Brasília
Encyclopedia
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil
. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District
are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 (3,599,000 in the metropolitan area) as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the fourth largest city in Brazil. However, as a metropolitan area
, it ranks lower at sixth. It is listed as a World Heritage Site
UNESCO. Brasília hosts 124 foreign embassies.
As the national capital, Brasília is the seat of all three branches of the Brazilian government
. The city also hosts the headquarters of many Brazilian companies. Planning policies such as the location of residential buildings around expansive urban areas, as well as building the city around large avenues and dividing it into sectors, have sparked a debate and reflection on life in big cities in the 20th century. The city's design divides it into numbered blocks as well as sectors for specified activities, such as the Hotel Sector, the Banking Sector or the Embassy Sector.
The city was planned and developed in 1956 with Lúcio Costa
as the principal urban planner and Oscar Niemeyer
as the principal architect. On April 22 of 1960, it formally became Brazil's national capital. Viewed from above, the main portion of the city resembles an airplane or a butterfly. The city is commonly referred to as Capital Federal, or simply BSB. Residents of Brasília are known as brasilienses or candangos (the latter referring to those not born in the city, but migrated there when the city was established).
In local usage, the word "Brasília" usually refers only to the First Administrative Region within the Distrito Federal
(Federal District), where the most important government buildings are located. Brasília has a unique status in Brazil, as it is an administrative division rather than a legal municipality like nearly all cities in Brazil. Nationally, the term is almost always used synonymously with the Brazilian Federal District
, which constitutes an indivisible Federative Unit, analogous to a state. There are several "satellite cities," which are also part of the Federal District.
Brasília International Airport
is the main airport in Brasília, connecting the capital to all major Brazilian cities and many international destinations. It is the third most important airport of Brazil, in terms of passengers and aircraft movements.
to a place close to the center of the country. The plan was originally conceived in 1827 by José Bonifácio, an advisor to Emperor Dom Pedro I. He presented a plan to the General Assembly for a new city called Brasilia, with the idea of moving the capital westward from the heavily populated southeastern corridor. The bill was not enacted because Emperor Dom Pedro I dissolved the Assembly.
Lúcio Costa
won a contest and was the main urban planner in 1957, with 5550 people competing. Oscar Niemeyer
, a close friend, was the chief architect of most non public buildings and Roberto Burle Marx
was the landscape designer
. Brasília was built in 41 months, from 1956 to April 21, 1960, when it was officially inaugurated. From 1763 to 1960, Rio de Janeiro
was the capital of Brazil. At this time, resources tended to be centered in Brazil's southeast region near Rio de Janeiro. Brasília's geographically central location fostered a more regionally neutral federal capital. The idea of locating the capital in the center of Brazil was first suggested in 1891, but not defined until 1922.
From the beginning, the growth of Brasília exceeded expectations. Until the 1980s, the governor of the Distrito Federal was appointed by the Federal Government, and the laws of Brasília were issued by the Brazilian Federal Senate. With the Constitution of 1988 Brasília gained the right to elect its Governor, and a District Assembly (Câmara Legislativa) was elected to exercise legislative power.
According to legend, Italian
saint Don Bosco
in 1883 had a dream in which he described a futuristic city that roughly fitted Brasília's location. In Brasília today, there are many references to this educator who founded the Salesian order, and one church in the city bears his name.
(Aw) according to many of Köppen's classifications. Brasilia's climate closely borders a subtropical highland climate (Cwa/Cwb), showing many of the "eternal spring" features of that climate. The individual seasons are defined according to the degree of humidity of the air: one season is dry, while the other one is comparatively humid. The average temperature is 20.5 °C (68.9 °F).
September, at the end of the dry season, has the highest average maximum temperature, 28 °C (82.4 °F), and July has the lowest average maximum temperature, 26 °C (78.8 °F). The lowest average minimum temperature is in June and July 11 °C (51.8 °F). Average temperatures from September through April are a consistent 22 °C (71.6 °F). Those, however, are monthly averages; temperatures sometimes fall outside of this range.
The absolute minimum temperature recorded was 0 °C (32 °F), and the absolute maximum was 37 °C (98.6 °F).
The dry season lasts from late March or early April to late September or early October, though there is commonly some rain also in late May. Humidity
averages about 50% during the dry season, but often falls below 30% around noon.
According to the IBGE
of 2010, there were 2,562,963 residents in the city. The population density was 423.3 PD/sqkm. The racial makeup of the city was 1,008,199 White
people (49.15%), 918,305 Brown (Multiracial) people (44.77%), 98,462 Black
people (4.80%), 7,996 Asian
(0.39%) and 7,154 Amerindian
people (0.35%).
In the 1960 census there were almost 140,000 residents in the new Federal District. By 1970 this figure had grown to more than 537,000. In 2000 the population of the Brazilian Federal District
was over 2,000,000. Planned for only 500,000 inhabitants, Brasília has seen its population grow much more than expected. Several satellite cities have been created over the years to house the extra inhabitants.
From the beginning, the growth of Brasília was greater than original estimates. According to the original plans, Brasília would be a city for government authorities and staff. However, during the construction period, Brazilians from all over the country migrated to Brasília, seeking public and private jobs.
This makes it the largest city (by population) in the world at the close of the 20th century that did not exist at the beginning of the century (a distinction held by Chicago
in the 19th century). Brasília has one of the highest growth rates in Brazil, with its population increasing by 2.82% each year, mostly because of internal migration.
Brasília's inhabitants include a foreign population of mostly embassy workers as well as large numbers of Brazilian migrants. Today, the city has important communities of immigrants and refugees. The Human Development Index
in the city is at 0.936 in the year 2000, (developed nation
level), and the illiteracy rate is around 4.35%.
Source: IBGE
2000.
are federal district and municipal buildings, while at the southeastern end, near the middle shore of Lake Paranoá, stand the executive, judicial, and legislative buildings around the Square of Three Powers, the conceptual heart of the city.
These and other major structures were designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer
. In the Square of Three Powers, he created as a focal point the dramatic Congressional Palace, which is composed of five parts: twin administrative towers flanked by a large, white concrete dome (the meeting place of the Senate) and by an equally massive concrete bowl (the Chamber of Deputies
), which is joined to the dome by an underlying, flat-roofed building.
A series of low-lying annexes (largely hidden) flank both ends. Also in the square are the glass-faced Planalto Palace housing the presidential offices, and the Palace of the Supreme Court. Farther east, on a triangle of land jutting into the lake, is the Palace of the Dawn (Palácio da Alvorada; the presidential residence). Between the federal and civic buildings on the Monumental Axis is the city's cathedral, considered by many to be Niemeyer's finest achievement (see photographs of the and interior). The parabolically shaped structure is characterized by its 16 gracefully curving supports, which join in a circle 115 feet (35 meters) above the floor of the nave; stretched between the supports are translucent walls of tinted glass. The nave is entered via a subterranean passage rather than conventional doorways. Other notable buildings are Buriti Palace, Itamaraty Palace (the Palace of Foreign Affairs), the National Theater, and several foreign embassies that creatively embody features of their national architecture. The Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx
designed landmark modernist gardens for some of the principal buildings.
