Encyclopedia
- This article is about the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. For the state with the same name, see Rio de Janeiro .
Rio de Janeiro pron.
IPA ) is the name of both a
state and a city in south-eastern
Brazil. The city was the capital of Brazil and of the
Portuguese Empire . Commonly known as just
Rio , the city is also nicknamed
A Cidade Maravilhosa - "The Marvelous City".
It is famous for its spectacular natural setting, its
Carnival celebrations, samba and other music, hotel-lined tourist beaches, such as
Copacabana,
Ipanema, and
Leblon, pavements decorated with black and cream swirl pattern mosaics, and the easy-going lifestyle of its inhabitants. Some of the most famous local landmarks besides the beaches are the giant statue of
Jesus, known as Christ the Redeemer atop
Corcovado mountain;
Sugar Loaf mountain with its cable car; the
Sambódromo, a giant permanent parade stand used during Carnival; and
Maracanã stadium, one of the world's largest. Rio also boasts the world's largest forest inside an urban area, called
Floresta da Tijuca, or 'Tijuca Forest'.
Rio de Janeiro is located at 22 degrees, 54 minutes south
latitude, 43 degrees 14 minutes west longitude . The population of the City of Rio de Janeiro is about 6,094,183
, occupying an area of 1182.3 km²
. The larger
metropolitan area population is estimated at 11-12 million. It is Brazil's second-largest city after
São Paulo and was the country's capital until 1960, when
Brasília took its place. Residents of the city are known as Cariocas. The city's current mayor is Cesar Maia. The official song of Rio is "Cidade Maravilhosa."
History
Guanabara Bay, future site of the city, was reached by Portuguese explorers in an expedition led by
Portuguese explorer Gaspar de Lemos on January 20, 1502; hence Rio de Janeiro, "River of January".
There is a legend that the mariners named the place thus because they thought the mouth of the bay was actually the mouth of a river, but no experienced sailor would make that mistake. At the time, river was the general word for any large body of water.
Unofficial European presence in the area began not long after. In 1519 when
Ferdinand Magellan resupplied his ships in the bay, French smugglers were already using the bay as a post for smuggling brazilwood. When
French naval officer Nicolas Durand de Villegaignon arrived in 1555 with a fleet of two ships and 600 soldiers and colonists, he founded the first permanent European settlement in the area. The colony was referred to as "
France Antarctique". The colonists consisted of mainly French
Huguenots and
Swiss Calvinists. Villegaignon left in 1557 after contentions with some the colonists.
The actual city was founded in March 1 1565, by Portuguese
knight Estácio de Sá, who called it
São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro , in honour of King
Sebastian I of Portugal. For centuries, the settlement was commonly called São Sebastião – or even 'Saint Sebastian' – instead of the currently popular second half of its name. The city was founded as a base from which to invade the French settlement. They succeeded in 1567 and the French were expelled. Later,
São Sebastião was frequently attacked by
pirates and privateers, especially by then enemies of Portugal, such as the
Netherlands and
France.
The exact place of Rio's foundation is at the foot of
Pão-de-Açúcar . Later, the whole city was moved within a palisade on top of a hill, imitating the medieval European defence strategy of fortified
castles – the place has since then been called
Morro do Castelo . Thus, the city developed from the current centre southwards and then westwards ; an urban movement which continues today.
In the late 16th century the Portuguese crown began treating the village as a strategic location for the
Atlantic transit of ships between Brazil, the
African colonies and Europe. Fortresses were built and an alliance was formed with nearby native tribes to defend the settlement against invaders – Rio's neighbour,
Niterói, for instance, was founded by a native chief for the purpose of supporting defence, the Tamoio Indian Araribóia.
Sugar cane was the first industry in the area. First native, and later African,
slaves were used for manual labor. Eventually the industry dwindled as higher quality sugar cane from northern Brazil became more available.
Until early in the 18th century the city was threatened or invaded by several – mostly French –
pirates and buccaneers, such as Jean-François Duclerc and
René Duguay-Trouin. After 1720, when the Portuguese found
gold and
diamonds in the neighbouring captaincy of
Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro became a much more useful port for exporting wealth than
Salvador,
Bahia, which is much farther to the north. In 1763, the colonial administration in Portuguese America was moved to Rio.
The city remained primarily a colonial capital until 1808, when the Portuguese royal family and most of the associated
Lisbon nobles, fleeing from
Napoleon's invasion of Portugal, moved to Rio de Janeiro. The kingdom's capital was transferred to the city, which, thus, became the only European capital outside of Europe. As there was no physical space or urban structure to accommodate hundreds of noblemen who arrived suddenly, many inhabitants were simply evicted from their homes.
When
Prince Pedro I proclaimed the independence of Brazil in 1822, he decided to keep Rio de Janeiro as the capital of his new empire, but, by then, the city region was gradually losing importance – economic and political – to
São Paulo.
