of the world, particularly in Scotland, Northern America and Oceania, to describe an institution that provides all or part of secondary education...
curriculum.
- Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG);
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás
The Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás is a private university in the Brazilian state of Goiás, headed in Goiânia and with a campus in the town of Ipameri...
(PUC-GO);
- Universidade Estadual de Goiás (UEG);
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Goiás (IFG);
- and many others.
Transportation
Road
----
Goiânia is connected to the federal capital
BrasíliaBrasília is the capital of Brazil. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the fourth largest city in Brazil, ahead of Belo Horizonte...
via a four lane highway (BR-060), and to
São PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil and the world's 7th largest metropolitan area. The city is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous Brazilian state. It is also the richest city in Brazil. The name of the city honors Saint Paul. São Paulo exerts strong regional influence in...
via a two lane highway (BR-153, which has been under construction for over 5 years to expand it to a four lane highway). The state of Goiás maintains the main artery roads (marked GO-xx) in and out of the capital. These are typically two lane roads. At present the state of
GoiásGoiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The most central of the Brazilian states and most populous of the region, Goiás is characterized by a landscape of chapadões...
has significant problems maintaining these roads, and most are in a severe state of disrepair.
As Goiânia was a planned city when first created, one will find that the downtown cores (Setores Central/Oeste/Sul) are relatively easy to navigate. Unfortunately, due to poor urban planning, newer areas of the city are extremely difficult to navigate, and access to main routes is limited, adding to traffic congestion in the suburbs. Goiania suffers from severe problems with its road network, and most roads in the city are in a serious state of disrepair due to poor construction and neglect.
Due to poor public transportation within the city, most people use personal cars and motorcycles to get around.
GoianiaGoiânia , is the capital and the largest city in the Brazilian state of Goiás. With a population of 1,265,394 people, it is the second largest city in the Central-West Region and the thirteenth largest in the country. Its metropolitan area has a total population of 2,063,744, being the eleventh...
has one of the highest number of cars per capita in the country. The many cars and motorcycles on the roads causes major traffic problems during peak times in and around the city. Driving in Goiania is not for the faint-hearted as drivers tend to be very aggressive and pay little attention to standard road rules, resulting in a very high road fatality rate for both cars and motorcycles.
Rail
----
Railway connections were never developed and all transportation of goods is carried out via the connecting highways.
Airports
----
The main
airportAn airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
is the
Santa GenovevaSanta Genoveva Airport is an airport located on the northeast side Goiânia, in the state of Goiás, Brazil. Currently construction is underway for a new airport terminal....
, which provides flights to a few major cities in Brazil. At present modernization, work is underway to construct a new runway and terminal to handle the growing number of air passenger in and out of Goiânia.
Public Transportation
----
All public transportation is via bus. Bus service in Goiânia is provided by several different transportation companies all working under the municipality.
There is no bus system map as found in most cities. Buses run on an unpredictable time schedule. Bus stops are spaced out at random intervals, and stops do not display any route information.
Unlike most Brazilian cities, there are no ticket collectors on the buses in Goiânia; all the fares are collected using magnetic paper cards and old fashion turnstiles. Passes are provided by SitPASS and can be purchased on the street from street vendors or in small shops throughout the city (during working hours). Each bus trip is $2.25 Reais and allow transfers only at stations and at specified bus stops where the passenger can aboard busses than don't go to stations.
Anhanguera Avenue, is one of the largest/longest avenues in the city. It underwent major work in the late 1990s that created a dedicated bus lane for the entire length of the avenue, with stations every 1/2 Kilometer. The bus lanes, however, are located in the center of the avenue, giving it a distinct look but adding extra danger to passengers who need to cross bus and normal traffic lanes to reach the sidewalk, usually without any traffic signals to assist. The fare to travel on the Anhanguera bus route is $1.15 Real and all buses on this route are articulated buses.
The new contract
Under the new contract, firmed in 2009, many aspects of the public transportation are being changed:
- The terminal stations are now placed under administration of the companies that are reforming them;
- The buses are being equipped with GPS modules to solve the schedule problem and many other benefits, Adapted to give accessibility to disabilited people
Disability is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities."...
, radios to give fast response on reroutes and other events, and other minor changes;
- The introduction of the CityBus, a service of microbus foccused on give a choise to people of higher wealth to use the public transit system instead of their cars and to tourists who are visiting the city. there are three prices to travel on it: R$3.00 for a single trip using coins
A coin is a piece of hard material, usually metal or a metallic material and sometimes made of synthetic materials, usually in the shape of a disc, and most often issued by a government. Coins are used as a form of money in transactions of various kinds, from the everyday circulation coins to the...
to pay, R$ 4.50 for a trip and 1 hour time limit to transfer to other line, and R$ 6.00 for a full day pass, that can be used to travel all day on any line making any number of transfers.