Both low-cost and luxury housing were built by the government in the central city. The residential zones of the inner city are arranged into superquadras ("superblocks"): groups of apartment buildings along with a prescribed number and type of schools, retail stores, and open spaces. At the northern end of Lake Paranoá, separated from the inner city, is a peninsula with many fashionable homes, and a similar neighbourhood exists on the southern lakeshore. Originally the city planners envisioned extensive public areas along the shores of the artificial lake
, but during early development private clubs, hotels, and upscale residences and restaurants gained footholds around the water. Set well apart from the city are suburban satellite cities
, including Gama
, Ceilândia
, Taguatinga
, Núcleo Bandeirante, Sobradinho
, and Planaltina
. These towns, with the exception of Gama and Sobradinho were not planned.
on a grand scale and for its somewhat utopia
n city plan. It has been criticized for the same reasons.
After a visit to Brasília, the French writer Simone de Beauvoir
complained that all of its superquadras exuded "the same air of elegant monotony," and other observers have equated the city's large open lawns, plazas and fields to wastelands. As the city has matured, some of these have gained adornments, and many have been improved by landscaping, giving some observers a sense of "humanized" spaciousness. Although not fully accomplished, the "Brazilian utopia" has produced a city of relatively high quality of life, in which the citizens live in forested areas with sporting and leisure structure (the superquadras) flanked by small commercial areas, bookstores and cafes; the city is famous for its cuisine and efficiency of transit.
Even these positive features have sparked controversy, expressed in the nickname "ilha da fantasia" ("fantasy island"), indicating the sharp contrast between the city and surrounding regions, marked by poverty and disorganization in the cities of the state of Goiás
, around Brasília.
Critics of Brasília's grand scale have characterized it as a modernist platonic fantasy about the future:
of Humanity by UNESCO
, an agency of the UN. It also holds the distinction of waiting the shortest amount of time to be designated a World Heritage Site
of any UNESCO entry, which occurred just 27 years after its completion in 1960.
Besides being the political center, Brasília is an important economic center. The city is the 3rd richest of Brazil, showing a gross domestic product (GDP) from 99.5 billion reais, representing 3.76% of the total Brazilian GDP.
The main economic activity of the federal capital results from its administrative function. Its industrial planning is studied carefully by the Government of the Federal District. Being a town registered by UNESCO, the government in Brasilia has opted to encourage the development of non-polluting industries such as software, film, video, and gemology among others, with emphasis on environmental preservation and maintaining ecological balance, preserving the city property.
According to Mercer
's city rankings of cost of living for expatriate employees, Brasília ranks 33rd among the most expensive cities in the world in 2011, up from the 70th position in 2010, ranking behind São Paulo
(10th) and Rio de Janeiro
(12th), and just behind New York City
(32nd), the most expensive city in the United States.
(91% of local GDP, according to the IBGE):
The main agricultural products produced in the city are coffee, guavas, strawberries, orange, lemons, papaya
s, soy beans and mangoes. It has over 110,000 cows and it exports wood products worldwide.
The Federal District
, where Brasília is located, has a GDP of R$ 89,630,109 (about US$ 69,844 billion), according to IBGE. Its share of the total Brazilian GDP is about 3.8%.
The Federal District has the largest GDP per capita
income of Brazil R$ 40.996,00 (about US$ 27,610 per person, according to the IBGE, 2007 year). Brasília's per capita income is believed to be much higher.
, Hotels Sectors North and South. New hotel facilities are being developed elsewhere, such as the hotels and tourism Sector North, located on the shores of Lake Paranoá
. Brasília has a range of tourist accommodation from inns, pensions and hostels to larger international chain hotels.
Brasília receives visitors from all of Brazil and the world, and offers a range of restaurants serving a variety of Brazilian regional and international food.
Portuguese language
is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. English and Spanish are also part of the official curriculum. There are also international schools, such as the American School of Brasília, the Maple Bear Canadian School (elementary) and the Lycée Français François Mitterrand de Brasilia.
There are some well evaluated schools in the city. Some are religious oriented, such as the Catholics Marista, Galois and Católica, and the presbyterian Mackenzie. Non-religious institutions include private schools such as Leonardo da Vinci and Sigma, and also the traditional Military School.
There are more than 114 universities in Brasília city.
As a venue for political events, music performances and movie festivals, Brasília is a cosmopolitan city, with around 119 embassies, a wide range of restaurants and complete infrastructure ready to host any kind of event. Not surprisingly, the city stands out as an important business tourism destination, which is an important part of the local economy, with dozens of hotels spread around the national capital. Traditional parties take place throughout the year. In June, there are large festivals celebrating Catholic saints, such as Saint Anthony
, Saint John, the Baptist, and Saint Peter
, that are called "festas juninas
," or June festival. On September 7, the traditional Independence Day parade is held on the Ministries Esplanade. Throughout the year there are local, national and international events spread through the city. Christmas is widely celebrated, and New Years Eve usually hosts major events.
The city also hosts a varied assortment of art works from artists like Bruno Giorgi
, Alfredo Ceschiatti, Athos Bulcão
, Marianne Peretti, Alfredo Volpi
, Di Cavalcanti
, Dyllan Taxman, Victor Brecheret
and Burle Marx, whose works have been integrated into the city's architecture, making it a unique landscape. The cuisine in the city is very diverse. Many of the best restaurants in the city can be found in the Asa Sul district.
lies the Esplanada dos Ministérios ("Ministries Esplanade"), an open area in downtown Brasília. The rectangular lawn is surrounded by two eight-lane avenues where many government buildings
, monuments and memorials are located.
Brazil's bicameral
National Congress
consists of the Senate
(the upper house) and the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil
(the lower house). Since the 1960s, the National Congress has its seat in Brasília. As with most of the official buildings in the city, it was designed by Oscar Niemeyer
in the style of modern Brazilian architecture. The hemisphere to the left is the seat of the Senate and the hemisphere to the right is the seat of the Chamber of Deputies. Between them there are two towers of offices. The Congress also occupies other surrounding buildings, some connected by tunnels.
The building is located in the middle of the Eixo Monumental
, the main avenue of the capital. In front of it there is a large lawn and a reflecting pool. The building faces the Praça dos Três Poderes
, where the Palácio do Planalto
and the Supremo Tribunal Federal are located.
is the official residence of the President of Brazil
. The palace was designed, along with the rest of the city of Brasília, by Oscar Niemeyer
and inaugurated in 1958.
One of the first structures built in the republic's new capital city, the "Alvorada" lies on a peninsula at the margins of Lake Paranoá
. The principles of simplicity and modernity, that in the past characterized the great works of architecture, motivated Niemeyer. The viewer has an impression of looking at a glass box, softly landed on the ground with the support of thin external columns.
