Rio de Janeiro (state)

Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states that make up Brazil. It has a strong economy, second only to São Paulo. Even though only a small part of Brazil’s people live here, the state creates a good amount of the country’s wealth.

The state is located in Brazil’s Southeast region. It touches three other states: Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, and São Paulo. The Atlantic Ocean is to its east and south. The capital city is also named Rio de Janeiro, and it was once Brazil’s most important city.

Rio de Janeiro has 92 towns and cities. Some of the larger ones are Rio de Janeiro, São Gonçalo, and Duque de Caxias. Even though it is the smallest state in Brazil’s Southeast area, it is crowded, with over 16 million people. It also has a long coastline, the third longest in Brazil.

Demonym

The word for someone from the state of Rio de Janeiro is fluminense. This comes from a Latin word meaning "river". Another older word, carioca, was used for people from the city of Rio de Janeiro. Over time, carioca became the special name for people living in the city, while fluminense is used for everyone in the whole state.

History

European people first arrived in Rio de Janeiro in 1502. The area was part of old territories called captainships. Between 1555 and 1567, French people tried to build a colony there called France Antarctique. To stop them, the city of Rio de Janeiro was founded in 1565 by Estácio de Sá.

In the 1600s, raising cattle and growing sugar helped the city grow. Things changed when gold from Minas Gerais was shipped from the city's port in the 1700s. In 1763, Rio became the capital of Brazil. In 1808, the Portuguese royal family moved to Brazil and brought many changes. They built new government offices, churches, hospitals, and the first bank called the Bank of Brazil. They also started a newspaper and a botanical garden, the Jardim Botânico (Botanical Garden).

In 1834, Rio became a special area called a "neutral city." Later, in 1975, Rio de Janeiro and another state called Guanabara joined together again. Since then, the city has faced economic challenges, even though the state still produces a lot of oil.

Geography

The state of Rio de Janeiro is part of a special area called the Mata Atlântica. It has two main types of land: a flat area near the coast called the baixada, and a higher area called a plateau that stretches inland toward the neighboring state of Minas Gerais.

The coastline of Rio de Janeiro is very long, about 635 kilometers, and includes beautiful bays such as Guanabara, Sepetiba, and Ilha Grande. Near the ocean, there are interesting landscapes like slopes, special plants called restinga vegetation, bays, lagoons, and tropical forests. Much of the state is made up of highlands, with mountains that can reach over 1,000 meters tall. The highest point in the state is Pico das Agulhas Negras, located in the Serra da Mantiqueira, which marks the border with Minas Gerais.

The main rivers in the state are the Guandu, Piraí, Paraíba do Sul, Macaé, and Muriaé.

Climate

All of Rio de Janeiro is located near the equator, so it has a tropical climate. However, because some parts are very high up, temperatures can get quite cool. In mountainous areas, frost is common, and snow has sometimes been seen in Itatiaia National Park.

On the coast, average temperatures are around 23 °C (73 °F), with warmer summers around 26 °C (79 °F) and cooler winters around 20 °C (68 °F). In the mountains, temperatures are lower, averaging around 18 °C (64 °F), but can feel much cooler, especially in winter when temperatures can drop to around 8 to 9 °C (46 to 48 °F).

Rainfall mostly happens in the summer months from December to March, while the winter months from June to September are drier. Most of the state gets between 1,000 and 1,500 millimeters (39 and 59 inches) of rain each year.

Demographics

According to the IBGE in 2022, about 16 million people lived in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The state is crowded, with about 367 people living in every square kilometre.

Most people in Rio de Janeiro have Portuguese roots. Many other groups, like Swiss, Germans, Italians, and Spaniards, also live there, especially in mountain areas and the capital city.

The biggest cities have many different kinds of people. In 2022, most people were either White or Multiracial. There are smaller numbers of Black, East Asian, and Indigenous people.

Most people in Rio de Janeiro follow Catholicism or Protestantism. Some practice Spiritism, Umbanda, or Candomblé. A smaller group has no religion, and others follow Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, or other beliefs.

Rio de Janeiro has good schools and universities. It ranks fourth in education quality in Brazil. One of the top schools is the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, which is one of the best in the country.

