Rio de Janeiro has a long and rich history. After a short French period the Portuguese started a trading post here in 1567. In the beginning Rio grew very slowly untill gold was found in the interior of Brazil.
From 1763 till 1960 Rio was the capital of Brazil, but in 1960 Brasilia became the new capital of Brazil. At the end of 19th century the number of inhabitants of Rio grew rapidly caused by the enormous immigration from Europe and the flow of people from the countryside of Brazil, mostly migration of ex-slaves.
During this time many famous city districts emerged, such as the Copacabana en Ipanema, but also the ´favelas´, the notorious slums. Most of the beauty of Rio can be dedicated to the position of the city; an endless strip along the coast with magnificent beaches and the rocky hills.
