Rio de Janeiro' commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th largest in the Americas, and 26th in the world.
The city was the capital of Brazil for nearly two centuries, from 1763 to 1815 during the Portuguese colonial era, 1815 to 1821 as the capital of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves, and 1822 to 1960 as an independent nation.
Rio de Janeiro represents the second largest GDP in the country, estimated at about R$343 billion, and is the headquarters of many Brazilian corporations. The home of many universities and institutes, it is also the second largest center of research and development in all of Brazil.
Rio de Janeiro is one of the most visited cities in the southern hemisphere and is known for its natural settings and especially for its carnival celebrations. Some of the most famous landmarks in addition to the beaches include the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado mountain and Sugarloaf mountain with its cable car.
The 2016 Summer Olympics and the Paralympics will take place in Rio de Janeiro, which will mark the first time a South American or a Portuguese-speaking nation hosts the event, and the first time it has been hosted by a nation in the Southern Hemisphere other than Australia.
Alternate versions of Rio de Janeiro have been discovered in the multiverse:
Rio de Janeiro also forms a significant part of:
- Kingdom of Rio de Janeiro (Cabotia and Brasil)