The town is the commercial centre for one of the richest agricultural districts of the state, which produces sugar, rum, coffee, tobacco, cotton, cattle, hides and castor oil.

[6] Originally occupied by Brazilian Indians, Caetés and Potiguaras,[7] the village became a parish in 1568 when Portuguese explorer Diogo Dias bought ten thousand fathoms of land near the present city, then the Captaincy of Itamaracá, establishing a fortified ingenuity in the valley of the Tracunhaém River.

[8] On April 24, 1646, fitted with sticks, stones, pots, pepper and boiling water, the women of Tejucupapo, a small district of the city, won against the Dutch, who had threatened their land and families.

[citation needed] Carne de Vaca (English: beef meat) is the first beach off the north coast of Pernambuco.

The main economic activities in Goiana are based around the automotive, pharmaceutical and glass industries, with the city hosting three important plants in these segments.

[9][10] Goiana is also the land of Vivix, one of the biggest float glass industries in Brazil[11] as well as Hemobrás, which produces blood derivatives and coagulation factor products.

[12] Goiana has an important agribusiness sector, especially related to the farming and trading of goats, cattle, pigs, poultry, and plantations of sugarcane and coconuts.