The building has an area of 7,000 m2 and three floors: basement, landing and second floor. The auditorium, kitchen, laundry, medical center, and the administration are at basement level. The rooms used by the presidency for official receptions are on the landing. There are four suites, two apartments and other private rooms on the second floor which is the residential part of the palace.
The building also has a library, a heated Olympic-sized swimming pool, a music room, two dining rooms and various meeting rooms. A chapel and heliport are in adjacent buildings.
The Palácio do Planalto
is the official workplace of the President of Brazil
. It is located at the Praça dos Três Poderes
in Brasília. As the seat of government
, the term "O Planalto" is often used as a metonym for the executive branch of government.
The main working office of the President of the Republic is in the Palácio do Planalto. The President and his family do not live in it, rather in the official residence, the Palácio da Alvorada
. Besides the President, senior advisors also have offices in the "Planalto," including the Vice-President of Brazil
and the Chief of Staff
. The other Ministries are along the Esplanada dos Ministérios
.
The architect of the Palácio do Planalto was Oscar Niemeyer
, creator of most of the important buildings in Brasília. The idea was to project an image of simplicity and modernity using fine lines and waves to compose the columns and exterior structures.
The Palace is four stories high, and has an area of 36,000 m2. Four other adjacent buildings are also part of the complex.
The Complexo Cultural da República
(Portuguese for Cultural Complex of the Republic) is formed by the National Library
of Brasília and the National Museum of the Republic. It is situated in the Eixo Monumental, next to the Cathedral of Brasília.
The National Library of Brasília (Biblioteca Nacional de Brasília in Portuguese) occupies an area of 14,000 m2, consisting of reading and study rooms, auditorium and a collection of over 300,000 items.
The National Museum of the Republic (Museu Nacional da República in Portuguese) consists of a 14,500 m2 exhibit area, two 780-seat auditoriums, and a laboratory. The space is mainly used to display temporary art exhibits.
is a large artificial lake built to increase the amount of water available to the region. It has the second largest marina in Brazil, and hosts wakeboarders and windsurfers.
The Juscelino Kubitschek bridge
, also known as the 'President JK Bridge' or the 'JK Bridge', crosses Lake Paranoá
in Brasília. It is named after Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira
, former president of Brazil
. It was designed by architect Alexandre Chan and structural engineer
Mário Vila Verde. Chan won the Gustav Lindenthal
Medal for this project at the 2003 International Bridge Conference in Pittsburgh
due to "...outstanding achievement demonstrating harmony with the environment, aesthetic merit and successful community participation".
It consists of three 60 m (196.9 ft) tall asymmetrical steel arches that crisscross diagonally. With a length of 1,200 m (0.75 miles), it was completed in 2002 at a cost of US$ 56.8 million. The bridge has a pedestrian walkway and is accessible to bicyclists and skaters.
Praça dos Três Poderes
(Portuguese
for Square of the Three Powers) is a plaza in Brasília. The name is derived from the encounter of the three federal branches around the plaza: the Executive, represented by the Palácio do Planalto
(presidential office); the Legislative
, represented by the Congresso Nacional
(National Congress); and the Judicial branch, represented by the Supremo Tribunal Federal (Supreme Federal Court).
It is a tourist attraction in Brasília, designed by Lúcio Costa
and Oscar Niemeyer
as a place where the three branches would meet harmoniously.
in the capital of the Federative Republic of Brazil, is an expression of the architect Oscar Niemeyer
. This concrete-framed hyperboloid structure
, seems with its glass roof reaching up, open, to the heavens. On 31 May 1970, the Cathedral’s structure was finished, and only the 70 m (229.66 ft) diameter of the circular area were visible. Niemeyer's project of Cathedral of Brasília is based in the hyperboloid of revolution which sections are asymmetric. The hyperboloid structure itself is a result of 16 identical assembled concrete columns. These columns, having hyperbolic section and weighing 90 t, represent two hands moving upwards to heaven. The Cathedral was dedicated on 31 May 1970.
Brasília has also been the focus of modern day literature. Published in 2008, The World In Grey: Dom Bosco's Prophecy, by author Ryan J. Lucero, tells an apocalyptic story based on the famous prophecy from the late 19th century by the Italian saint Don Bosco
.
According to Don Bosco's prophecy:
Brasília lies between the parallels 15° S and 20° S, where an artificial lake (Paranoá Lake
) was formed. Don Bosco is Brasília's patron saint
.
American Flagg!
, the First Comics
comic book series created by Howard Chaykin
, portrays Brasilia as a cosmopolitan world capital of culture and exotic romance. In the series, it is a top vacation and party destination.
Brasília International Airport
– President Juscelino Kubitschek serves the metropolitan area with major domestic and international flights. It is the third busiest Brazil
ian airport based on passengers and aircraft movements. Because of its strategic location it is a civil aviation hub for the rest of the country. This makes for a large number of takeoffs and landings and it is not unusual for flights to be delayed in the holding pattern before landing. Following the airport's master plan, Infraero
built a second runway, which was finished in 2006. In 2007, the airport handled 11,119,872 passengers. The main building's third floor, with 12 thousand square meters, has a panoramic deck, a food court, shops, four movie theaters with total capacity of 500 people, and space for exhibitions. There are 136 shop spaces at Brasília Airport.
The airport is located about 11 km (6.8 mi) from the central area of Brasília, outside the metro system. There are many taxis outside the main gate, and some bus lines which connect the airport to the central area of Brasília. The parking lot accommodates 1,200 cars. In addition to domestic and regional services (TAM, GOL, Azul, WebJET, Trip and Avianca).
Brasilia is improving its international connections; non-stop flights to Miami, United States with AA started in Nov 2010 and with TAM in Dec 2010. There are already direct flights to Atlanta, United States with Delta; Lima
, Peru with LAN and TACA ; and to Lisbon
, Portugal with TAP. On March 28, 2011 PLUNA
will begin direct service to Montevideo
, Uruguay, and connections and on June 18 Copa Airlines
will begin direct service to Panama City
, Panama increasing and improving connections to the rest of the American continent through the company's Hub of the Americas at Tocumen International Airport
.
Metrô de Brasília
is Brasília's underground metro system
. The subway system has 24 stations on two lines, the Orange and Green lines, distributed along a total network of 42 km (26.1 mi), covering most of the metropolitan area. Both lines begin at the Central Station and run parallel until the Águas Claras Station. The Brasília metro is not comprehensive, so buses may provide better access to the city center. The metro leaves the Rodoviária (bus station) and goes south, avoiding most of the political and tourist areas. The main purpose of the metro is to serve the largest satellite cities, such as Samambaia, Taguatinga
and Ceilândia
, as well as Guará and Águas Claras. The satellite cities are more populated than the Plano Piloto itself (the census of 2000 indicated that Ceilândia
had 344,039 inhabitants, Taguatinga had 243,575, whereas the Plano Piloto had approximately 400,000 inhabitants), and most residents of the satellite cities depend on public transportation.
