Niquelândia

Niquelândia
Municipality
The Municipality of Niquelândia
Square in front of the main church
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): "Capital do níquel" (Capital of nickel)
Location of Niquelândia in the State of Goiás
Coordinates: 14°28′03″S 48°27′32″W / 14.46750°S 48.45889°W / -14.46750; -48.45889Coordinates: 14°28′03″S 48°27′32″W / 14.46750°S 48.45889°W / -14.46750; -48.45889
Country	Brazil
Region	Center-West
State	Goiás
Founded	March 19, 1735
Government
• Mayor	VALDETO FERREIRA (PSB)
Area
• Total	9,843.170 km2 (3,800.469 sq mi)
Elevation	650 m (2,130 ft)
Population (2012)
• Total	42,933
• Density	4.4/km2 (11/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-3 (UTC-3)
HDI (2000)	0.739 – medium
Website	www.niquelandia.go.gov.br

Niquelândia is municipality in northern Goiás state, Brazil. It is the largest municipality in the state in area and is an important producer of minerals.

Niquelândia is 370 km from the state capital, Goiânia, and has an elevation of 650 meters above sea level. The average annual temperature is 32 °C, and the climate is tropical humid.

The municipality is crossed by highways BR-414 and GO-080, GO-237 e GO-327, besides the various municipal roads that make up a total of 12,000 kilometers.

Highway connections with Goiânia are made by GO-080 / Nerópolis / São Francisco de Goiás / BR-153 / Jaraguá / GO-080 / Goianésia / Barro Alto / GO-342 / BR-080 / BR-153 / Uruaçu / GO-237.

Municipal boundaries are with Água Fria de Goiás, Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Barro Alto, Campinaçu, Colinas do Sul, Mimoso de Goiás, Santa Rita do Novo Destino, São João d'Aliança, Uruaçu and Vila Propício.

The size of the municipal area compared to countries ranks it below Lebanon and above Cyprus.

As the name of the city implies (Niquelândia can be translated as "Nickeland"), it is the national capital of nickel. It has one of the largest nickel reserves in the world, which are exploited by two mining companies: Companhia Níquel Tocantins—CNT, belonging to the Votorantim group -, and Codemin - to Anglo American.