There are many interesting and fun facts about Rio de Janeiro that adults and kids can read. If you are planning a trip to Brazil’s most exciting city, you should learn at least some basic Rio de Janeiro facts, and its culture.
Find below facts that will enhance your knowledge about the Brazilian as well as the Rio de Janeiro culture.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 1 – Where is Rio de Janeiro located?
Rio de Janeiro is located on the coast in the Southern Brazil, approximately 9 hours flight from New York, 12 hours from Paris, 14 hours from Dubai, and only 3 hours from Buenos Aires (the capital of Argentina).
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 2 – Is Rio de Janeiro the capital of Brazil?
No. The capital of Brazil is Brasília. In fact, Rio de Janeiro was the capital of Brazil for about two centuries (until 1960).
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 3 – What is the Rio de Janeiro population?
Rio de Janeiro has 6.3 million inhabitants and it has the second largest population in Brazil (São Paulo — the economical center a 45-minute flight away — has 20 million people); Brazil has 190 million inhabitants.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 4 – What is the language spoken in Rio de Janeiro?
Brazilian Portuguese is the language spoken in Rio de Janeiro as well as all over Brazil. In fact, there are no dialects spoken in Brazil. However, there are differences in accent throughout the country. Note that the Portuguese from Brazil is very similar in writing to the Portuguese of Portugal, however the accent is quite different.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 5 – What is the most popular neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro?
Copacabana is by far the most popular and populous district in Rio de Janeiro. 150.000 inhabitants live in Copacabana. In fact, although Copacabana is where most hotels in Rio de Janeiro are located, locals outnumber tourists many times. In the recent decades, though, Ipanema became the trendy district. You can find map of both districts in My Rio Travel Guide.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 6 – Are foreign tourists welcome in Rio de Janeiro?
Cariocas (natives of Rio de Janeiro) are friendly, easy-going, and proud of their city. Besides, they welcome travelers from any country. The only problem, though, is that most locals don’t speak English, or other foreign languages. However, the fact that most Cariocas don’t speak English and that you don’t speak Portuguese should not be an impediment for a trip to Rio.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 7 – How many beaches are there in Rio de Janeiro?
There are 35 beaches in Rio de Janeiro, and they are locals favorite pastime. On a typical summer Sunday in January, there can be as many as one million people on all beaches combined. As a tourist, you are likely to go to the closest ones to your hotel: Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, and Leme.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 8 – What does Rio de Janeiro mean?
“Rio de Janeiro” means River of January. The fact is that when the Portuguese entered the Rio de Janeiro bay for the first time, they thought that it was a river, not a bay. Besides, they used to name a newly discovered city after the saint of the day. Since on that day there was no saint, they associated the “river” with the month “January” to name the city.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 9 – What is the favorite tourist destination for Brazilians?
Rio de Janeiro! In fact, many Brazilians who live in other cities throughout Brazil would love to live in Rio de Janeiro. They love the local way of being, the beaches, the vibe, the whether, and the nightlife. Since most Brazilians can not move to Rio, they at least visit the city quite frequently, especially during the winter school national vacation month (July), summer vacation (December and January), and on long weekend holidays (Rio de Janeiro has almost one public holiday per month).
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 10 – The Girl from Ipanema — fact or fiction?
The famous song Girl from Ipanema was composed in the bar Veloso, which later changed its name to Bar Garota de Ipanema (Girl from Ipanema Bar). The “tall and tan and young and lovely girl from Ipanema” did used to go to that bar to buy cigarettes to her mom.
Only two years after the song became a hit, the girl (called Helô Pinheiro, and still alive) came to know that she was the one in the mind of the songwriter. In fact, she is the owner of “Garota de Ipanema Shop”, a beach gear/casual clothing shop right the next to the bar in Ipanema district.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 11 – Who is Oscar Niemeyer?
Oscar Niemeyer is the most famous Brazilian architect. He is the designer of countless projects around the would. In Brazil, his most famous project was Brasília, the capital. Oscar Niemeyer is 104 years old (as of Oct. 2012), and very busy with several projects on the go at the same time.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 12 – Who is the most famous Brazilian personality?
