Located in a region of fertile soil rich in phosphates, with excellent highway and railway connections, and watered by several rivers, the municipality has been experiencing rapid growth in recent years and is the third largest payer of state taxes.

Highway connections with Goiânia are by BR-352 / Bela Vista de Goiás / Cristianópolis / GO-020 / BR-352 / Pires do Rio / GO-330 / Ipameri.

In a study carried out by Seplan of competitivity in municipalities in the state of Goiás Catalão was ranked third after Anápolis and Rio Verde.

There is large production of corn, soybeans, and wheat, with the latest technology of central pivot irrigation being used extensively.

Data are furnished by IBGE The economic success story of Catalão has been partly attributable to the installation of an industrial park where major enterprises like John Deere (producing sugar cane harvesters) and Mitsubishi, with capacity to produce 27,000 cars a year.

Catalão began to be occupied around 1722 or 1723 when one of the bandeirantes, Bartolomeu Bueno da Silva planted crops for his supply.

Now these dances, with strong influences from the Congo and Moçambique, are celebrated in Catalão in the largest festival of Congadas in Brazil.