Rio continued as the capital of Brazil after 1889, whe the
monarchy was replaced by a
republic.
Until the early years of the 20th century the city was largely limited to the neighbourhood now known as the historic Downtown business district , on the mouth of Guanabara Bay. The city's centre of gravity began to shift south and west to the so-called Zona Sul in the early part of the 20th century, when the first tunnel was built under the mountains located between
Botafogo and the neighbourhood now known as
Copacabana. That beach's natural beauty, combined with the fame of the Copacabana Palace Hotel,
the luxury hotel of the Americas in the 1930s, helped Rio to gain the reputation it still holds today as a beachy party town .
Plans for moving the nation's capital city to the territorial centre had been occasionally discussed, and when
Juscelino Kubitschek was elected president in 1955, it was partially on the stength promises to build a new capital. Though many thought that it was just
campaign rhetoric, Kubitschek managed to have
Brasília built, at great cost, by 1960. On April 21 that year the capital of Brazil was officially moved from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília.
Between 1960 and 1975 Rio was a city-state under the name State of Guanabara . However, for administrative and political reasons, a presidential decree known as
A Fusão removed the city's federative status and merged it with the
state of Rio de Janeiro in 1975. Even today, some
Cariocas advocate the return of municipal autonomy.
City districts
The city is commonly divided into the historic downtown ; the tourist-friendly South Zone, with world-famous beaches; the industrial North Zone; and the West Zone, with the newer
Barra da Tijuca district.
Downtown
Centro is the historic centre of the city. Sites of interest include the so-called 'Paço Imperial', built during colonial times to serve as residence to the Portuguese governors of Brazil; many historic churches, such as the Candelária; the modern-style cathedral, the Municipal Theatre and several museums. Downtown remains the heart of the city's business community. The "Bondinho", a
tram , leaves from a city centre station, crosses a former Roman-style
aqueduct – the 'Arcos da Lapa', built in 1750 and converted to a tram viaduct in 1896 - and rambles through the hilly streets of the Santa Teresa neighbourhood nearby.
South Zone
The South Zone of Rio de Janeiro is composed of several districts, amongst which are São Conrado,
Leblon,
Ipanema, Arpoador,
Copacabana and Leme, which compose Rio's famous
beach coastline. Other districts in the South Zone are
Botafogo, Flamengo and Urca, which border
Guanabara Bay and Lagoa, Gávea, Jardim Botânico and
Laranjeiras.
The neighbourhood of Copacabana beach hosts one of the world's most spectacular
New Year's Eve parties , as more than two million revellers crowd onto the sands to watch the
firework display. As of 2001, the fireworks have been launched from boats, to improve the safety of the event.
To the north of Leme, and at the entrance to Guanabara bay, lies the district of Urca and the
Sugarloaf Mountain , whose name describes the famous hump rising out of the sea.
The summit can be reached via a two-stage cable car trip from Praia Vermelha, with the intermediate stop on Morro da Urca. It offers views second only to Corcovado mountain. One of the highest mountains in the city, however, at 842 metres, is the Pedra da Gávea , in São Conrado.
Hang gliding is a popular activity on the nearby peak, called Pedra Bonita – after a short flight, gliders land on the Praia do Pepino beach in São Conrado.
Since 1961, the Tijuca Forest , the largest city-surrounded urban forest and the second largest urban forest in the world, has been a
National Park. The largest urban forest in the world is the Floresta da Pedra Branca , which is also located in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The Catholic University in Rio sits right at the edge of the forest linking city with forest. The 1984 film
Blame it on Rio was filmed nearby, with the rental house used by the story's characters sitting at the edge of the forest on a mountain overlooking the famous beaches.
North Zone
The North Zone of Rio is home to the
Maracanã stadium, once the world's highest capacity
football venue, able to hold nearly 80,000 people. In modern times the capacity has been reduced to conform with modern safety regulations and the stadium has introduced seating for all fans. Currently undergoing renovation, it will eventually hold around 120,000 people. Maracanã will be the site for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and football competition of the 2007
Pan-American Games.
Besides the Maracanã, the North Zone of Rio also holds other tourist and historical attractions, such as 'Manguinhos', the home of Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, a centenarian
biomedical research institution, with its main building fashioned like a
Moorish castle, and the beautiful 'Quinta da Boa Vista', the old imperial palace , which is now the National Museum.
The International Airport of Rio de Janeiro , the main campus of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro at the Fundão Island, and the Governador Island are also located in the Northern part of Rio. Some of the main neighbourhoods of Rio's north zone are Tijuca, who shares The Tijuca Forest with the South Zone, and Grajaú, Vila Isabel, Méier, São Cristovão among others.
