Goiás is a
state of
Brazil, located in the
Center-West region of the country. The name Goiás (formerly,
Goyaz) comes from the name of an indigenous community. The original word seems to have been
guaiá, a compound of
gua e iá, meaning "the same person" or "people of the same origin." Neighboring states are (from north clockwise)
Tocantins,
Bahia,
Minas Gerais, the
Federal District,
Mato Grosso do Sul and
Mato Grosso. The most populous state of its region, Goiás is characterized by a landscape of
chapadões (plateaus). In the height of the drought season, from June to September, the lack of rain makes the level of the
Araguaia River go down and exposes almost of beaches, making it the main attraction of the State. At the
Emas National Park in the municipality of
Mineiros, it is possible to observe the typical fauna and flora from the region. At the
Chapada dos Veadeiros the attractions are the canyons, valleys, rapids and waterfalls. Other attractions are the historical city of Goiás (or Old Goiás), from
Goiânia, established in the beginning of 18th Century, and
Caldas Novas, with its hot water wells attracting more than one million tourists per year. In Brazil's geoeconomic division, Goiás belongs to the
Centro-Sul (Center-South), being the northernmost state of the southern portion of Brazil.