Aruanã

Aruanã
State Goiás
Area: 3,050.3 km²
Population: 6,476 (IBGE 2007)
Elevation: 250 m above sea level
Postcode (CEP): 76710-000
Became a municipality: 1958
Distance to Goiânia: 324 km
IBGE statistical microregion: Rio Vermelho Microregion
Website: n/a
Coordinates: 14°55′51″S 51°01′48″W / 14.93083°S 51.03000°W
Location of Aruanã

Aruanã is a municipality in north-western Goiás state, Brazil. It has a total area of 3,050.3 km², with a population of 6,476 in 2007. Aruanã is a tourist spot on the Araguaia River and is a major producer of cattle.

Location

Aruanã is located 324 km from the state capital, Goiânia, 59 km northwest of Araguapaz. It is part of the Rio Vermelho Microregion. Highway connections with Goiânia are made by GO-070 / Goianira / Itaberaí / Goiás / GO-164 / Faina / Araguapaz / GO-530 / BR-2. See Sepin for a list of all distances.

Municipal Boundaries

Municipal boundaries:

Demographic and Political Data

Climate and Tourism

The climate is moist tropical with an average temperature of 27 °C, with two well defined seasons: dry and rainy, with regular rainfall in the period of October to March. This type of climate favors the formation of vegetation made up of savanna, broken by farmland and pastureland. There are still stands of tropical forest, especially near the rivers.

The town is located on the Araguaia River and attracts thousands of tourists, especially in the dry season, from May to August, when extensive sandbanks are formed providing beaches for sunbathers and swimmers. There is also extensive sport fishing in the region.

Economic Information

In addition to tourism, the economy is based on cattle raising and agriculture. The cattle herd had 205,000 head (1,800 milk cows) in 2003. There is also large hardwood extraction and small lumbermills. Main crops (2003)in planted area are corn and rice.

The main economic activities were agriculture (including lumber extraction and processing), commerce, hotels and restaurants, and public administration. There is a large informal economy. There is financial Institution: Banco Itaú S.A.

Health and education

For the complete list see Frigoletto.com.

History

The history of Aruanã began with the building of a military fort in 1849 at the point where the Rio Vermelho enters the Rio Araguaia. The region was occupied by the Carajá Indians. The fort was called Leopoldina and later Santa Leopoldina. In 1868 the first steam boats appeared on the Araguaia and the settlement was a major port. In 1939 the name was changed to Aruanã, a native fish and the dance of the local Indians, and the village became a district in the municipality of Goiás. In 1958 it became an independent municipality.

Sources for Data

See also

List of municipalities in Goiás