About
Rio de Janeiro sits in one of the world's most dramatically beautiful natural settings — the Guanabara Bay ringed by granite mountains (Sugarloaf, Corcovado), with rainforest within city limits and famous beaches (Copacabana, Ipanema) merging city and ocean. Christ the Redeemer (30m statue atop 700m Corcovado mountain) is one of the world's most recognizable landmarks.
Carnival de Rio, held annually in February before Lent, is the world's largest party — 2 million people on the streets daily for 4 days, culminating in the Sambadrome parade where samba schools present lavish theatrical performances. Rio hosted the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. Its 'favela' culture — informal hillside communities with poverty, creativity, and crime — has been both romanticized and grappled with by the city for a century.
# Top 10 Rio de Janeiro Full facts
- 1Rio's Carnival draws 2 million people to the streets daily for 4 consecutive days
- 2Christ the Redeemer was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007 with 100 million votes
- 3Rio's favelas cover about 22% of the city's area and house approximately 20% of its population
Fascinating Facts
- ◆Rio's Carnival draws 2 million people to the streets daily for 4 consecutive days
- ◆Christ the Redeemer was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007 with 100 million votes
- ◆Rio's favelas cover about 22% of the city's area and house approximately 20% of its population
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