Ipanema beach

Cristo Redentor

A NASA satellite image of Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro (meaning River of January in Portuguese) is the name of both a state and a city in southeastern Brazil. The city is famous for the hotel-lined tourist beaches Copacabana and Ipanema, for the giant statue of Jesus, known as Christ the Redeemer ("Cristo Redentor") on the Corcovado mountain, and for its yearly Carnival celebration. It also has the biggest forest inside an urban region, called "Floresta da Tijuca". The current mayor is Cesar Maia. Rio de Janeiro - Ipanema Beach Made when I was travelling in Rio de Janeiro and Brazil, full gallery at : http://www. ... Rio de Janeiro - Ipanema Beach Made when I was travelling in Rio de Janeiro and Brazil, full gallery at : http://www. ... Download high resolution version (1450x1206, 424 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1450x1206, 424 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Cristo Redentor Christ the Redeemer Corcovados Statue of the Christ Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor in Portuguese) is a 30-meter monument statue of Jesus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, located on Corcovado mountain. ... Download high resolution version (1000x1000, 259 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1000x1000, 259 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Rio de Janeiro is one of the 26 states of Brazil (plus the Federal District). ... Copacabana is a district located in the southern zone of the city Rio de Janeiro, famous for its 4 km beach. ... Categories: Brazil geography stubs ... This 11th-century portrait is one of many images of Jesus in which a halo with a cross is used. ... Cristo Redentor Christ the Redeemer Corcovados Statue of the Christ Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor in Portuguese) is a 30-meter monument statue of Jesus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, located on Corcovado mountain. ... Cristo Redentor Christ the Redeemer Corcovados Statue of the Christ Corcovado, meaning hunchback in Portuguese, is a mountain in central Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ... Samba School Parade The Brazilian Carnival is an annual celebration, celebrated forty days before Easter (marking the start of Lent), in Brazil. ... Cesar Epitácio Maia (born July 18, 1945) is the current mayor of Rio de Janeiro and possibly will be candidate for the presidency of Brazil in 2006. ...

Rio de Janeiro is located at 22 degrees, 54 minutes south latitude, 43 degrees 14 minutes west longitude (22°54′ S 43°14′ W). The population of the city proper of Rio de Janeiro is about 6,150,000 (as of 2004), occupying an area of 1256 km² (485 sq. miles). The larger metropolitan area population is estimated at 10-13 million. It's Brazil's second-largest city after São Paulo and used to be the country's capital until 1960, when Brasília took its place. Latitude, denoted by the Greek letter φ, gives the location of a place on Earth north or south of the Equator. ... Map of Earth showing curved lines of longitude Longitude, sometimes denoted λ, describes the location of a place on Earth east or west of a north-south line called the Prime Meridian. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large city and its adjacent zone of influence, or of several neighboring cities or towns and adjoining areas, with one or more large cities serving as its hub or hubs. ... The second city of a country is the city that is (or was) the second-most important, usually after the capital or first city, according to some criteria. ... Landmark buildings Edifício Italia (at left) and Copan (curved façade at center), in São Paulo Downtown. ... Brasília from space, November 1990 Niemeyers Cathedral Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. ...

History

The area where Rio de Janeiro is now was reached by Portuguese explorers in an expedition led by portuguese explorer Gaspar de Lemos in January of 1502. Since the Europeans thought at first the Bay of Guanabara was actually the mouth of a river, they called it "Rio de Janeiro", which means January River. Gaspar de Lemos (15th century), Portuguese explorer that was captain of the supply ship of Pedro Álvares Cabrals fleet that discovered Brazil. ... Events January 1 - Portuguese explorers sailed into Guanabra Bay, Brazil and mistook it for the mouth of a river which they named Rio de Janeiro May 9 - Christopher Columbus leaves Spain for his fourth and final trip to the New World. May 21 - Portuguese discover island of St Helena. ... For the Second World War frigate class, see River class frigate The Murray River in Australia A river is a large natural waterway. ...