- Changes on "Eixo Anhanguera" (Anhanguera axis) and it's terminals. It's unclear what changes that will be made, but one of the known is the very criticized change in the faring so a person that get on a terminal from the axis to integrate with an inter-municipal metropolitan line will have to complete the fare. As the axis fare is R$1.15 and the full fare is R$2.25, the user has to pass the citypass on the reader to be debited for another R$1.10.
- An North-South axis is part of the project, but as August/09 it hasn't been implemented yet
- A Operational Control that will monitor the bus traffic through GPS.
- A free number to users call to know how many time is left before the next bus arrive is another part of project not yet implemented.
National Airport
Santa Genoveva National AirportSanta Genoveva Airport is an airport located on the northeast side Goiânia, in the state of Goiás, Brazil. Currently construction is underway for a new airport terminal....
is an located on the northeast side Goiânia, in the state of Goiás, Brazil. Currently six airlines fly out of Santa Genoveva Airport to several destinations in Brazil. With a nominal yearly capacity of 600 thousand passengers, in 2004 it handled 950 thousand. With its new terminal, it will be able to handle up to 2 million users a year.
Currently construction is underway for a new airport terminal, but has been stalled and a new concurrence is being set to then restart the construction. The predicted date for inauguration now is 2012. Modernization work will soon get underway at Goiânia Airport current terminal to help to minimize the current overload problems.
Green areas
Goiânia is a sprawling city with numerous skyscrapers (see
Photos of Goiânia for photos) dominating the center and one-floor family homes spreading out across the verdant tree-covered plain. Many of the streets are lined with tropical fruit trees and there are many parks with remnants of the original tropical vegetation. Thirty percent of the city area is planted in trees—3.75 of the 11 square km.
The most important of these parks are the Parque Zoológico, Parque Vaca Brava, Parque Ecológico, Bosque dos Buritís and Parque Areião. In these places, refreshing lakes, vast vegetation and the sound of birds and animals can be appreciated. In Parque Areião there are still monkeys native to the area. Almost all of the parks are surrounded by walking paths.
Approximately 30% of the city Goiania, the capital of Goiás, is green, with forests, avenues and parks. One of the biggest parks is the Bosque dos Buritís with an area of 140 000 square meters with many of the ‘burití’ palm trees, which have a yellow fruit.
Goiânia is famous for being the ‘spring capital’ and was planned as a modern city, growing outside from the center. In the starting years this building plan worked well, but through the quick growth the plan was not followed to the letters,with the exception of the green areas, causing severe infrastructure problems in some areas such as public transport and health care system.
In the Bosque dos Buritís one finds the Monument for World Peace, designed by Siron Franco. This monument contains a 7 meter high ampole with walls of glass and the soil of more than 50 countries from all over the world. Every year on World Environment Day there will be scattered soil of a new country added.
Another attraction is the Chico Mendes Botanic Garden (s), where trees and flowers like bromelias, orchids, fruit trees and a lake can be found.
Parque Zoológico
Created in 1946, it contains over one thousand animals, including mammals, birds, and reptiles. Five streams have their source in the park, which, besides the Zoo itself, also contains the Horto Florestal and the Lago das Rosas (
Lake of Roses). The park is located in the Setor Oeste, one of the richest and most beautiful residencial areas of Goiânia.
Burití's Park
Situated in the center of the city this is Goiânia’s oldest green area. It has an area of 120,000 square meters. There is a running track and exercise area, that has pull up bars and situp benches with various inclines. There are three artificial lakes created by Buriti Stream. We can also find the Goiânia Art Museum and the Free Center of Arts. It houses a group of Marmosets and many turtles.
Vaca Brava Park
Every day at dawn hundreds of people begin their daily activities by walking or jogging along the sidewalk that encloses Parque Vaca Brava. It has an area of 18,000 square meters and contains a lake, a forest with native species and places for exercise.
Vaca Brava (which could be roughly translated as
Angry Cow) has become a symbol of the new thriving area of the Setor Bueno, which has flourished in the past decades and is now one of the most important zones of Goiânia.
Areião Park
The Areião is one of the biggest green areas of Goiânia. Located in a wealthy area, it is famous for its dense vegetation, full of monkeys. Besides the many trails, there is also a lake, a jogging route and many wooden buildings, including a beautiful small theater, consisting of a stage and many seats in the middle of a bamboo forest.
Cobra Veiga—center for snake research
Located in an area of , it has an infrastructure for 750 serpents of different species, in addition to a laboratory and a rodent house. Its main activities are the extraction of poison for medicinal purposes, research on behavior of serpents in captivity and the recuperation of degraded areas and the preservation of springs and their forest.