Urbanization: 96.9% (2004); Population growth: 1.3% (1991–2000).

The last census showed these groups of people in the state:

1. White (42.0%)
2. Multiracial (41.6%)
3. African (16.2%)
4. East Asian (0.13%)
5. Indigenous (0.10%)

Religion in Rio de Janeiro (2022)

1. Catholicism (38.9%)
2. Protestantism (32.0%)
3. Spiritism (3.50%)
4. Umbanda and Candomblé (2.60%)
5. Other (5.80%)
6. No religion (16.9%)

Economy

The economy of the state of Rio de Janeiro mainly provides services and has a large industrial sector. Farming is only a small part of its total value.

In the past, crops like sugar cane and coffee were very important. Today, the state grows foods such as pineapple, cassava, banana, orange, tangerine, lemon, and persimmon. The industrial sector makes up the largest part of the state's total value, followed by the service sector. Small amounts come from agriculture.

The state exports goods like petroleum, fuel, and siderurgy. There are many vehicles, mobile phones, and telephones across the state’s 92 cities.

Tourism

Rio de Janeiro is the city that gets the most visitors from other countries in all of Latin America. In Brazil, almost 40% of visitors from other countries come here. It was chosen as one of the ten most beautiful cities in the world by a global travel website. During the summer, many visitors come to enjoy its famous beaches and hills.

Some of the most popular places to see are Christ the Redeemer, one of the seven wonders of the modern world, Sugarloaf with its cable car, Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, and beautiful beaches like Copacabana, Ipanema, and Barra da Tijuca. Other spots include Tijuca forest, Quinta da Boa Vista, the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, and the big Maracanã stadium. Big events like the Carnival and the New Year celebration on Copacabana Beach attract many people.

Infrastructure

Highways

The state of Rio de Janeiro has good roads, even though some parts are tricky because of the hills. There are about 800 kilometers of highways. The most important roads are BR-101 and BR-116. The Presidente Dutra highway, part of BR-116, connects São Paulo to Rio and was the first highway in Brazil to have two lanes in each direction, built in 1967. BR-101 links the capital to the border with Espírito Santo, going through towns like Niterói, Cabo Frio, and Búzios. The BR-040 road connects Rio to Minas Gerais and its capital Belo Horizonte. There is also the Metropolitan Arc, a ring road around the capital to help with traffic.

International airport

Since 2004, Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport has been the second biggest international airport in Brazil. Almost 40% of foreign visitors to Brazil arrive here. The airport can welcome up to 15 million passengers each year. It is located about 20 kilometers from downtown Rio and has easy access by highways. The airport also has a very long runway and good facilities for cargo.

Port

Rio de Janeiro has many busy ports, including the Port of Rio de Janeiro, the Port of Itaguaí, and the Port of Açu. These ports are important for exporting and importing many goods. The Port of Rio de Janeiro sends out iron, steel, and vehicles, while the Port of Itaguaí exports iron ore. The Port of Açu is a big center for oil exports and is building a large power plant.

Sports

See also: Football teams in Rio de Janeiro

The most popular sport in Rio de Janeiro is football. The main football clubs are Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, Botafogo, Fluminense, and Vasco da Gama. People in Rio are also good at volleyball, yachting, swimming, basketball, skateboarding, surfing, beach volleyball, rowing, jiu-jitsu, and MMA. Rio has hosted big events like the 1950 FIFA World Cup and 2014 FIFA World Cup finals, the 2016 Summer Olympics, and the 2007 Pan American Games.

The capital city has three large stadiums: Maracanã, which was once the largest stadium in the world; Engenhão, built for the 2007 Pan American Games; and São Januário, the largest private stadium in Rio.

State flag

The state flag of Rio de Janeiro shows an eagle, which reminds us of Brazil's royal family. Behind it is a rock formation called Dedo de Deus ("The Finger of God") near Teresópolis. The parts around the main symbol show the state's farming, with sugarcane on the left and coffee on the right.

Over the years, Rio de Janeiro has had different flags:

• Flag of the Captaincy of Rio de Janeiro - Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves (1565 – 1821)
• Flag of the Province of Rio de Janeiro (1821 – 1889)
• Flag of the State of Rio de Janeiro (1889–present)