Pelé, considered the athlete and best football player of the 20th century, is the most famous Brazilian personality. In Brazil, he is treated as a king, hence frequently called “Pelé, the King”. He is in his early 70s and live in São Paulo. Another celebrity is the top model Gisele Bünchen.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 13 – Topless on Rio’s beaches
Topless sunbathing is not socially accepted. However, topless is accepted during the Carnival parade. In fact, the majority of Brazilian boyfriends and husbands do not want to see a fully-tanned body. Instead, they do want to see the tan lines and the white area not exposed to the sun.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 14 – Skarks on the beach
No shark attacks or shark presence have been reported on the beaches in Rio de Janeiro. However, there have been attacks in Recife, a popular city in the Brazilian Northeast. According to experts, since 1990s several facts triggered sharks to swim and attack in that region.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 15 – New Years Eve
New Years Eve is the most important event in Rio, after Carnaval. Over 2 million people, Brazilians and foreigners, gather on Copacabana Beach to witness the spectacular 20-minute fireworks fired from several boats.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 16 – Brazilian Music
Samba, forró, choro, MPB, Brazilian country music and Brazilian funk are the most popular genres of music at the moment in Rio de Janeiro and you can go see a different live concert every night. Even bossa nova, which was a genre popular in the 60s can still be seen live. Salsa, which is played and danced in many countries in Latin America, is not popular in Brazil.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 17 – Bargaining
A merchant may give you a five- or ten-percent discount if you pay in cash and/or buy several units of the same item, but in Rio shops, there is no precedent for displaying a high price and slowly going down to a much lower price. Walking beach vendors, however, may offer you a high price and eventually sell to you for a third of the initial offer.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 18 – Havaianas flip-flops
Havaianas is the famous Brazilian fashionable flip-flops brand. Almost every Carioca (native of Rio de Janeiro), has at least one pair. There are dozens of cool, lasting, and comfortable models for men, women, and children.
Perhaps for the fact that they are also inexpensive, occupy little space in the luggage, and please everyone, they have become one of the most popular souvenirs to bring back home.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 19 – Sélaron Staircase
Jorge Sélaron is a Chilean painter who moved to Rio de Janeiro in the 1990s and decided to cover a staircase with tiles from all over the world. 20 years later, the staircase became one of the most authentic and visited attractions in Rio de Janeiro (aside from the fact that his looks and character are an extra reason to go visit it).
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 20 – Sellers frequently don’t have change
Break your 100, 50 and even 20-real Brazilian currency into smaller bills to carry lots of change as sellers frequently don’t have change for big denomination bills (especially strolling vendors and small sellers). This happens even more frequently in the North and Northeast of Brazil.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 21 – How to pronounce the Brazilian money?
The Brazilian currency is the real (plural: reais), which floats freely against other currencies. For singular pronounce “hay-OW” and for plural pronounce “hay-EYES.” Example: one real (one hay-OW) and two reais (two hay-EYES). Learn the plural as most things cost more than one real.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 22 – Rio is expensive
Facts of life — Rio de Janeiro is the second most expensive city in Latin America; São Paulo is the first. Hotels, from example, are among the most expensive in the world. This fact should not be an impediment to travel to Rio, just bear in mind that you may pay, for instance, for a 4-star hotel, and get a 3-star one. In other words, in North America and in Europe, you would get a better hotel for the same amount of money. Read My Rio Travel Guide to learn how to get more value for your money while visiting Rio de Janeiro.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 23 – Drinking in Brazil
The legal drinking age is 18, you are allowed to drink on the streets and the tolerance for drinking and driving is zero. In fact, the day the government implemented and started enforcing the zero tolerance law, it was the fact of the day. So far, several years later, Brazilians are not yet used to the new law.
Rio de Janeiro Fact # 24 – Tap water
Here’s one of the important Rio de Janeiro facts for every visitor: Tap water is not drinkable; you can not drink the water in Rio de Janeiro. However, you can brush your teeth with it. (The two glasses available on the sink in your hotel are for rinsing and gargling.) You will find bottles of drinkable water in the frigo bar in your hotel room, but these are small and expensive. For a better deal, buy larger and cheaper bottles of drinking water at the supermarket. (Locate your neighborhood map in Chapter 4 in My Rio Travel Guide)
Rio de Janeiro FACT # 25 – Servings at restaurants
At many mid-range restaurants, entrées are huge and can easily serve two persons. When a dish is in the price range of R$40-70; US$20-35; €17-30, it means that much probably can feed two people, even three if the group is not that hungry.
Planning to travel to Rio de Janeiro in the near future? Read all the important travel information and Rio de Janeiro facts that will make an awful lot of difference during your stay. Get your copy of My Rio Travel Guide – The Essential How-To Visitor’s Guide to Rio de Janeiro.
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