Rio EDC

• Where is Rio de Janeiro?

  Rio de Janeiro can be found halfway down the East coast of South America. It is located in Southeast Brazil along the Atlantic Coast. The capital city is in fact Brasilia, which is situated 1000km to the North West.

  
• Location of Rio de Janeiro

  Rio is located on the Tropic of Capricorn. The latitude and longitude of Rio De Janeiro is 23° South of the Equator and 43° West of the Prime Meridian.

  
• Rio's location


  Rio is located on the Western side of Guanabara Bay, a huge marine inlet.
• Famous districts in Rio city

  • Central
  • South
  • North
  • West
• Rio de Janeiro


  Three different areas: City, Conurbation and State
• Population of Rio


  • Rio city: 6.5 million
  • Rio conurbation: 13.5 million
  • Rio State: 16.2 million
• Importance of Rio de Janeiro


  • National importance: 2nd most populous city in Brazil, 2nd highest economic output, 2nd largest exporter, cultural capital, 3rd largest port, largest tourist destination, prestigious university, famous football stadium
  • Global importance: World city, iconic building, international transport hub, headquarters of global TNCs, hosted major sporting events, first 'Earth Conference'
• Patterns of National migration (Domestic migration. Inside Brazil)

  1. Rural to urban migration due to attractive pull factors of the city

  2. Coincided with city losing national capital status, slowing economic growth and leading to formation of slums (Favelas)
• Educated migrants flows 1995 to 2000


  Uneducated migrant flows 1995 to 2000
• Rapid urbanisation: Rio has experienced rapid urban growth because of rural to urban migration. Huge numbers of people have moved from countryside areas into the city, mainly in search of jobs. This has put a great deal of pressure on services and amenities.
• Rio de Janeiro has experienced rapid growth due to two main reasons – rural to urban migration (65% of the growth) and internal growth Births>deaths (35% of the growth).
• Migrants tend to be young and fertile i.e. likely to be of 'child bearing' age. Consequently Rio's population also grows rapidly due to internal growth, with birth rates much higher than death rates
• Impact of national migration on Rio's character (Age structure)

  Migrants are mostly young adults, and is responsible for the huge number of 20-40 year olds in Rio's population pyramid. These young migrants are 'fertile' (child bearing age) and this will lead to an above average birth rate in the city, which in turn will lead to high levels of internal growth (Births>Deaths).
• Impact of national migration on Rio's character (Growth city)

  1. Plot historic population growth from 1950 to 2015

  2. Predict population of Rio de Janeiro in 2040 based on current growth rate
• In 1502 Europeans first discovered Guanabara Bay, on which the city is built. Brazil was colonised by the Portuguese throughout the 1500s until independence in 1822.
• After independence Rio became a destination for hundreds of thousands of Portuguese immigrants, mostly during the 20th Century. This international migration is responsible for the large white population of the city. Rio is home to the largest Portuguese population outside of Portugal.
• Slavery hugely shaped the city's ethnicity throughout the colonial period. In 1819 there were 140,000 African slaves in the city, mostly from Angola and Mozambique.
• Samba music and dance as well as the Brazilian Carnival originated from the black community in the city, descended from slaves.
• Patterns of International migration (International migration. From one country to another)

  1. Plot historic and contemporary flows of international migration onto the world map

  2. Compare the patterns of historic and contemporary flows of international migration
• Impact of international migration on Rio's Character (Ethnic Diversity)

  51% white, 36% multi-racial, 12% black, 1% Asian, 0.1% Amerindian
• People born in Rio are known as Cariocas.
• Culture in Rio de Janeiro

  • Beaches are one of Rio's most beautiful natural features. Residents of Rio, especially the middle class and wealthy enjoy relaxing on beaches like Copacabana and Ipanema.
  • The most popular cosmetic surgery treatment in Rio is not a nose job or a 'boob job'(breast enlargement) but a 'bum job' (Bottom shaping). In Rio's popular culture, a women's backside is highly valued.
• Ethnic composition of Rio de Janeiro

  • 54% white
  • 36% multi-racial (Pardo ethnicity – 1/3rd white European, 1/3rd black and 1/3rd Amerindian)
  • 12% black
  • 1% Asian
  • 0.1% Amerindian
• Plot the ethnic diversity of Rio on a horizontal divided bar graph
• Ways of life in Rio de Janeiro


  • Culture
  • Ethnicity
  • Housing
• Cariocas


  People born in Rio
• Beaches in Rio


  • Copacabana
  • Ipanema
• Beauty/Female objectification in Rio

  • Most popular cosmetic surgery is 'bum job' (Bottom shaping)
  • Rio's popular culture celebrates curvy women with large breasts and shapely bottoms
  • Factors: Annual Rio carnival and beach culture
• Women only buses and taxis


  To help women feel safer due to sexual harassment
• Rio Carnival


  • World famous annual event
  • Main carnival procession takes place inside the city's Sambadrome
  • Huge street party with 2-5 million people
  • Very happy, safe places
  • Samba carnival instruments send out irresistible beats and rhythms
• Squatter settlements (favelas) in Rio

  • Huge inequalities in quality of life between rich and poor
  • Socio-economic groups segregated into distinct geographical neighbourhoods
  • Over 1.5 million people live in 762 favelas, 22% of Rio's population
  • Favelas first appeared in 1950s as poor rural migrants couldn't find work and housing
  • Favelas grew dramatically in 1970s
  • Lack of government services like sanitation, electricity and water
  • Ruled by drug traffickers or organised criminal groups
  • Since 2008 occupied by Police Pacifying Units (PPUs)
• Slum gentrification


  Government seeking to upgrade favelas, attracting lower-middle class and displacing former favela dwellers
• Slum tourism


  Guided tours of favelas, most visited is Rocinha
• Traffic congestion in Rio

  • 4th worst city in the world for traffic jams
  • Residents lose 100 hours per year on average stuck in traffic
  • Caused by increased population, car ownership, road closures and lack of public transport
  • New metro opened in 2016 for Olympics
  • Lack of adequate traffic lights
  • Overcrowding and long delays on buses
• Providencia favela eco-school


  • Community leader Ale Roque runs a free agro-ecological school for 120 children
  • Provides fresh fruit, jam and a playground for children
  • Planted a community urban forest with 13,000 tree seeds to prevent landslides and provide shade
• Providencia favela lacks proper municipal water supply and sewage system, but has a state-of-the-art cable car
• Violence remains an issue in Providencia favela despite police pacification unit