Rio de Janeiro
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
Related e |
Featured: |
- State in southeastern Brazil.
- Capital of Rio de Janeiro state and former capital of Brazil.
Rio de Janeiro in Portuguese, in English), is the second largest city of Brazil and South America, behind São Paulo. Commonly known as just Rio, the city is also nicknamed A Cidade Maravilhosa, or "The Marvelous City".
Rio de Janeiro is famous for its natural settings, its Carnival celebrations, samba and other music, and hotel-lined tourist beaches, such as Copacabana and Ipanema. Some of the most famous landmarks in addition to the beaches include the giant statue of Jesus, known as Christ the Redeemer ('Cristo Redentor') atop Corcovado mountain.
Despite its charm and beauty, Rio is reputed to be one of the most violent cities in the world and motivated movies such as Bus 174, City of God and Elite Squad portraying severe social issues. Much of the violent crime is concentrated in the favelas or shantytowns but it also spills into middle- and upper-income neighborhoods. In Rio, unlike other major cities, many of the slums are directly adjacent to some of the wealthiest areas of the city.