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Rio de Janeiro is the second major city of Brazil, behind São Paulo.
The city was the capital of Brazil for almost a century--from 1763 to 1822 while it was a Portuguese colony and from 1822 to 1960 as an independent nation. It was the de facto capital of the Portuguese Empire from 1808 to 1821. Commonly known as just Rio, the city is also nicknamed A Cidade Maravilhosa - "The Marvelous City".
It is famous for its spectacular natural setting, its Carnival celebrations, samba and other music, hotel-lined tourist beaches, such as Copacabana and Ipanema, paved with decorated black and cream swirl pattern mosaics. Some of the most famous local landmarks in addition to the beaches include the giant statue of Jesus, known as Christ the Redeemer ('Cristo Redentor') atop Corcovado mountain, which has recently been named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World; Sugarloaf mountain (Pão de Açúcar) with its cable car; the Sambódromo, a giant permanent parade stand used during Carnival; and Maracanã stadium, one of the world's largest football stadiums. Rio also boasts the two world's largest forests inside an urban area. The first is the forest in Parque Estadual da Pedra Branca, or White Stone State Park. The second, almost connected to the first, is the famous Tijuca Forest .
Rio de Janeiro it has museums, theatres and international and local cuisine, malls and night clubs.
Rio de Janeiro is a very cultural area. People from all over the world come to the Rio de Janeiro to enjoy the finest culture on the continent with its many museums and galleries, and its huge variety of restaurants and bars. This is truly a cultural capital of the world. With its shows, ballets, orchestras and operas it is clearly a fantastic city of the arts.
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