Planaltina, Goiás

Planaltina is a city located in the Metropolitan Region of Brasilia, center of the state of Goiás, Brazil. While the official city name is Planaltina, it is also informally referred to as Planaltina de Goiás or Brasilinha (Little Brasília).

Planaltina is part of micro-region 12 of the state, the so-called Entorno do Distrito Federal. It borders Água Fria de Goiás, Formosa, Mimoso de Goiás, Padre Bernardo and, the Distrito Federal.

It is located on the northeastern boundary of the Federal District north of the satellite city of Planaltina, DF. It is 273 kilometers from the state capital Goiânia and 43 km (27 mi). from Central Zone (Plano Piloto).

Planaltina is the gateway to an enormous area of ecological preservation, in which can be found the important Chapada dos Veadeiros national park. Nearby is Lagoa Formosa, which, with its 17 square kilometers of surface area, is the largest natural lake in the state of Goiás. Also nearby is the source of the Maranhão River, which flows north into the Tocantins

The population is very poor and there is a serious deficit in infrastructure with no hospitals and poor commercial facilities. Most of the inhabitants work in Plano Piloto (Central Zone of Brasília) and spend hours on buses due to the intense traffic of urban public transport and cars of the thousands of workers from the suburbs who move towards the Plano Piloto (Central Zone of Brasilia). According to studies, at least one member of each family works in the Plano Piloto. The per capita income is from one to two minimum salaries.

The economy is based on agriculture (soybeans (9,000 hectares in 2006), corn, manioc and citrus fruits), cattle raising (62,000 head in 2006), services, public administration (1,328 workers in 2003), and small transformation industries. In 2007 there were 02 financial institutions.

Agricultural data 2006

• Farms: 959
• Total area: 134,617 ha.
• Area of permanent crops: 2,114 ha.
• Area of perennial crops: 25,659 ha.
• Area of natural pasture: 66,928 ha.
• Area of woodland and forests: 27,905 ha.
• Persons dependent on farming: 1,350
• Number of tractors: 205 IBGE

The history of Planaltina is one of the oldest and most significant in Brazil’s Central Plateau, closely intertwined with the occupation of the region and the very origins of Brasília. Often referred to as the “Mother of Brasília,” Planaltina has deep roots dating back to the 18th century, when it emerged as the settlement known as Mestre D’Armas.

The village began to take shape around 1758 as a strategic stopping point along the Estrada Real, an important route linking the gold-mining regions of Goiás and Mato Grosso to the coastal ports. Unlike other towns founded directly on intensive mining, Mestre D’Armas developed mainly as a logistical support center, offering rest and supplies to muleteers and travelers. Its name is traditionally associated with a highly skilled blacksmith or armorer who became a local reference for those crossing the region.

Throughout the 19th century, the settlement grew slowly, supported by subsistence agriculture and cattle raising. In 1859 it was elevated to the status of a District of Peace under the municipality of Formosa. On March 19, 1891, it achieved political emancipation, becoming the town of Mestre D’Armas, officially installed in 1892.

In the early 20th century, the municipality underwent changes in name that reflected its search for a modern identity. In 1910 it was renamed Altamir, a designation that never gained popular acceptance. Finally, on July 14, 1917, it adopted the name **Planaltina**, meaning “Heart of the Plateau,” highlighting its geographic position in the highlands of central Brazil.

Long before Brasília was built, Planaltina already played a central role in the national project to move Brazil’s capital inland. In 1892, it served as the base for the Cruls Mission, the scientific expedition that demarcated the famous Quadrilateral Cruls, the area reserved for the future capital. In 1922, during the celebrations of Brazil’s centenary of independence, the Foundation Stone of the new capital was laid near the town, reinforcing the region’s symbolic and political importance.

The most dramatic turning point in Planaltina’s history came with the construction of Brasília. In 1960, with the creation of the Federal District, Planaltina lost most of its territory, including its historic municipal seat, which was incorporated into the Federal District and became today’s administrative region of Planaltina-DF. The original municipality was, in practice, split in two.

The portion of the territory that remained in the state of Goiás preserved the legal identity of the municipality but was left without its urban center. As a result, a new city had to be built to host the local government. The site chosen was the Brasília farm, owned by Joaquim Gonçalves, known as Joaquim Mineiro. In its early years, development closely resembled that of Brasília itself: the cerrado was cleared and wooden shacks were erected. Because of this similarity, people began calling it **“Brasilinha”**—“Little Brasília.”

In 1967, a city hall building was completed, and after a local plebiscite the new town officially received the name **Planaltina**, reaffirming continuity with its historical origins. Around the same period, the municipality briefly adopted the name **São Gabriel de Goiás** in an attempt to forge a new identity, but popular demand soon restored the traditional name Planaltina.

The growth of what is now Planaltina de Goiás was strongly driven by the construction of Brasília. Massive waves of migrants arrived to work in the new federal capital, but due to lack of space in the original urban plan and government restrictions on squatting, many families were redirected to surrounding satellite towns, especially Planaltina. In less than three decades, the population exceeded 80,000 inhabitants, far beyond the initial plans that envisioned about 22,000 housing lots.

Despite having ceded most of its territory and its historic seat to form the Federal District, Planaltina never received any compensation for these losses, a fact that deeply marked its political and social trajectory.

Today, Planaltina de Goiás is part of the Integrated Development Region of the Federal District and Surroundings (RIDE) and stands as a vibrant municipality in the metropolitan area of Brasília. Its economy combines strong agribusiness—especially grain production—with commerce and services, while maintaining an intense commuting relationship with Brasília, where many of its residents work. The municipality also stands out for its ecotourism potential, particularly attractions such as Lagoa Formosa.

Thus, the history of Planaltina is the story of a resilient territory: born as a colonial stopping point, transformed into a town and city, chosen as a base for the dream of a new capital, divided to give rise to Brasília, and ultimately reinvented as Planaltina de Goiás—preserving its legacy as one of the most ancient and symbolic cities of Brazil’s Central Plateau.^[2]

Written by Deivid da Silva Oliveira^[3]

• Schools: 58 with 26,000 students (2006)
• Higher education: campus of the UEG

Municipal Human Development Index: 0.723 (medium classification)

• State ranking: 167 (out of 242 municipalities)
• National ranking: 2,577 (out of 5,507 municipalities)
• Literacy rate (2000): 85.6%
• Infant mortality rate (2000): 24.5

• List of municipalities in Goiás

• Frigoletto
• Distâncias Rodoviárias