The city wasn't founded until March 1st, 1565 by Portuguese knight Estácio de Sá, who called it São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro (San Sebastian of the January River), in honor of then King Sebastian I of Portugal. For centuries, the settlement was commonly called São Sebastião - or even St. Sebastian - instead of the currently popular, second half of its name. It was frequently attacked by pirates and privateers, especially by then enemies of Portugal, such as the Netherlands and France. In the late 16th century, the Portuguese crown began treating the village as strategic location for 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 - neighbor Niterói, for instance, was founded by a native chief for supporting defense. A silver statue of an armoured knight, created as a trophy in 1850 For the chess piece, see knight (chess). ... Sebastião I (January 20, 1554 - August 4, 1578) was a King of Portugal. ... This article is about sea pirates. ... The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one_fifth of its surface. ... Africa is the worlds second-largest continent and 3rd most populous. ... The flag of the Municipality Niterói is a city in Brazil, in the state of Rio de Janeiro. ...

The exact place of Rio's foundation is at the feet of now world famous Sugar Loaf mountain (Pão-de-Açúcar). Later, the whole city was moved within a palicade on top of a hill, imitating the medieval European strategy of defense of fortified castles - the place was since then called Morro do Castelo (Castle Hill). Therefore, the city developed from current Downtown (Centro, see below) to southwards and then westwards, an urban movement which lasts until nowadays.

Until early 18th century, the city was threaten or invaded by several - mostly French - pirates and buccaneers, such as Jean-François Duclerc, René Duguay-Trouin, and Nicolas de Villegaignon. After 1720, when the Portuguese found gold and diamonds in the neighbor captaincy of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro became much more useful port to transport out the wealth than farther Salvador. In 1763, the colonial administration in Portuguese America was moved to Rio. A pirate is one who robs or plunders at sea without a commission from a recognised sovereign nation. ... Buccaneer is a term that was used in the later 17th century in the Caribbean Islands. ... Réné Duguay-Trouin, 1673 to 1736 was a famous French privateer. ... // Events January 6 - The Committee of Inquiry on the South Sea Bubble publishes its findings February 11 - Sweden and Prussia sign the (2nd Treaty of Stockholm) declaring peace. ... Minas Gerais is one of the states of Brazil, the second most populous in the federation. ... 1763 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

The city remained mostly a colonial capital until 1808, when the Portuguese Royal Family and most of the Lisbon nobles, fleeing from Napoleon's invasion of Portugal, moved in. The kingdom's capital was transfered to Rio, which then became the only European capital outside of Europe. Since there was no physical space nor urban structure to accommodate hundreds of noblemen who arrived suddenly, many inhabitants were simply evicted from their homes. 1808 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... District Lisbon Mayor   - Party Pedro Santana Lopes PSD Area 84. ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ...

When Prince Pedro proclaimed the independence of Brazil in 1822, he decided to keep Rio de Janeiro as the capital of his new empire, yet the city region was losing importance - economic and political - to São Paulo. 1822 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Landmark buildings Edifício Italia (at left) and Copan (curved façade at center), in São Paulo Downtown. ...

Rio was maintained as Brazilian capital after the military overthrew the monarchy and imposed a republic in 1889. However, plans for moving the nation's seat city to the territorial center were considered, until president Juscelino Kubitschek was elected in 1955 and took office in 1956 with a promise to build a new capital. Though many thought it was campaign rhetoric, Kubitschek managed to have Brasília built, at great cost, by 1960. On April 21st that year, the capital of Brazil was officially moved from Rio to Brasília. A monarchy, (from the Greek monos, one, and archein, to rule) is a form of government that has a monarch as Head of State. ... 1889 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Juscelino Kubitschek and his wife Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira (JK) (September 12, 1902-August 22, 1976) was a prominent Brazilian politician who was President of Brazil from 1956 to 1961. ... 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1956 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... There are several common types of campaign: For organized efforts, each toward specific political goals, see political campaign. ... Rhetoric (from Greek ρητωρ, rhêtôr, orator) is one of the three original liberal arts or trivium (the other members are dialectic and grammar). ... Brasília from space, November 1990 Niemeyers Cathedral Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. ... 1960 was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Between 1960 and 1975, Rio was a city-state (such as Hamburg in Germany) under the name State of Guanabara (after the bay it borders). But, for administrative and political reasons, a presidential decree known as A Fusão (The Fusion) removed the city's federative status and merged it with the state of Rio de Janeiro in 1975. Even today some cariocas claim the return of municipal autonomy. 1960 was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1975 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... Position of Hamburg in Germany Hamburgs central broadway Jungfernstieg at the Alster lake, between 1900 and 1914 This article is about the city in Germany. ... The State of Guanabara (in Portuguese: Estado da Guanabara), was the name given to the municipality of Rio de Janeiro (now the city with the same name), after the moving of the national capital to Brasília in 1960. ... A Carioca is a person born in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ...

