Rio de Janeiro

• Rio de Janeiro is situated on the east coast of Brazil. Brazil is surrounded by 10 different countries in the continent of South America.

  The Atlantic Ocean is to the east of Rio de Janeiro and the city itself is very close to the city of Sao Paulo.

  The Brazilian highlands are to the North of Rio de Janeiro and the Amazon river and rainforest is to the North West.

  Rio sits just above the tropic of Capricorn and beneath the Equator which passes through the very north of Brazil.
• Rio de Janeiro (Rio) is the second most populated city in Brazil after Sao Paulo. It has a population of 6.5 million with a further 12.5 million in the urban area. Rio is located in the southeast of Brazil on the Atlantic coast.
• Rio first grew up around a large natural bay called Guanabara Bay
• The bay is set below the towering ‘Sugarloaf mountain’ that rises 396m above the harbour.
• It is a popular stop on the tourist trail as it has a cableway going to the top and gives panoramic views of the whole city.
• It is Brazil’s 2nd most important industrial city producing 5% of Brazil’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
• The Statue of Christ the Redeemer is one of the seven

  Wonders of the World.
• Rio is a major port exporting mainly coffee, sugar and iron

  ore.
• It is an important international hub with 5 ports and three airports.
• Due to its stunning scenery, amazing beaches and famous landmarks it is one of the most visited cities in the Southern

  hemisphere.
• Many migrants are attracted to Rio because of the many economic opportunities available in and around the city

  causing the population to swell.
• The main service industries in Rio are banking, finance and insurance.
• The main manufacturing industries in Rio are chemicals, pharmaceuticals, clothing, furniture and processed foods.
• Brazil is a NEE (Newly Emerging Economy) and over the last twenty years some people have become much wealthier and the conditions they live in have improved, but that’s not the same for everyone.
• From the 1920s, Rio de Janeiro's industry began to grow. This attracted migrants from rural areas of Brazil.
• From 1940 - 1960, Brazil has a very high birth rate which meant the natural change of the city grew quickly.
• In the 1990s, the growth of the textile industry attracted migrants.
• From 2005 onwards, when the global economic crisis took hold, Rio de Janeiro attracted migrants from USA, Europe and China. Many of these are skilled workers who have benefitted from changes to work visas.
• In 1960, Rio de Janeiro stopped being Brazil's capital city. However, rural-urban migration still took place and the cities growth rate was 30%.
• In 200, natural change of the city begun to slow as the birth rate fell and the growth rate reduced.
• Favelas


  A shanty town/slum area that is in or near to a city. They are illegal settlements where people have built homes on land that they do not own. They are usually areas of great social deprivation.
• People leave Amazonia and the drought-hit areas of north east Brazil in the hope of finding a better life in Brazil's main cities.
• Favelas are located mainly on the edge of the city, in urban industrial areas where jobs are available.
• Favelas further from the city are often built along main roads.
• Favelas are often built on steep hillsides where landslops are common and access is difficult.
• Rocinha is the largest favela in Rio. Many of its residents work in the wealthy areas of Ipanema and Copacabana. They have improved their homes alongside the council. This means that this favela now has many homes with

  electricity, homes built with bricks, schools and health services.
• Santa Marta is an example of where some areas have been

  improved, but many homes are simply shacks made from plastic sheets, wood and broken bricks. Many homes have an illegal electricity connection, or none at all. Most homes have no connection to the sewage system and so waste runs through the streets.
• Construction of houses - built out of basic materials in at risk zones.
• Services - lack of access to resources such as water/electricity. Poor school access/distrust of police and limited healthcare.
• Unemployment - can be as high as 20%. Lots of jobs are poorly paid/in the informal sector.
• Crime - high murder rates, dominated by drug cartels.
• Health- high population density with poor sanitation leading to spread of disease. Open sewers and poor waste disposal also contribute to poor health.
• Improvements that can made in Favelas:

  • Rehousing people from Favelas in basic concrete housing.
  • Using artwork and vibrant colours on buildings to improve the look of the area.
  • Developing cultural activites for youngsters, such as samba, football and Afro-reggae to stop them getting involved in crime.
  • Moving people to new areas of the city that are less crowded to reduce overcrowding.
  • Developing the rural areas to encourage more people to stay in the countryside.
  • Building more schools in the Favelas to educate the young.
• Improvements that can be made in Favelas:

  • Donating money to charities who already work in the Favela to improve education.
  • Pacifying the Favelas to stop crime and push drug gangs out.
  • Raising taxes on the rich to help pay for housing for the poor.
• The Favela-Bairro Project – An example of how urban planning is improving the quality of life for the urban poor.
• The Favela-Bairro Project is a site and service scheme (where the local authority provides land and services for residents to build homes).
• Measures taken as part of the Favela-Bairro Project:

  • Daycare centres and after school schemes to look after children while their parents work.
  • A Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) set up, with police patrolling the community to help reduce crime.
  • Installation of a cable car to the commercial centre of Ipanema – inhabitants are given one free return tickets per day.
  • Access to credit to allow inhabitants to buy materials to improve their homes.
• Measures taken as part of the Favela-Bairro Project:

  • Training schemes to help people learn new skills so they can find better jobs and earn more money.
  • Services to help people affected by drug addiction, alcohol addiction and domestic violence.
  • Adult education centres to improve adult literacy.
  • Provision of basic services such as clean water, electricity and weekly rubbish collection.
• Measures taken as part of the Favela-Bairro Project:

  • Widening and paving of streets to allow easier access (especially for emergency services).
  • Residents can now apply to legally own their own properties.
  • Replacement of wooden buildings with brick houses and the removal of homes on dangerously steep slopes.
  • The new services have been staffed by local residents providing them with income and helping them to learn new skills.
• Successes of the Favela-Bairro Project:

  • The number of local businesses set-up in the Favelas has almost doubled.
  • The program had a statistically significant impact on school attendance among those aged 5-20 years old.
  • There was also a substantial increase in daycare attendance.
  • Standard of living and health of residents has improved within the Favelas that have been targeted.
  • The property values in Favelas that have been part of the project have increased by 80-120%.
  • The development of services employment prospects have risen for local people. Incomes increased by around 15%.