Riode Janeiro

Rio de Ja·nei·ro (dā zhə-nârʹō, dē, dĭ) Familiarly known as “Rio.”.

A city of southeast Brazil on Guanabara Bay, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean. According to tradition, it was first visited in January 1502 by Portuguese explorers who believed Guanabara Bay to be the mouth of a river and therefore named the city Rio de Janeiro (“River of January”). It became capital of the colony of Brazil in 1763, of the Brazilian empire in 1822, and of the independent country in 1889. In 1960 the capital was transferred to Brasília. Population: 5,473,909.

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