City districts

The city is commonly divided into the historic downtown (Centro); the tourist-friendly South Zone, with world-famous beaches; the industrial North Zone; the West Zone; and the newer Barra da Tijuca region.

Centro

Centro is the historic downtown of the city. Sites of interest include both the historic Church of the Candelaria and the modern-style cathedral, the Municipal Theater, and several museums. Centro remains the heart of the city's business community. The "Bondinho", a trolley car, leaves from a downtown station, crosses a former Roman-style aqueduct - the "Arcos da Carioca" built in 1750 and converted to a tram viaduct in 1896 - and rambles through the hilly streets of the Santa Teresa neighbourhood nearby. This article refers to the mass transit vehicle. ...

South Zone

A view of Ipanema from Corcovado. The Cagarras Islands can be seen on the background

The southern zone of Rio de Janeiro is composed of several districts, amongst them are São Conrado, Leblon, Ipanema, Arpoador, Copacabana, Leme, Botafogo and Flamengo which composes Rio's famous beach coastline. View of Lagoa and Ipanema from Corcovado File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... View of Lagoa and Ipanema from Corcovado File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Cagarras Islands (in Portuguese Ilhas Cagarras) is an archipelago located on the coast of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ... Leblon (whose name comes from the name of a french settler) is an affluent neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, just west of Ipanema (another neighborhood in the city). ... Categories: Brazil geography stubs ... Arpoador is a district located on the southern zone of the city Rio de Janeiro, in a small peninsula between Ipanema and Copacabana. ... Copacabana is a district located in the southern zone of the city Rio de Janeiro, famous for its 4 km beach. ... Leme is a municipality/county in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. ... Botafogo is the name of a neighborhood (bairro) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ... Clube de Regatas do Flamengo is a Brazilian multimodality sportive association from Rio de Janeiro. ... 90 mile beach Australia A beach or strand is a geological formation consisting of loose rock particles such as sand, shingle, cobble, or even shell along the shoreline of a body of water. ...

The neighbourhood of Copacabana beach boasts 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 further guarantee the safety of the event.

Passing Copacabana and Leme, on the district of Urca lies the Sugarloaf Mountain ("Pão de Açúcar"), whose name characterises the famous hump rising out of the sea. The top can be reached via cable car, accessible from the Hill of Urca ("Morro da Urca"), and offers views second only to Corcovado mountain. One of the highest mountains in the city, however, at 842 meters, is the Pedra da Gávea (Topsail Rock), in São Conrado. Hang gliding is a popular activity in the nearby peak called Pedra Bonita (Beautiful Rock) - after a short flight, they land on the Praia do Pepino beach in São Conrado. Sugarloaf Mountain (in Portuguese, Pão de Açúcar) is a peak situated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from the mouth of Guanabara Bay on a peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. ... Cable car at Zell am See in the Austrian Alps. ... Hang gliding is one of the windsports. ...

Since 1961, the Tijuca forest is a National Park. Yosemite National Park in the United States. ...

North Zone

A picture of the north zone of Rio de Janeiro taken from NASA's Landsat 7

The North Zone of Rio is home to the Maracanã stadium, still the world's highest capacity football venue, able to hold nearly 200,000 people (however, the biggest stadium of any type is located in Prague, Czech Republic, yet it is not suitable for football). In modern times, the capacity has been reduced to conform with modern safety regulations, and the introduction of seating for all fans. Currently undergoing renovation, it will eventually hold around 120,000. Maracanã will be the site for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and soccer competition of the 2007 Pan American Games. Landsat of Rio De Janeiro File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Landsat of Rio De Janeiro File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Maracanã stadium (official name: Estádio Mário Filho, Maracanã being its neighborhoods name) in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) is one of the biggest football stadiums of the world, and it is home of the four biggest football teams of Rio: Flamengo, Botafogo, Vasco da Gama and Fluminense. ... Football is a ball game played between two teams of eleven players, each attempting to win by scoring more goals than their opponent. ... Prague (Praha in Czech) is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. ...

