Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro (pop. 5,336,200), second largest city of Brazil, on the Atlantic coast about 200 mi (322 km) east of São Paulo. Located in a picturesque setting, the city is a leading resort, as well as a center for the manufacture of clothing, furniture, glassware, and foodstuffs. The area was settled by the French (1555–67) and then by the Portuguese. It was the Brazilian capital from 1763 to 1960, when it was supplanted by Brasília.

See also: Brazil.