The capital of the state of Goiás, Goiânia is among the cities with the best quality of life index in the country. The Brazilian city with the largest green area per inhabitant (94 m²) and the second largest proportional amount in the world (preceded only by Edmonton, in Canada, with a rate of 100 m²), the city stands out for implementing an urban development model combined with a consistent policy of environmental responsibility.
In addition to the large number of green areas, which is almost eight times higher than the rate recommended by the United Nations (12 m²), the capital of Goiás is the Brazilian city with the largest number of trees on public roads. It has the best urban infrastructure in Brazil (IBGE/2012), the largest public amusement park in Latin America and will soon have the largest linear park in the world: the Macambira Anicuns Urban Environmental Program (Puama).
Bold socio-environmental projects have helped the European Commission and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) choose the city as one of the members of the list of globally sustainable cities. Since 2011, Goiânia has been part of the Urbelac Network of Sustainable Cities, which is dedicated to developing programs that aim to improve quality of life and promote collaboration between medium-sized cities. Like Florence in Italy and Bilbao in Spain, the capital of Goiás shares work experiences and serves as a practical reference for other cities that aim for development combined with environmental responsibility.
The network of which Goiânia is a part is made up of municipalities with an estimated population of between 300,000 and two million inhabitants, located in Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe. The cities of Bilbao (Spain), Florence (Italy), Trujillo (Peru), Bucaramanga (Colombia) and Manaus (Brazil) are also part of the network. All of them work together to identify innovative strategies and programs for sustainable and integrated urban development, with specific actions in the areas of the environment, urban requalification, income generation and management.
General Data:
Foundation: October 24, 1933
Population: 1,516,113 (2019 population estimate, IBGE)
Gentilic: Goianiense
Patron Saint: Our Lady of Help