The main bus hub in Brasília is the Central Bus Station, located in the crossing of the Eixo Monumental
and the Eixão, about 2 km (1.2 mi) from the Three Powers Plaza. The original plan was to have a bus station as near as possible to every corner of Brasília. Today, the bus station is the hub of urban buses only, some running within Brasília and others connecting Brasília to the satellite cities. In the original city plan, the interstate buses should also stop at the Central Station. Because of the growth of Brasília (and corresponding growth in the bus fleet), today the interstate buses leave from the older interstate station (called Rodoferroviária), located at the western end of the Eixo Monumental. The Central Bus Station also contains a main metro station.
A new inter-state station was opened in July 2010. It is on Saída Sul (South Exit) near Parkshopping and a metro station.
Neither of them have been successful in the First Division of the Brazilian Championship
. Brasiliense at the moment plays Second Division, while Gama was relegated to the Third Division for 2009.
The main stadiums are the Estádio Mané Garrincha
and the Serejão
.
Brasília is one of the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup
and 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup
, for which Brazil
is the host nation. The rebuilding of Garrincha Stadium is ongoing. The brand-new stadium which is being constructed in its place will be called National Stadium of Brasilia.
Brasília will also host football tournaments during the 2016 Summer Olympics
to be held in Rio de Janeiro
.
, sports that may be practiced with hang gliding
or paragliding wings. Practitioners of such sports reveal that, because of the city's dry weather, the city offers strong thermal winds and great "cloud-streets", which is also the name for a manoeuvre quite appreciated by practitioners. The national capital hosted the 14th Hang Gliding World Championship, one of the categories of free flying, in 2003. And in 2005, from August 21 to 27, it has host the 2nd stage of the Brazilian Hang Gliding Championship.
which hosted a non-championship round of the 1974 Formula One Grand Prix season
.
champion (2010 and 2011). The club host some of its games at the 16,000 seat Nilson Nelson Gymnasium.
, soccer player born in the satellite city of Gama and plays for Real Madrid (previously played for AC Milan and São Paulo).
Legião Urbana
(Portuguese for Urban Legion) were a Brazilian rock band formed in 1982 in Brasília, Distrito Federal. The band primarily consisted of Renato Russo
(vocals), Dado Villa-Lobos
(guitar) and Marcelo Bonfá
(drums).
Planned capital cities
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District
Brazilian Federal District
The Federal District is set apart for Brasília, the capital of Brazil. Located in a region called Planalto Central, or Central Plateau, the Federal District is divided in 29 administrative regions. Brasilia - place where the three branches of the Federal Government are located - is the main...
are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 (3,599,000 in the metropolitan area) as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the fourth largest city in Brazil. However, as a metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
, it ranks lower at sixth. It is listed as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
UNESCO. Brasília hosts 124 foreign embassies.
As the national capital, Brasília is the seat of all three branches of the Brazilian government
Politics of Brazil
The politics of Brazil take place in a framework of a federal presidential representative democratic republic, where by the President is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system...
. The city also hosts the headquarters of many Brazilian companies. Planning policies such as the location of residential buildings around expansive urban areas, as well as building the city around large avenues and dividing it into sectors, have sparked a debate and reflection on life in big cities in the 20th century. The city's design divides it into numbered blocks as well as sectors for specified activities, such as the Hotel Sector, the Banking Sector or the Embassy Sector.
The city was planned and developed in 1956 with Lúcio Costa
Lúcio Costa
Lucio Costa was a Brazilian architect and urban planner.-Career:Costa was born in Toulon, France.Educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, England and in Montreux until 1916, he graduated as an architect in 1924 from the School of Fine Art in Rio de Janeiro...
as the principal urban planner and Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho is a Brazilian architect specializing in international modern architecture...
as the principal architect. On April 22 of 1960, it formally became Brazil's national capital. Viewed from above, the main portion of the city resembles an airplane or a butterfly. The city is commonly referred to as Capital Federal, or simply BSB. Residents of Brasília are known as brasilienses or candangos (the latter referring to those not born in the city, but migrated there when the city was established).
In local usage, the word "Brasília" usually refers only to the First Administrative Region within the Distrito Federal
Brazilian Federal District
The Federal District is set apart for Brasília, the capital of Brazil. Located in a region called Planalto Central, or Central Plateau, the Federal District is divided in 29 administrative regions. Brasilia - place where the three branches of the Federal Government are located - is the main...
(Federal District), where the most important government buildings are located. Brasília has a unique status in Brazil, as it is an administrative division rather than a legal municipality like nearly all cities in Brazil. Nationally, the term is almost always used synonymously with the Brazilian Federal District
Brazilian Federal District
The Federal District is set apart for Brasília, the capital of Brazil. Located in a region called Planalto Central, or Central Plateau, the Federal District is divided in 29 administrative regions. Brasilia - place where the three branches of the Federal Government are located - is the main...
, which constitutes an indivisible Federative Unit, analogous to a state. There are several "satellite cities," which are also part of the Federal District.
Brasília International Airport
Brasília International Airport
Brasília-Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport is the airport serving Brasília, Brazil. Since April 22, 1999 the airport is named after Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira , the 21st President of Brazil....
is the main airport in Brasília, connecting the capital to all major Brazilian cities and many international destinations. It is the third most important airport of Brazil, in terms of passengers and aircraft movements.
History
President Juscelino Kubitschek ordered the construction of Brasília, fulfilling an article of the country's constitution dating back to 1891 stating that the capital should be moved from Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
to a place close to the center of the country. The plan was originally conceived in 1827 by José Bonifácio, an advisor to Emperor Dom Pedro I. He presented a plan to the General Assembly for a new city called Brasilia, with the idea of moving the capital westward from the heavily populated southeastern corridor. The bill was not enacted because Emperor Dom Pedro I dissolved the Assembly.
Lúcio Costa
Lúcio Costa
Lucio Costa was a Brazilian architect and urban planner.-Career:Costa was born in Toulon, France.Educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, England and in Montreux until 1916, he graduated as an architect in 1924 from the School of Fine Art in Rio de Janeiro...
won a contest and was the main urban planner in 1957, with 5550 people competing. Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho is a Brazilian architect specializing in international modern architecture...
, a close friend, was the chief architect of most non public buildings and Roberto Burle Marx
Roberto Burle Marx
Roberto Burle Marx was a Brazilian landscape architect whose designs of parks and gardens made him world famous. He is accredited with having introduced modernist landscape architecture to Brazil...
was the landscape designer
Landscape architecture
Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...
. Brasília was built in 41 months, from 1956 to April 21, 1960, when it was officially inaugurated. From 1763 to 1960, Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
was the capital of Brazil. At this time, resources tended to be centered in Brazil's southeast region near Rio de Janeiro. Brasília's geographically central location fostered a more regionally neutral federal capital. The idea of locating the capital in the center of Brazil was first suggested in 1891, but not defined until 1922.
