At the time a devastating fever swept the place, probably caused by the unhealthy climate of the river location, and the population was afflicted by a degenerative malaria.

Another theory is that the name could have come from the existence in the site of an artisan who made saddlebags and rawhides for transporting small loads such as hard molasses, salt, rice and other food items.

Other important dates are: Formosa belongs to the micro-region called Entorno do Distrito Federal, which is composed of 20 municipalities with 960,000 inhabitants in a total area of 38,212.00 km².

The flatlands surrounding Formosa are characterized by cerrado vegetation, consisting of grasslands, interspersed by low, thorn-covered trees, many of which are protected against the annual fires by thick bark.

Just within the limits of Brasília, the 37-year-old capital of Brazil located at the heart of the Cerrado, there are some 81 mammals, 429 birds, 40 snakes and lizards, 11 amphibians, 1,000 butterflies, and 550 bees and wasps recorded to date.

[5] Where rivers cut the flatlands there are still areas of dense vegetation, which once had stands of hard tropical wood such as aroeira, angico, peroba, jacaranda, jatobá and pau ferro.

Only in the Paranã valley, a land of few people and cattle ranches that have caused less damage than soy beans has there been some preservation of wildlife.

Considering only the Cerrado, which has 109 species of non-flying mammals, bats represent 42% of the total mammalian fauna, being, by far, the richest group, followed by rodents (46 sp), carnivores (21) and marsupials (18).

[6][7] The most common insect is probably the leaf cutting ant, but common sights are the termites with their innumerable termite hills covering the landscape, several species of spiders, wild bees, dung beetles, especially around the cattle ranches, enormous night moths, and the fireflies with their eerie nocturnal lights.

At dusk the spiders scurry out from their cluster to take up positions on the long web and catch the nocturnal insects as they fly blindly to their fate.

[9] Ticks are abundant, especially in high grass, as are screwworm flies (called berne in Portuguese) which cause havoc in cattle herds and can even lay their eggs on humans.

The upper Paranã valley though, with its lower elevation and higher temperatures is quite unhealthy and its inhabitants run the risk of a wide gamut of tropical diseases as well as the added attraction of poisonous snake bites.

Economic activity in Formosa is based primarily on services and agriculture with soybeans, cattle raising, rice, manioc and corn being the main sources of income.

In recent years more enterprising farmers, especially those who have come from the south - the Gauchos - have utilized soil correction, replacement of traditional grasses by imported, drought resistant varieties (braquiara), and pasture rotation to increase productivity.

Other than poor grasses the biggest problem in this area has always been the long period of drought during the winter months of June, July, and August.

The low price of milk paid to the producers, the high cost of technology, and the lack of trained personnel discourage improvement in this area.

The growing of soybeans was associated not only to modernization but to the obtaining of easy rural credit by producers who came from the south of the country - Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná - looking for abundant and cheap land.

Soybeans, corn, rice, and beans began to be planted with advanced techniques - mechanization, soil correction, chemical fertilizers, and even pivot irrigation.

Huge grain storage facilities have appeared on the outskirts of town and there are now dozens of shops specializing in supporting the agricultural economy.

The economic scene in Formosa is made up of small enterprises including cereal processing, brickworks, lumber mills, furniture factories, and bakeries.

Most public schools give poorly taught lessons to students, mainly because the government funds are not enough to assist the education professionals, keep adequate spaces or teaching tools and materials.

When large public shows appear in the outskirts of the city, the infrastructure is quickly overwhelmed and violence soon starts.

Human Development Index 2000 The most important tourist attraction in Formosa is Itiquira Falls, but the surrounding area is rich in caves, waterfalls, and rushing rivers.

All information about tourist sites is from the Prefeitura de Formosa Lagoa Feia means "ugly lake" in Portuguese.

Located four kilometers from the center of the town, the Preto River, which flows south into the São Francisco, begins here.

[16] Inside the immense hole there are tropical vegetation, ancient trees, volcanic rocks, and several species of animals like monkeys, wild cats and assorted birds.

[16] The parrots, who lent their name to the place, no longer live here, mainly due to destruction of the population for the illegal pet trade by local inhabitants .

To reach the mouth of the cavern one must use ropes because the wall has no steps, and is covered with loose rock, wet clay, and moss.