West Zone

The West Zone is the metropolitan region which is most distant from the Center of Rio de Janeiro. It includes Barra da Tijuca, Jacarepaguá, Campo Grande, Santa Cruz and Bangu. Barra da Tijuca remains an area of accelerated growth, attracting mainly the richer sector of the population, whereas 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. Beyond the neighbourhoods of Barra da Tijuca and Jacarepagua, another district which has exhibited good economic growth is that of Campo Grande. Some modalities of sports of the Pan-American Games of 2007 will be held in the Miécimo da Silva Sports Center, nicknamed the "Algodão" Gymnasium, and others in the Ítalo del Cima Stadium, in Campo Grande. The Pan American Games are a multi-sport event, held every four years between competitors from all nations of the Americas. ...

Barra da Tijuca

To the west of the older zones is Barra da Tijuca, a flat expanse of formerly undeveloped coastal land, which is currently experiencing a wave of new construction. High rise apartments and sprawling shopping malls give the area a far more Americanized feel than the crowded city center (Centro). The urban planning of the area, made in the late 1960s, resembles that of North American suburbs, though mixing housed zones with residential skyscrappers. This has attracted businesses to move to the area to take advantage of this. The large 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.

Favelas

Main article: Favela A Rio de Janeiro favela Favela is a term commonly used in Brazil to describe areas such as shanty towns or slums. ...

A Rio de Janeiro favela

Rio is a city of contrasts, and though much of the city clearly ranks alongside the world's most modern metropolises, a significant percentage of the city's 13 million inhabitants do still live in areas of poorer quality housing. The worst of these 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 and gang warfare and other poverty-related social issues. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... A Rio de Janeiro favela Favela is a term commonly used in Brazil to describe areas such as shanty towns or slums. ... A boy from an East Cipinang trash dump slum in Jakarta, Indonesia shows his find. ... Shanty towns are units of irregular low-cost and self-constructed housing built on terrain seized and occupied illegally -- usually on lands belonging to third parties, most often located in the urban periphery of the cities. ... A Rio de Janeiro favela Favela is a term commonly used in Brazil to describe areas such as shanty towns or slums. ... A drug is any substance that can be used to modify a chemical process or processes in the body, for example to treat an illness, relieve a symptom, enhance a performance or ability, or to alter states of mind. ... A gang is a group of individuals who share a common identity and, in current usage, engage in illegal activities. ...

Carnival

The carnival in Rio de Janeiro has many choices including the famous Escolas de Samba parades in the sambódromo and the popular "blocos de carnaval" that parade in almost every corner of the city. The most famous ones are the following: Samba School Parade The Brazilian Carnival is an annual celebration, celebrated forty days before Easter (marking the start of Lent), in Brazil. ... The principal sambas school GRES Acadêmicos do Salgueiro-Salgueiros Academics GRES Estação Primeira de Mangueira-First Station of Mangueira GRES Portela GRES Império Serrano- GRES Montain Empire ... The Sambódromo is a special avenue downtown where Samba Schools pass. ...

• Cordão do bola preta: Parades in the center of the city, it is one of the most traditional "bloco de carnaval".
• Ipanema's Gand: Gay parade that goes through the ipanema beach.
• Suvaco do Cristo: Band that parades in the Botanic Garden, right below the Redeemer statue's arm. The name in English translates to "Christ's armpit", and was chosen for that reason.
• Carmelitas: Band that was supposedly created by nuns, but in fact it is just an alegory of the band. It parades in the hills of Santa Teresa, which have very nice views.

Although the word gay originally meant happy, in modern usage the term is often synonymous with homosexual. However, both terms are used in several different ways, and are not always interchangable: A gay or homosexual sexual orientation (attraction, preference, or inclination) Gay or homosexual sex involves acts between or among... In general, a nun is a female ascetic who chooses to voluntarily leave the world and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent. ...

