Santo Antônio do Descoberto is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in central

Goiás Goiás () is a Brazilian state located in the Center-West region. Goiás borders the Federal District and the states of (from north clockwise) Tocantins, Bahia, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso. The state capital is Goiânia. ...

state,

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

Location

Santo Antônio do Descoberto is located in the microregion called Entorno do Distrito Federal, the area of Goiás that surrounds the Federal District. It is 174 km. from the state capital of

Goiânia Goiânia (; ) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Goiás. With a population of 1,536,097, it is the second-largest city in the Central-West Region and the 10th-largest in the country. Its metropolitan area has a population ...

. Municipal boundaries are with: *North:

Águas Lindas de Goiás Águas Lindas de Goiás is a municipality located in central Goiás, Brazil. It is the fifth largest city in the state and one of the fastest-growing cities in Brazil. Location Águas Lindas is 193 km. from the state capital of Goiânia. Hi ...

*South:

Luziânia Luziânia is municipality in the state of Goiás, Brazil. This city is a producer of agricultural products including soybeans and beans. Location Luziânia is located 68 km south of Brasília and is part of the area, called Entorno do Dist ...

*West:

Cocalzinho de Goiás Cocalzinho de Goiás is a municipality in central Goiás state, Brazil. Location and Geography Cocalzinho, as it is known by the inhabitants, is located in the micro-region of Entorno do Distrito Federal, on highway BR-414, almost at the junction ...

Corumbá de Goiás Corumbá de Goiás is a municipality in central Goiás state, Brazil. It is one of the oldest cities in the state and still preserves vestiges of its colonial heritage. The Areias River passes through the municipality. Location and Geography Loc ...

, and

Alexânia Alexânia is a municipality in central Goiás state, Brazil. Alexânia is known for its alleged extraterrestrial sightings in the late sixties and early seventies. The Areias River passes through the municipality. Location It is located on th ...

*East:

Federal District A federal district is a type of administrative division of a federation, usually under the direct control of a federal government and organized sometimes with a single municipal body. Federal districts often include capital districts, and they e ...

and

Novo Gama Novo Gama is a municipality in eastern Goiás state, Brazil. In 2020 the population was 117,703 inhabitants. Location Novo Gama is part of the Entorno do Distrito Federal, the statistical micro-region that includes the cities in the state of G ...

Economy

The economy is based on agriculture, cattle raising, services, public administration, and small transformation industries. There were 02 financial institutions in August 2007. The cattle herd had 31,000 head (2006) and the main crops planted were rice, sugarcane, beans, bananas, oranges, manioc, and corn (1,200 hectares 2006)) Agricultural data 2006 *Farms: 532 *Total area: 27,819 ha. *Area of permanent crops: 1,203 ha. *Area of perennial crops: 3,502 ha. *Area of natural pasture: 15,906 ha. *Area of woodland and forests: 9,580 ha. *Persons dependent on farming: 1,450 *Number of tractors: 66
IBGE

Health and education

*Higher education: Pólo Universitário da UEG. *Adult literacy rate: 85.7% (2000) (national average was 86.4%) *Hospitals: 2 with 77 beds (2007) *Infant mortality rate: 26.65 (2000) (national average was 33.0) *

Human Development Index The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education (mean years of schooling completed and expected years of schooling upon entering the education system), and per capita income indicators, whi ...

: 0.709 (2000) *State ranking: 199 (out of 242 municipalities) *National ranking: 2,843 (out of 5,507 municipalities
Frigoletto

Tourism

The municipality attracts visitors to its waterfalls, caves and springs of crystal-clear water. Two of the water falls, lying 5 kilometers from the town, are surrounded by dense tropical vegetation, contrasting with the relatively dry cerrado nearby. Ten kilometers from the town is Cidade Eclética, a nucleus of people who make up a universal fraternity, a spiritualist community founded by Oceano de Sá, known as Mestre Yokaanam. The traditional festival of Santo Antônio do Descoberto is in homage to the patron saint and takes place on 13 June. It attracts thousands of pilgrims and followers of the saint and there are stands, processions and music.

History

The history of European occupation of the region of Santo Antônio goes back to 1726 when, according to tradition, slaves belonging a Portuguese gold seeker sat down to rest and supposedly discovered an image of Santo Antônio in the branches of a tree. They took it to their master and a chapel was built in 1728. Soon the site became a place of pilgrimage attracting people from near and far. After a time the festivals disappeared and the town continued with the name of Santo Antônio de Montes Claros, district of

. In 1982 it got its emancipation and took the present name honoring the saint and the river that flows through the region.

References

External Links

Frigoletto
Municipalities in Goiás {{Goiás-geo-stub