Rio de Janeiro: Location and Urban Structure

Rio sits on Brazil's southeast coast next to the South Atlantic Ocean, northeast of São Paulo. Despite what many people think, Rio isn't Brazil's capital - that's actually Brasília!

The city is divided into four main zones, each with completely different characteristics. The North Zone houses most of Rio's poor neighbourhoods and contains around 1,000 favelas (informal settlements), plus the international airport and industrial areas. The West Zone represents the new middle class with shopping centres and luxury apartments - it hosted the main Olympic stadium for the 2016 games.

The Centro Zone serves as Rio's business heart, containing the headquarters of major Brazilian companies like Petrobras and the main shopping district. Meanwhile, the South Zone is the wealthiest area with expensive hotels, restaurants, and famous Ipanema beach.

Key Fact: Interestingly, Rio's largest favela, Rocinha, sits right next to some of the city's richest neighbourhoods, showing the extreme inequality within the city.

Rio's global importance stems from hosting major international events like the 2016 Olympics and 2014 World Cup. The city welcomes 5 million visitors annually for its world-famous carnival, and Christ the Redeemer statue is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The contrast between Rio's zones reveals the massive social and economic inequalities that define this fascinating but challenging city.