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nInnJanuary of 1502, a Portuguese exploratory expedition happened on whatnis now known as Guanabara Bay in Brazil. The explorers called thenriver entering the Atlantic Ocean “January River,” in Portuguesenof course, and the name stuck: Rio de Janeiro.
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nInnvarious sources, today is cited as being either Foundation Day ornSaint Sebastian’s Feast Day in Rio. I’m not sure which of thesenreports is accurate—perhaps both—but it is a great day to take anlook at this important Brazilian city.
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nRionde Janeiro was the capital of Brazil for almost 200 years, but a newninland city, Brasilia, was planned and built in the late 1950s andnbecame the capital in 1960. n
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nRionis the second largest city in Brazil, after only Sao Paulo. It’s thenthird largest in South America, the sixth largest in the Americas,nand the 26th largest in the world!
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nAlso,nRio is the second largest city in Brazil by economic terms (GrossnDomestic Product, GDP). n
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nInnwhat way is Rio number one? Well, it’s the most visited city in allnof Brazil. As a matter of fact, Rio de Janeiro is the most visitedncity in all of the Southern Hemisphere!!
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| Copacabana |
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nIt’snknown for its beaches and natural surroundings—including Copacabananbeach and Sugarloaf Mountain—as well as for its carnivalncelebrations and cultural contributions such as the samba (a dance)nand Bossa Nova (a style of music). One of the most famous landmarksnis considered on the New Seven Wonders of the World, a giant 130-footn(40-meter) statue of “Christ the Redeemer.”
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| Carnival |
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nInn2016, Rio hosts the Summer Olympic Games!
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| One of the largest statues in the world… |
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| …but not nearly as large as several others. nThe largest statue on this chart is Spring Temple Buddha n(153 meters). Do you recognize the statue that is second nfrom the left? |
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nAlsonon this date:
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nAnniversary of the first game of basketball
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nAnniversary of the U.S. patent for the first successful roller coaster
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