Leisure
The leisure options are diversified. There are five shopping malls. In sports there are numerous gyms, public and private. The city has one of the most beautiful Brazilian football stadiums, the Serra Dourada, in addition to the International Racetrack
Ayrton SennaAyrton Senna da Silva, was a Brazilian race car driver and three-time Formula One world champion...
, a kart track and a horse racing track. It is also known by its night life heavily based on bars.
Sports
Goiânia has four football (soccer) clubs:
Atlético Clube GoianienseAtlético Clube Goianiense, usually known as Atlético Goianiense or just Atlético, is a Brazilian football team from the city of Goiânia, Goiás state. Atlético Goianiense is the oldest Goiânia city football club...
,
Goiânia Esporte ClubeGoiânia Esporte Clube, or Goiânia as they are usually called, are a Brazilian football team from Goiânia in Goiás state, founded on July 5, 1938. Their home stadium is the Olímpico Pedro Ludovico, which has a maximum capacity of 10,000 people. They play in black and white shirts, white shorts and...
,
Goiás Esporte ClubeGoiás Esporte Clube, also known as Goiás, is a Brazilian football team in Goiânia, Goiás state. It is one of the largest clubs of Central-West and is the sole representative of the region in the Brazilian National Championship....
and
Vila Nova Futebol ClubeVila Nova Futebol Clube is a Brazilian football team from Goiânia in Goiás, founded on July 29, 1943. They play in red shirts, shorts and socks. Their nickname is 'The Tigers' . The club won the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C in 1996...
. The biggest and most important, Goiás competes in the
Série AThe Campeonato Brasileiro da Série A is the highest division of Brazilian football. It is composed of 20 teams; currently, the bottom four teams in Série A are relegated and the top four teams in Série B are promoted...
, while Atlético Goianiense and Vila Nova compete in the
Série BThe Série B is the second division of Brazilian football. In 2008, it is being played by 20 teams. However, the competition format has changed almost every year since it first occurred, in 1971...
.
Museums
The most important museums are the Museu Antropológico da Universidade Federal de Goiás, Instituto Goiano de Pré-História e Antropologia, Fundação Museu de Ornitologia, Museu de Arte Contemporânea and Museu Zoroastro Artiaga. One interesting place is the so-called Memorial do Cerrado.
Rock Scene
Goiânia is home to one of the most important rock scenes from Brazil. It has started in the early 90s, with the creation of the first independent rock festivals in the city. Indie Labels like Monstro Discos, Two Beers or Not Two Beers and Insetus flourished and have been crucial to support and broadcast the scene, which, due to the fact of being completely independent from the mainstream media, sometimes is not known even to native Goianienses.
The main styles are Alternative or
Indie rockIndie rock is a genre of rock music that originated in the United States and the United Kingdom in the 1980s. The term is often used to describe the means of production and distribution of independent underground music, as well as the style of music that was first associated with this means of...
represented by bands like MQN, Violins, Hang The Superstars, Valentina, NEM, Fantasma de Agnes and Flores Indecentes;
punkPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and
hardcoreHardcore punk, often just called hardcore, is a subgenre of punk rock that originated primarily in North America in the late 1970s. The new sound was generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock...
by bands like Desastre, Vacilo, Resistentes, Descarga Negativa, Señores, Umbral and HC-137 and
metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States...
with bands like Ressonância Mórfica (unlike most Metal bands they sing in archaic Portuguese) Spiritual Carnage, Eternal Devastation and Euphonia.
There are currently two major independent festivals held in the city, Bananada (usually held in May) and Goiânia Noise (usually in December). It is interesting to notice that Goiânia, as the capital of a rural state, has been traditionally influenced by the sertanejo style, strongly connected with the country lifestyle. Though the sertanejo is still an icon of Goiás' culture, the rock scene is seen by some as a response to it, and Goiânia is now a leading center in the underground rock movement in Brazil.
Health
Goiânia is a national reference in several areas of medicine, especially ophthalmology, neurology, burn treatment, and leprosy.
Health data
- Infant mortality rate: 21.30 in 1,000 live births (2000)
- Hospitals: 60
- Hospital beds: 6.037
- Walk-in public health clinics: 667
- Doctors in the public health system: 6,315 (2002)
- Nurses in the public health system: 808
- Dentists in the public health system: 659
Ranking on the Municipal Human Development Index
- HDI-M: 0.832 (2nd in the state and 115th nationally)
- HDI-M - Income: 0.813
- HDI-M - Education: 0.933
- HDI-M - Life expectancy: 0.751
(Data are from 2000)
External links