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Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil
 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 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.
City districts
The city is commonly divided into the historic downtown (Centro), the
more touristic 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, and rambles
through the hilly streets of the Santa Teresa neighborhood nearby.
South Zone
 The
southern zone of Rio de Janeiro is composed of several districts, amongst
them are São Conrado, Leblon, Ipanema, Arpoador, Copacabana and Leme,
which composes Rio's famous beach coastline. The neighborhood 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. The tallest mountain in the city, however, at 842m, is the Pedra
da Gávea (Topsail Rock) in São Conrado. Hang gliding is a popular activity
on a nearby peak - after a short flight, they land on the Praia do Pepino
beach in São Conrado. Since 1961, the Tijuca forest is a National Park.
North Zone
 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.
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.
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). 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.
 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 known as favelas,
often crowded onto the hillsides where sturdy buildings are difficult
to build, and accidents, mainly from heavy rainfall, are frequent. Favelas,
as is the case for the ghettos of New York or Chicago, are often troubled
by drug related crime and gang warfare.
Football
Rio de Janeiro is host to four traditional Brazilian football clubs:
Flamengo, Botafogo, Fluminense and Vasco.
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.
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