Soccer

Rio de Janeiro is host to four traditional Brazilian football clubs: Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco. Football is a ball game played between two teams of eleven players, each attempting to win by scoring more goals than their opponent. ... Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas is a Brazilian multimodality sportive association from Rio de Janeiro. ... Clube de Regatas do Flamengo is a Brazilian multimodality sportive association from Rio de Janeiro. ... Fluminense Football Club is a sports club in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. ... Vasco da Gama (after the famous Portuguese explorer of the same name) is a Brazilian football team from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, founded on August 21, 1898 (although the football dept started on November 5, 1915). ...

Airports

• Galeão International Airport
• Santos Dumont Regional Airport

The Galeão - Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (IATA Airport Code: GIG), (ICAO Airport Code: SBGL), is Rio de Janeiros major international airport, built in the Governador Island, 30 km away from the citys downtown (22° 48′ 32″ S 43° 14′ 37″ W), in 1952. ... Santos Dumont Airport serves Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ...

Miscellaneous

The city will host the 2007 Pan American Games from July 13-29, 2007. Copacabana beach will be the site of the triathlon and beach volleyball with yachting competitions held in Guanabara Bay. 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. 2007 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Pan American Games are a multi-sport event, held every four years between competitors from all nations of the Americas. ... Copacabana is a district located in the southern zone of the city Rio de Janeiro, famous for its 4 km beach. ... A triathlon is an athletic event made up of three contests (from the Greek). ... Beach volleyball in California Beach volleyball has evolved from the popular social games of volleyball played on many beaches around the world. ... Yachting is a noncommercial boating activity. ... The Olympia Stadium: start and finish lines visible, defining the length of one stadium (in this case 192. ... Maracanã Botafogo v Vasco match The Maracanã stadium (official name: Estádio Mário Filho, Maracanã being its neighborhoods name) in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) is one of the biggest football stadiums in the world, and it is home of the four biggest football teams of Rio: Flamengo, Botafogo... FIFA logo (usage restricted): For the Good of the Game Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is the international governing body of the sport of association football (called simply football or soccer). ... João Havelange Jean-Marie Faustin Goedefroid de Havelange (born May 8, 1916 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) was the president of FIFA from 1974 to 1998. ... The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXX Olympiad, will be held in London, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012. ...

In one episode of The Simpsons, the family went to Rio. The episode angered several tourist officials and they threatened to sue the producers of the show. The Simpsons is the longest-running animated television series in American television history, with 17 seasons and 356 episodes since it debuted on December 17, 1989 on FOX, and is a spin-off of The Tracey Ullman Show. ...

Rio has also been used as a backdrop for many films, such as 007 Moonraker (1979), Blame it on Rio (1984), Bossa Nova (2000), and City of God (2002). A 2002 Penguin Books paperback edition Moonraker is the third James Bond novel written by Ian Fleming. ... Movie poster of City of God City of God (in Portuguese Cidade de Deus) is a Brazilian movie, released in its home country in 2002 and worldwide in 2003. ...

The Harbor of Rio de Janeiro was declared one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World by CNN. This article needs to be wikified. ... CNN or Cable News Network is a cable television network that was founded in 1980 by Ted Turner & Reese Schonfeld [1] [2] (although he currently is not recognized in CNNs official history). ...

Rio de Janeiro is also the paradise for rock climbers, with hundreds of routes all over the town, ranging from easy boulders to highly technical big walls climbs, all inside the city. The most famous Rio's granite mountain, Sugar Loaf (Pao-de-Açucar), is an example, with routes from easy 3rd grade (american 5.4, french 3) to really hard 9th grade (5.13/8b) up to 280 meters. Climbers on Valkyrie at the Roaches. ...

See also

• List of Mayors of Rio de Janeiro

This is a list of mayors of Rio de Janeiro from the most recent See also: mayors in Brazil. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has more media related to:

Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro

• Official homepage (Portuguese)
• Rio De Janiero Webcams
• Riotur
• PUC-Rio - the Pontifical University of Rio de Janeiro
• COPPE/UFRJ - the largest post-graduate and research center in Engineering in Latin America (part of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro-UFRJ)
• Rio de Janeiro at Wikitravel