RIO DE JANEIRO, generally called Rio, the capital of the Brazilian empire, and the largest and most important commercial emporium of South America, stands on a mag nificent harbor, 75 in. w. of cape Frio, in let. 22° 54' s.. long. 43° 15' west. The harbor of bay of Rio de -Janeiro, said, and apparently with justice, to be the most beautiful, secure, and spacious bay in the world, i3 landlocked, being entered from the s. by a passage about a mile in width. It extends inland 17 and has an extreme breadth of about 12 miles: Of its numerous islands, the largest, Governor's Bland, is 6 ni. long. The entrance or the bay, .guarded on either side by granite mountains, is deep, and is so sate that the harbor is made without the aid of pilots. On the left of the entrance rises the peak called, from its peculiar shape, Sugar-loaf mountain; and all round the bay the blue waters are girdled with mountains and loftyhills of every variety of picturesque and fantastic outline. The harbor is protected by a number orfortresses. The city steads on the w. shore of the bay, about 4 m. from its mouth. Seven green and mound-like hills diversify its site; and the white-walled and vermilion-roofed houses cluster in the intervening valleys, and climb the eminences in long lines. From the central portion of the city, lines of houses extend 4 m. in three principal directions. The old town, nearest the bay, is laid out in squares; the streets cross at right angles, are narrow, and are paved and flagged; and the houses, often built of granite, are com monly two stories high. West of it is the elegantly built new town; and the two districes are separated by the Campo de Santa Anna, an immense square or park, on different parts of which stand an extensive garrison, the town-hall, the national noisenin, the palace of the senate, the foreign cam a large opera-house, etc. From a number of springs which arise on and around mount Corcovado (3,000 ft. high, and situated 3k DI. s.s.w. of the city), water is conveyed to Rio de Janeiro by a splendid aqueduct, and supplies the fountains with which the numerous squares are furnished. Great munic ipal improvements have within recent years been introduced; most of the streets are now as well payed as those of the finest European capitals; the city is abundantly lighted with gas; and commodious wharfs and quays are built along the water edge.
Rio de Janeiro contains several excellent hospitals and infirmaries, asylums for found lings and female orphans, and °the•: charitable institutions, some richly endowed; about 50 chapels and churches, generally costly and imposing structures, with rich internal decorations, and several convents and nunneries. In the college of Pedro II., founded in 1837, the various branches of a liberal education are efficiently taught by a staff of 8 or 9 professors; the Imperial academy of medicine, with a full corps of professors, is attended by upward of 300 students; there also a theological seminary. The national library contains 100,000 vols. The trade and commerce of Rio de Janeiro is great. and is annually increasing. In 1872-73 the value of exports from Rio de Janeiro was £10,528,655, consisting of coffee, £9:609,745; gold in bars and dust, £421,690; dia monds, £117,480; tobacco, £104,400; hides, £96,816; cotton, £81,696; timber, £55,000; sugar, £26,710; rum. S13,750; horse-hair, India-rubber, and wool, £1300. In the shipments of coffee alone amounted to £8,891,138. The value of imports, consist ing of silk, linen, cotton, and woolen goods, iron, etc., was £9,000,000 in 1877. In 1877, 3,411 foreign vessels, of 1,657,452 tons, entered and cleared the port. Steam communi cation with other ports of Brazil is frequent; European steamships arrive and depart almost daily, and there is telegraphic connection with Europe. The capital and its environs are served by two railways and 8 different lines of tramway. Pop. '72, 274.972.
The vicinity of Rio de Janeiro was first settled by the French in 1555, but was occu pied in 1567 by the Portuguese, who founded the present city, and gave to it the name of St. Sebastian. For the space of 140 years after its foundation, the city enjoyed a state of tranquil prosperity, and in 1763 it superseded Bahia as the seat of government, and became the residence of the viceroys of Portugal. On the proclamation of independence in 1822 (see BRAZIL), Rio de Janeiro became the capital of the Brazilian empire.