From the beginning, the growth of Brasília exceeded expectations. Until the 1980s, the governor of the Distrito Federal was appointed by the Federal Government, and the laws of Brasília were issued by the Brazilian Federal Senate. With the Constitution of 1988 Brasília gained the right to elect its Governor, and a District Assembly (Câmara Legislativa) was elected to exercise legislative power.
According to legend, Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
saint Don Bosco
John Bosco
John Bosco , was an Italian Catholic priest, educator and writer of the 19th century, who put into practice the convictions of his religion, dedicating his life to the betterment and education of street children, juvenile delinquents, and other disadvantaged youth and employing teaching methods...
in 1883 had a dream in which he described a futuristic city that roughly fitted Brasília's location. In Brasília today, there are many references to this educator who founded the Salesian order, and one church in the city bears his name.
Climate
The national capital's climate is Tropical savanna climateTropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories "Aw" and '"As."...
(Aw) according to many of Köppen's classifications. Brasilia's climate closely borders a subtropical highland climate (Cwa/Cwb), showing many of the "eternal spring" features of that climate. The individual seasons are defined according to the degree of humidity of the air: one season is dry, while the other one is comparatively humid. The average temperature is 20.5 °C (68.9 °F).
September, at the end of the dry season, has the highest average maximum temperature, 28 °C (82.4 °F), and July has the lowest average maximum temperature, 26 °C (78.8 °F). The lowest average minimum temperature is in June and July 11 °C (51.8 °F). Average temperatures from September through April are a consistent 22 °C (71.6 °F). Those, however, are monthly averages; temperatures sometimes fall outside of this range.
The absolute minimum temperature recorded was 0 °C (32 °F), and the absolute maximum was 37 °C (98.6 °F).
The dry season lasts from late March or early April to late September or early October, though there is commonly some rain also in late May. Humidity
Humidity
Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...
averages about 50% during the dry season, but often falls below 30% around noon.
Demographics
IBGE
The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics or IBGE , is the agency responsible for statistical, geographic, cartographic, geodetic and environmental information in Brazil...
of 2010, there were 2,562,963 residents in the city. The population density was 423.3 PD/sqkm. The racial makeup of the city was 1,008,199 White
White Brazilian
White Brazilians make up 48.4% of Brazil's population, or around 92 million people, according to the IBGE's 2008 PNAD . Whites are present in the entire territory of Brazil, although the main concentrations are found in the South and Southeastern parts of the country...
people (49.15%), 918,305 Brown (Multiracial) people (44.77%), 98,462 Black
Afro-Brazilian
In Brazil, the term "preto" is one of the five categories used by the Brazilian Census, along with "branco" , "pardo" , "amarelo" and "indígena"...
people (4.80%), 7,996 Asian
Asian Brazilian
An Asian Brazilian is is a Brazilian citizen of full or partial Asian ancestry, who remains culturally connected to Asia, or an Asian-born person permanently residing in Brazil. Brazil received many immigrants from Asia, both from Middle East and East Asia...
(0.39%) and 7,154 Amerindian
Indigenous peoples in Brazil
The Indigenous peoples in Brazil comprise a large number of distinct ethnic groups who inhabited the country prior to the European invasion around 1500...
people (0.35%).
In the 1960 census there were almost 140,000 residents in the new Federal District. By 1970 this figure had grown to more than 537,000. In 2000 the population of the Brazilian Federal District
Brazilian Federal District
The Federal District is set apart for Brasília, the capital of Brazil. Located in a region called Planalto Central, or Central Plateau, the Federal District is divided in 29 administrative regions. Brasilia - place where the three branches of the Federal Government are located - is the main...
was over 2,000,000. Planned for only 500,000 inhabitants, Brasília has seen its population grow much more than expected. Several satellite cities have been created over the years to house the extra inhabitants.
From the beginning, the growth of Brasília was greater than original estimates. According to the original plans, Brasília would be a city for government authorities and staff. However, during the construction period, Brazilians from all over the country migrated to Brasília, seeking public and private jobs.
This makes it the largest city (by population) in the world at the close of the 20th century that did not exist at the beginning of the century (a distinction held by Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in the 19th century). Brasília has one of the highest growth rates in Brazil, with its population increasing by 2.82% each year, mostly because of internal migration.
Brasília's inhabitants include a foreign population of mostly embassy workers as well as large numbers of Brazilian migrants. Today, the city has important communities of immigrants and refugees. The Human Development Index
Human Development Index
The Human Development Index is a composite statistic used to rank countries by level of "human development" and separate "very high human development", "high human development", "medium human development", and "low human development" countries...
in the city is at 0.936 in the year 2000, (developed nation
Developed country
A developed country is a country that has a high level of development according to some criteria. Which criteria, and which countries are classified as being developed, is a contentious issue...
level), and the illiteracy rate is around 4.35%.
Religion
| Religion | Percentage | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 66.16% | 1,357,125 |
| Protestant | 19.50% | 400,061 |
| No religion Irreligion Irreligion is defined as an absence of religion or an indifference towards religion. Sometimes it may also be defined more narrowly as hostility towards religion. When characterized as hostility to religion, it includes antitheism, anticlericalism and antireligion. When characterized as... |
8.64% | 177,266 |
| Spiritist Spiritism Spiritism is a loose corpus of religious faiths having in common the general belief in the survival of a spirit after death. In a stricter sense, it is the religion, beliefs and practices of the people affiliated to the International Spiritist Union, based on the works of Allan Kardec and others... |
2.69% | 55,132 |
| Muslim | 0.03% | 667 |
| Jewish | 0.03% | 624 |
Source: IBGE
IBGE
The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics or IBGE , is the agency responsible for statistical, geographic, cartographic, geodetic and environmental information in Brazil...
2000.
Cityscape
At the northwestern end of the Monumental AxisMonumental Axis
The Monumental Axis is a central avenue in Brasília's city design.The avenue begins on the National Congress of Brazil building and is considered part of the DF-002 road. Its first section is known as "Ministries Esplanade" , as it is surrounded by ministries buildings...
are federal district and municipal buildings, while at the southeastern end, near the middle shore of Lake Paranoá, stand the executive, judicial, and legislative buildings around the Square of Three Powers, the conceptual heart of the city.
These and other major structures were designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho is a Brazilian architect specializing in international modern architecture...
. In the Square of Three Powers, he created as a focal point the dramatic Congressional Palace, which is composed of five parts: twin administrative towers flanked by a large, white concrete dome (the meeting place of the Senate) and by an equally massive concrete bowl (the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Brazil
The Chamber of Deputies of Brazil is a federal legislative body and the lower house of the National Congress of Brazil. As of 2006, the chamber comprises 513 deputies, who are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms...
), which is joined to the dome by an underlying, flat-roofed building.
