Demographics of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro City is home to more than 6 million people, accounting for about 35% of the population of Rio de Janeiro State. Portuguese remains the most widely spoken language and Rio de Janeiro is the second city in the Portuguese speaking world.
History of Rio de Janeiro
Rio has maintained its status as the second largest manufacturing centre in Brazil, after São Paulo. In addition, Rio's service sector remains one of the strongest in the country, providing for increasing numbers of jobs in such areas as finance, communications, tourism and entertainment, public and private education, and computer engineering. Rio remains a major centre for cultural exhibitions and international conferences, and many of the more affluent and influential Brazilians keep homes there. Despite desperate conditions in the favelas, as well as high rates of violent crime throughout the city, grave levels of air and water pollution, and myriad other problems, Rio de Janeiro is still widely recognized as one of the world's most beautiful city.