West Zone
The West Zone is the region furthest from the centre of Rio de Janeiro. It includes
Barra da Tijuca, Jacarepaguá, Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Vargem Grande, Campo Grande, Santa Cruz and Bangu. Neighbouring districts within the West Zone reveal stark differences between social classes. The area has industrial zones, but some agricultural areas still remain in its wide area.
Westwards from the older zones is Barra da Tijuca, a flat expanse of formerly undeveloped coastal land, which is currently experiencing a wave of new construction. It remains an area of accelerated growth, attracting some of the richer sectors of the population as well as luxury companies. High rise flats and sprawling
shopping centres give the area a far more American feel than the crowded city centre. The urban planning of the area, made in the late 1960s, resembles that of United States'
suburbs, though mixing zones of single-family houses with residential skyscrapers. The beaches of Barra da Tijuca are also popular with the city's residents. Barra da Tijuca is the home of Pan-American Village for the 2007
Pan American Games. Barra da Tijuca now has a tiny, but growing movement for separating Barra from the city of Rio and making Barra a new city.
Beyond the neighbourhoods of Barra da Tijuca and Jacarepaguá another district, which has exhibited good economic growth, is that of Campo Grande. Some sports competitions in the
Pan-American Games of 2007 will be held in the Miécimo da Silva Sports Centre, nicknamed the 'Algodão' Gymnasium, and others in the
Ítalo del Cima Stadium, in Campo Grande.
Climate
Rio has a typically tropical climate with warm to hot temperatures year-round and generally high humidity. Summer heat can be oppressive, occasionally reaching 40°C and higher. However, the cool waters of the local beaches provide an excellent escape, as do high-elevation areas nearby, such as
Petrópolis. Precipitation is moderately high, being most heavy in the summer months when thunderstorms are common. The same cool waters enjoyed by local beachgoers prevent
tropical cyclones from forming off the coast of Brazil.
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
Max °C/°F |
33/91 |
33/93 |
32/90 |
31/87 |
28/82 |
27/81 |
27/81 |
28/82 |
27/81 |
29/84 |
31/87 |
32/89 |
30/86 |
Min
°C/°F |
23/74 |
24/75 |
23/74 |
22/71 |
19/67 |
18/65 |
18/64 |
18/65 |
19/66 |
20/68 |
22/71 |
22/72 |
21/69 |
Precipitation |
135/5.3 |
124/4.9 |
134/5.3 |
109/4.3 |
78/3.1 |
52/2.1 |
45/1.8 |
46/1.8 |
62/2.4 |
82/3.2 |
100/4.0 |
137/5.4 |
1104/43.5 |
|
In a 2006 study, Rio de Janeiro was found to have the
bluest sky in the world.
Social conditions
- Main article: Favela
Rio is typical of the rest of Brazil in that there are enormous disparities between rich and poor. Though the city clearly ranks among the world's major metropolises, a significant proportion of the city's 6.5 million inhabitants lives in
poverty. The worst of the poorer areas are the
slums and
shanty towns known as '
favelas'; often crowded onto the hillsides, where sturdy buildings are difficult to build, and accidents, mainly from heavy rainfall, are frequent. The favelas are troubled by widespread drug-related crime,
gang warfare and other poverty-related social issues.
A unique aspect of Rio's favelas is their very close proximity to the city's wealthiest districts. Upper-class neighborhoods such as
Ipanema and
Copacabana are squeezed in between the beach and the hills, the latter of which are covered with poor neighbourhoods.
Culture
Music
Rio was eternalized in the song "
Garota de Ipanema" composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim and recognized worldwide and recorded by
Astrud Gilberto,
Frank Sinatra, and
Ella Fitzgerald. This is also the main key song of the
Bossa Nova, a musical genre that was born in Rio.
Carnaval
The
carnaval in Rio de Janeiro has many choices, including the famous
Escolas de Samba parades in the sambódromo exhibition centre and the popular 'blocos de carnaval', which parade in almost every corner of the city. The most famous ones are the following:
- Cordão do Bola Preta: Parades in the centre of the city. It is one of the most traditional carnavals. In 2006, it gathered 200,000 people in one day.
- Suvaco do Cristo: Band that parades in the Botanic Garden, directly below the Redeemer statue's arm. The name, in English, translates as 'Christ's armpit', and was chosen for that reason.
- Carmelitas: Band that was supposedly created by nuns, but in fact it is just a theme chosen by the band. It parades in the hills of Santa Teresa, which have very nice views.
- Simpatia é Quase Amor: One of the most popular parades in Ipanema. Translates as 'Friendliness is almost love'.
- Banda de Ipanema: The most traditional in Ipanema. It attracts families as well as gay people and drag queens.