A series of low-lying annexes (largely hidden) flank both ends. Also in the square are the glass-faced Planalto Palace housing the presidential offices, and the Palace of the Supreme Court. Farther east, on a triangle of land jutting into the lake, is the Palace of the Dawn (Palácio da Alvorada; the presidential residence). Between the federal and civic buildings on the Monumental Axis is the city's cathedral, considered by many to be Niemeyer's finest achievement (see photographs of the and interior). The parabolically shaped structure is characterized by its 16 gracefully curving supports, which join in a circle 115 feet (35 meters) above the floor of the nave; stretched between the supports are translucent walls of tinted glass. The nave is entered via a subterranean passage rather than conventional doorways. Other notable buildings are Buriti Palace, Itamaraty Palace (the Palace of Foreign Affairs), the National Theater, and several foreign embassies that creatively embody features of their national architecture. The Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx
Roberto Burle Marx
Roberto Burle Marx was a Brazilian landscape architect whose designs of parks and gardens made him world famous. He is accredited with having introduced modernist landscape architecture to Brazil...
designed landmark modernist gardens for some of the principal buildings.
Both low-cost and luxury housing were built by the government in the central city. The residential zones of the inner city are arranged into superquadras ("superblocks"): groups of apartment buildings along with a prescribed number and type of schools, retail stores, and open spaces. At the northern end of Lake Paranoá, separated from the inner city, is a peninsula with many fashionable homes, and a similar neighbourhood exists on the southern lakeshore. Originally the city planners envisioned extensive public areas along the shores of the artificial lake
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
, but during early development private clubs, hotels, and upscale residences and restaurants gained footholds around the water. Set well apart from the city are suburban satellite cities
Satellite town
A satellite town or satellite city is a concept in urban planning that refers essentially to smaller metropolitan areas which are located somewhat near to, but are mostly independent of, larger metropolitan areas.-Characteristics:...
, including Gama
Gama (Brazil)
The article below was translated from the Portuguese Wikipedia ArticleGama is a satellite town of Brasilia , capital of Brazil, with nearly 170,000 inhabitants in 2004.-History:...
, Ceilândia
Ceilândia
Ceilândia is one of the most important satellite towns near Brasília, Brazil. Currently, the city has a population of 350,000 inhabitants.Located 24 kilometers from the Pilot Plan of Brasília, and linked by a four-lane highway, Ceilândia occupies an area of 232 square kilometers and is in one of...
, Taguatinga
Taguatinga (Federal District)
Taguatinga is an administrative region of Federal District, Brazil.Population: 243.575 inhabitants .It is now considered the economic capital of the Federal District.OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF GOVERNMENT: http://www.taguatinga.df.gov.br...
, Núcleo Bandeirante, Sobradinho
Sobradinho, Brasília
Sobradinho is an Administrative Region of the Federal District of Brazil. It is grouped as a satellite city of the Brazilian capital, Brasília. The area is 569.37 km² and it is located 22.1 km. northeast of Brasília...
, and Planaltina
Planaltina
Planaltina is one of the administrative districts of the Federal District of Brazil, with an area of 1,534 kmª and a population of 147,114 in 2000, of whom 134,663 were classified as urban and 12,451 as rural...
. These towns, with the exception of Gama and Sobradinho were not planned.
Monumental Civic Scale
The city has been acclaimed for its use of modernist architectureModern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
on a grand scale and for its somewhat utopia
Utopia
Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
n city plan. It has been criticized for the same reasons.
After a visit to Brasília, the French writer Simone de Beauvoir
Simone de Beauvoir
Simone-Ernestine-Lucie-Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir, often shortened to Simone de Beauvoir , was a French existentialist philosopher, public intellectual, and social theorist. She wrote novels, essays, biographies, an autobiography in several volumes, and monographs on philosophy, politics, and...
complained that all of its superquadras exuded "the same air of elegant monotony," and other observers have equated the city's large open lawns, plazas and fields to wastelands. As the city has matured, some of these have gained adornments, and many have been improved by landscaping, giving some observers a sense of "humanized" spaciousness. Although not fully accomplished, the "Brazilian utopia" has produced a city of relatively high quality of life, in which the citizens live in forested areas with sporting and leisure structure (the superquadras) flanked by small commercial areas, bookstores and cafes; the city is famous for its cuisine and efficiency of transit.
Even these positive features have sparked controversy, expressed in the nickname "ilha da fantasia" ("fantasy island"), indicating the sharp contrast between the city and surrounding regions, marked by poverty and disorganization in the cities of the state of Goiás
Goiás
Goiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The name Goiás comes from the name of an indigenous community...
, around Brasília.
Critics of Brasília's grand scale have characterized it as a modernist platonic fantasy about the future:
World Heritage Site
The Brazilian capital is the only city in the world built in the 20th century to be awarded (in 1987) the status of Historical and Cultural HeritageCultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
of Humanity by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, an agency of the UN. It also holds the distinction of waiting the shortest amount of time to be designated a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
of any UNESCO entry, which occurred just 27 years after its completion in 1960.
Economy
The major roles of construction and of services (government, communications, banking and finance, food production, entertainment, and legal services) in Brasília's economy reflect the city's status as a governmental rather than an industrial centre. Industries connected with construction, food processing, and furnishings are important, as are those associated with publishing, printing, and computer software. GDP is divided in Public Administration 54.8%, Services 28.7%, Industry 10.2%, Commerce 6.1%, Agribusiness 0.2%.Besides being the political center, Brasília is an important economic center. The city is the 3rd richest of Brazil, showing a gross domestic product (GDP) from 99.5 billion reais, representing 3.76% of the total Brazilian GDP.
The main economic activity of the federal capital results from its administrative function. Its industrial planning is studied carefully by the Government of the Federal District. Being a town registered by UNESCO, the government in Brasilia has opted to encourage the development of non-polluting industries such as software, film, video, and gemology among others, with emphasis on environmental preservation and maintaining ecological balance, preserving the city property.
According to Mercer
Mercer (consulting firm)
Mercer is a human resource and related financial services consulting firm, headquartered in New York City. The firm operates internationally in more than 40 countries, with more than 19,000 employees, and is the world's largest human resource consulting firm....
's city rankings of cost of living for expatriate employees, Brasília ranks 33rd among the most expensive cities in the world in 2011, up from the 70th position in 2010, ranking behind São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
(10th) and Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
(12th), and just behind New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(32nd), the most expensive city in the United States.
Services
- Government – the public sector is by far the largest employer, accounting for around 40% of the city jobs. Government jobs include all levels, from the federal police to diplomacy, from the transportation bureau to the armed forces;
- Communications – the telephony used to be a state monopoly, and Brasilia held the HQ of TelebrásTelebrásTelebrás was the Brazilian state-owned monopoly telephone system. It was broken up in July 1998 into twelve separate companies, nicknamed the 'Baby Bras' companies, that were auctioned to private bidders...
