When the first Portuguese ship sailed past Sugar Loaf into Guanabara Bay on January 1, 1502, the navigator noted the fast current and thought they had entered a large river mouth, so they misnamed it “River of January”.  A little error we overlook!

Rio de Janeiro is the name of the state and the capital city, internationally known and the most famous post card entry for Brazil. 

The city spreads between sea and mountains receiving the name “Marvelous City”.

DID YOU KNOW?

TEMPERATURE Thermometers are marked in centigrade and not Fahrenheit.  Rio de Janeiro has a tropical climate, which normally ranges between 70-90’s F in the summer, and 60-80’s F in the winter.

POPULATION of Rio de Janeiro city is approximately 6.1 million

NICKNAME Citizens born in Rio de Janeiro are called “carioca”.

LANGUAGE spoken in Rio de Janeiro and other Brazilian states is “Portuguese”

MONEY The currency in Brazil is the real ( R$ ) . You can change your money at the banks or at exchange stores authorized to deal with foreign currency.

CREDIT CARDS Are welcome in shopping centers, malls, as well as in large stores, restaurants, and nightclubs.

ELECTRIC CURRENT Normally 100 volts, 60 cycles. Some hotels have special 220 volts installations, which are so marked.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES The kilogram (2.2 pounds) is the standard unit along with the kilometer ( 35th of a mile ).

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