Funk
Funk carioca is a very popular music genre in Rio. It grew during the last 20 years mainly among the low income population while recently becoming mainstream friendly. In Rio, funk music are made by simple people of communities, without artistic requirements: it's an expression of the way of life of these people. This music, like the original funk beat is very requested for
dance in parties and clubs where thousands of people join together on weekends to celebrate the funk carioca way of life.
Cultural Events in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is among the biggest cities in South America, but the city is more widely renowned for the various cultural celebrations that are held there every year. The most popular of these is the
Carnival, held two weeks before the traditional Christian fasting of Lent.
Not only people from all over Brazil, but from all parts of the world come to Rio to take part and witness the extravaganza. The Carnival comes with a lot of music, good food, color and of course the Samba dance. The celebration of Carnival ends on "
Mardi Gras" Tuesday.
Apart from the Carnival, New Year is also a big deal in Rio and is also one of the other major festivals.
Sports
Rio de Janeiro will host the
2007 Pan American Games.
More notable sports events in Rio includes the
MotoGP Brazilian Grand Prix and the World
Beach volleyball finals. Jacarepaguá was the place of
Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix into 1978-1990 and the
Champ Car event into 1996-1999. WCT/WQS Surf championships was disputed on the beaches from 1985-2001. The city is building a new
stadium near the
Maracanã, to hold 45,000 people. It will be named after Brazilian ex-
FIFA president João Havelange. Rio de Janeiro was also a candidate for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Copacabana beach will be the site of the
triathlon and
beach volleyball with yachting competitions held in Guanabara Bay.
Sports are a very popular pastime in Rio de Janeiro. The most popular is
futebol . Rio de Janeiro is home to four traditional Brazilian football clubs:
Botafogo,
Flamengo,
Fluminense and
Vasco etc.
Other popular sports are beach football,
beach volleyball,
surfing,
kitesurfing,
hang gliding,
motor racing,
jiu-jitsu, recreational
sailing, and
sport rowing. The peculiarly Brazilian
dance/sport/
martial art Capoeira is also popular. Another sport that is highly popular on the beaches of Rio is what is termed in Brazil "Fresco Ball" , a type of beach tennis.
Rio de Janeiro is also a paradise for rock climbers, with hundreds of routes all over the town, ranging from easy boulders to highly technical big wall climbs, all inside the city. The most famous, Rio's granite mountain, the
Sugar Loaf , is an example, with routes from the easy 3rd grade to the extremely difficult 9th grade , up to 280 metres.
Hang gliding in Rio de Janeiro started in the mid 1970s and quickly proved to be perfectly suited for this town, due to its geography; steep mountains encounter the
Atlantic Ocean, which provide excellent take-off locations and great landing zones on the
beach. Starting with amateur flights, this activity soon turned into a profitable industry of tandem hang gliding with some very experienced pilots at a cost for a ride around US$ 100.00. In the Summer, between December and March, it’s recommended to book in advance.
Fishing is a very popular activity in Brazil. In Rio de Janeiro, one can expect to catch a plethora of famous Brazilian copperfish, known as
peixe de cobre. Many markets sell
peixes de cobre and these fish are quite popular for traditional meals.
Airports
The City of Rio de Janeiro has 5 airports.
- Galeão - Antônio Carlos Jobim International Airport - used for all the international flights and some long-haul domestic flights;
- Santos Dumont Regional Airport – The first, and formerly the International Airport. It is considered one of the best set airports in whole world, due to its location between Sugar Loaf, Corcovado, the Aterro do Flamengo and the Guanabara Bay. Today it is used by the São Paulo – Rio de Janeiro Air Shuttle Service and some flights inside the Rio de Janeiro state, especially between the city and the oil-producer cities in the north.
- Aeroporto de Jacarepaguá – in the Barra da Tijuca district. It is currently used by Aeroclube do Brasil with small aircraft but is planned to be used for the Rio de Janeiro - São Paulo Air Shuttle Service since it is just inside Barra, the city's fastest-growing district.
- Campo dos Afonsos – military airport, where the Brazilian Air Force presents its aerobatic shows.
- Santa Cruz Air Base – military airport.
Famous Cariocas
'Cariocas', as residents of Rio de Janeiro are popularly called in Brazil, have made extensive contributions to Brazil's history, culture, music, literature, education, science, technology etc. – particularly when Rio de Janeiro was the federal capital and a great hub of Brazilian growth and innovation in all these areas. Some important Cariocas, who were born in Rio, are:
- Adolfo Lutz, physician and scientist
- Adriano Leite Ribeiro, football player
- Aldir Blanc, poet, composer
- Bruno Barreto, film director
- Carlos Chagas Filho, physician and scientist
- Carlos Lacerda, politician, governor of Rio
- Carolina Solberg, beach volleyball player
- Cazuza, composer and singer
- Chico Buarque, composer, singer and writer
- Bruno Campos