, the central state company; one of the enterprises that resulted from the privatization of the system in the 90's, Brasil TelecomBrasil TelecomBrasil Telecom S.A. is a major Brazilian telecommunications company headquartered in the Brazilian capital Brasilia. The company is one of three land lines, one long distance and eight mobile telephone companies in Brazil that emerged from the break-up of Telebrás...
, keeps it HQ in the city; the official Postal Service (CorreiosCorreiosEmpresa Brasileira de Correios e Telégrafos , also known as Correios, is one of the largest state-owned companies in latin america and is responsible for the national postal service of Brazil, with a high level of reliability in Brazil...
) HQ is located in the city as well; as it is the main place of Federal Government news, it is also notable the activities of TV stationsTelevision channelA television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and...
, including the main offices of four public networks (TV BrasilTV BrasilTV Brasil is a Brazilian non-profit public broadcasting television network launched on December 2, 2007 at noon. Although TV Cultura was the first public broadcasting channel in the country, TV Brasil is the first launched by the federal government.-History:...
/Agência BrasilAgência BrasilRadiobras or Agência Brasil or ABr is the national broadcaster and a government agency of Brazil. The name is a portmanteau of Radiodifusão Brasil . Radiobras operates several radio stations and TV stations throughout the country. It is also involved in international broadcasting, primarily on...
, TV CâmaraTV CâmaraTV Câmara is a Brazilian public television network responsible for broadcasting activities from the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies. Created on 1998, it broadcasts 24 hours a day from the Chamber.-Censorship:...
, TV SenadoTV SenadoTV Senado is a Brazilian television network responsible for broadcasting activity from the Brazilian Senate. It was created in 1996 by the Brazilian Senate.The channel broadcasts 24h from the Senate.-External links:*...
and TV JustiçaTV JustiçaTV Justiça is a Brazilian television channel owned by the Brazilian Judicial branch and administered by the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court...
), the regional offices of four major private television networks (GloboGloboGlobo may refer to*Organizações Globo, media conglomerate*Rede Globo, a television network in Brazil*Radio Globo, a radio station in Honduras...
, SBT, Rede BandeirantesRede BandeirantesRede Bandeirantes , officially nicknamed Band or Band Network, is a television network from Brazil, based in São Paulo. Part of the Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação , it aired for the first time in 1967...
and Rede RecordRede RecordRede Record de Televisão is a Brazilian television network, founded in 1953 by Paulo Machado de Carvalho, also founder of Rádio Record. Currently it is owned by businessman Edir Macedo, founder and bishop of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. Since 2007 it is Brazil's second largest...
) and a main affiliate of RedeTV!; - Banking and finance – headquarters of the Banco do BrasilBanco do BrasilBanco do Brasil S.A. is the largest Brazilian and Latin American bank by assets, and the third by market value. The bank, headquartered in Brasília, was founded in 1808 and is the oldest active bank in Brazil — and one of the oldest financial institutions in the world.Banco do Brasil is controlled...
and the Caixa Econômica FederalCaixa Econômica FederalCaixa Econômica Federal , also referred to as Caixa or CEF, is a Brazilian bank. It is the largest government-owned financial institution in Latin America. It is the largest bank in Brazil and in Latin America by assets....
, both controlled by the Federal Government, and the Banco de Brasília, controlled by the city local government; it is also the site of the headquarters of the Central BankCentral Bank of BrazilThe Central Bank of Brazil is Brazil's monetary authority. It was established on December 31, 1964.The Central Bank is linked with the Ministry of Finance. Like other central banks, the Brazilian central bank is the principal monetary authority of the country...
, the main government regulatory agency of the fiancial sector; - Entertainment – the shopping malls Conjunto NacionalConjunto NacionalThe Shopping Conjunto Nacional , sometimes called by the CNB - Conjunto Nacional Brasília , is the first shopping center in Brasília and the second mall to be built in Brazil, it was opened in 1971 and is one of the most traditional city...
, ParkShoppingThe ParkShoppingThe ParkShopping is one of the most important shopping centers in Brasília, Brazil. It was opened on November 8, 1983 and is located between the Plano Piloto and Guará, near the Brasília International Airport. Having 93% of Class A and B...
, Pátio Brasil Shopping, Brasília Shopping, Boulevard Shopping, Taguatinga Shopping and Iguatemi Brasília. - Information technology (PolitecPolitecPolitec is an IT outsourcing service provider, based in Brazil.It employs over 6,000 people.-Awards:*BusinessWeek Magazine , ranked #2 in Gartner’s “Top 15 Emerging Outsourcing Players”...
, Poliedro, CTIS, among others), and legal services.
Industries
In the city include:- Construction (Paulo Octavio, Via Construções, and Irmãos Gravia among others);
- Food processing (Perdigão, Sadia);
- Furniture Making;
- RecyclingRecyclingRecycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
(Novo Rio, RexamRexamRexam PLC is a global consumer packaging company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest manufacturer of beverage cans in the world and a leading producer of plastic packaging...
, Latasa and others); - Pharmaceuticals (União Química);
- Graphic industries.
The main agricultural products produced in the city are coffee, guavas, strawberries, orange, lemons, papaya
Papaya
The papaya , papaw, or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya, the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae...
s, soy beans and mangoes. It has over 110,000 cows and it exports wood products worldwide.
The Federal District
Brazilian Federal District
The Federal District is set apart for Brasília, the capital of Brazil. Located in a region called Planalto Central, or Central Plateau, the Federal District is divided in 29 administrative regions. Brasilia - place where the three branches of the Federal Government are located - is the main...
, where Brasília is located, has a GDP of R$ 89,630,109 (about US$ 69,844 billion), according to IBGE. Its share of the total Brazilian GDP is about 3.8%.
The Federal District has the largest GDP per capita
Gross domestic product
Gross domestic product refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living....
income of Brazil R$ 40.996,00 (about US$ 27,610 per person, according to the IBGE, 2007 year). Brasília's per capita income is believed to be much higher.
Accommodation
The city's planned design included specific areas for almost everything, including accommodationHotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
, Hotels Sectors North and South. New hotel facilities are being developed elsewhere, such as the hotels and tourism Sector North, located on the shores of Lake Paranoá
Lake Paranoá
Paranoá Lake, or Lago do Paranoá, is an artificial lake located in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. On the east side of the city, the Paranoá River has been dammed to form this large lake, which has a circumference of...
. Brasília has a range of tourist accommodation from inns, pensions and hostels to larger international chain hotels.
Brasília receives visitors from all of Brazil and the world, and offers a range of restaurants serving a variety of Brazilian regional and international food.
Education
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. English and Spanish are also part of the official curriculum. There are also international schools, such as the American School of Brasília, the Maple Bear Canadian School (elementary) and the Lycée Français François Mitterrand de Brasilia.
There are some well evaluated schools in the city. Some are religious oriented, such as the Catholics Marista, Galois and Católica, and the presbyterian Mackenzie. Non-religious institutions include private schools such as Leonardo da Vinci and Sigma, and also the traditional Military School.
There are more than 114 universities in Brasília city.
Main tertiary educational institutions
- Universidade de Brasília – University of Brasília (UnB) (public);
- Universidade Católica de BrasíliaUniversidade Católica de BrasíliaThe Universidade Católica de Brasília is a private and non-profit Catholic university, located in Brasília, the federal capital of Brazil. It is one of the largest and most prestigious Brazilian universities...
– Catholic University of Brasília (UCB); - Centro Universitário de Brasília (UniCEUB);
- Centro Universitário do Distrito Federal (UniDF);
- Instituto de Educação Superior de Brasília (IESB);
- Faculdades Integradas da Terra de Brasília (FTB);
- Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Tecnológicas (FACITEC);
- Escola Superior de Ciências da Saúde (ESCS);
- and many others.
Culture
Anthony the Great
Anthony the Great or Antony the Great , , also known as Saint Anthony, Anthony the Abbot, Anthony of Egypt, Anthony of the Desert, Anthony the Anchorite, Abba Antonius , and Father of All Monks, was a Christian saint from Egypt, a prominent leader among the Desert Fathers...
, Saint John, the Baptist, and Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
, that are called "festas juninas
Festa Junina
Festa Junina , also known as festa de São João for their part in celebrating the nativity of St. John the Baptist, are the annual Brazilian celebrations historically related to European Midsummer that take place in the beginning of the Brazilian winter...
," or June festival. On September 7, the traditional Independence Day parade is held on the Ministries Esplanade. Throughout the year there are local, national and international events spread through the city. Christmas is widely celebrated, and New Years Eve usually hosts major events.
The city also hosts a varied assortment of art works from artists like Bruno Giorgi
Bruno Giorgi
Bruno Giorgi was an Italian Brazilian sculptor whose works are displayed at several national sites. Although born in Brazil he spent much of his youth in Europe as his family returned to Italy when he was six and he did not return to Brazil until 1939.- External links :**...
, Alfredo Ceschiatti, Athos Bulcão
Athos Bulcão
Athos Bulcão was a Brazilian painter and sculptor. He was born in Rio de Janeiro.By the 1940s, he assisted Candido Portinari with the "São Francisco de Assis" painting at the Pampulha Church, in Belo Horizonte. Further, he moved to Paris, where he lived until 1949...
, Marianne Peretti, Alfredo Volpi
Alfredo Volpi
Alfredo Volpi , was a famous painter of the artistic and cultural Brazilian modernist movement. He was born in Lucca, Italy but, less than two years later, he was brought by his parents to São Paulo, Brazil, where he lived for most part of his life...
, Di Cavalcanti
Emiliano Di Cavalcanti
Emiliano Augusto Cavalcanti de Albuquerque Melo , known as Di Cavalcanti, was a Brazilian painter who sought to produce a form of Brazilian art free of any noticeable European influences...
, Dyllan Taxman, Victor Brecheret
Victor Brecheret
Victor Brecheret was an Italian-Brazilian sculptor. He lived most of his life in São Paulo, except for his studies in Paris in his early twenties...
and Burle Marx, whose works have been integrated into the city's architecture, making it a unique landscape. The cuisine in the city is very diverse. Many of the best restaurants in the city can be found in the Asa Sul district.
Eixo Monumental
At the end of the Eixo MonumentalMonumental Axis
The Monumental Axis is a central avenue in Brasília's city design.The avenue begins on the National Congress of Brazil building and is considered part of the DF-002 road. Its first section is known as "Ministries Esplanade" , as it is surrounded by ministries buildings...
lies the Esplanada dos Ministérios ("Ministries Esplanade"), an open area in downtown Brasília. The rectangular lawn is surrounded by two eight-lane avenues where many government buildings
Government Buildings
Government Buildings is a large Edwardian building enclosing a quadrangle on Merrion Street in Dublin, Ireland, in which several key offices of the government of Ireland are located...
, monuments and memorials are located.
National Congress
Bicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....
National Congress
National Congress of Brazil
The National Congress of Brazil is the legislative body of Brazil's federal government.Unlike regional legislative bodies – Legislative Assemblies and City Councils -, the Congress is bicameral, composed of the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies .The Senate represents the 26 states and...
consists of the Senate
Senate of Brazil
The Federal Senate of Brazil is the upper house of the National Congress of Brazil. Created by the first Constitution of the Brazilian Empire in 1824, it was inspired by the United Kingdom's House of Lords, but with the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889 it became closer to the United States...
(the upper house) and the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil
Chamber of Deputies of Brazil
The Chamber of Deputies of Brazil is a federal legislative body and the lower house of the National Congress of Brazil. As of 2006, the chamber comprises 513 deputies, who are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms...
(the lower house). Since the 1960s, the National Congress has its seat in Brasília. As with most of the official buildings in the city, it was designed by Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho is a Brazilian architect specializing in international modern architecture...
in the style of modern Brazilian architecture. The hemisphere to the left is the seat of the Senate and the hemisphere to the right is the seat of the Chamber of Deputies. Between them there are two towers of offices. The Congress also occupies other surrounding buildings, some connected by tunnels.
The building is located in the middle of the Eixo Monumental
Monumental Axis
The Monumental Axis is a central avenue in Brasília's city design.The avenue begins on the National Congress of Brazil building and is considered part of the DF-002 road. Its first section is known as "Ministries Esplanade" , as it is surrounded by ministries buildings...
, the main avenue of the capital. In front of it there is a large lawn and a reflecting pool. The building faces the Praça dos Três Poderes
Praça dos Três Poderes
Praça dos Três Poderes is a plaza in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. The name is derived from the presence of the three governmental powers around the plaza: the Executive, represented by the Palácio do Planalto ; the Legislative represented by the Congresso Nacional ; and the Judiciary,...
, where the Palácio do Planalto
Palácio do Planalto
The Palácio do Planalto is the official workplace of the President of Brazil. It is located at the Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília, Brazil. As the seat of government, the term Planalto is often used as a metonym for the executive branch of the government.The main working office of the President...
and the Supremo Tribunal Federal are located.
Palácio da Alvorada
The Palácio da AlvoradaPalácio da Alvorada
The Palácio da Alvorada is the official residence of the President of Brazil. The palace was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and inaugurated on June 30, 1958.The name comes from the quote of Juscelino Kubitschek:or, in English:-Architecture:...
is the official residence of the President of Brazil
President of Brazil
The president of Brazil is both the head of state and head of government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces...
. The palace was designed, along with the rest of the city of Brasília, by Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho is a Brazilian architect specializing in international modern architecture...
and inaugurated in 1958.
One of the first structures built in the republic's new capital city, the "Alvorada" lies on a peninsula at the margins of Lake Paranoá
Lake Paranoá
Paranoá Lake, or Lago do Paranoá, is an artificial lake located in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. On the east side of the city, the Paranoá River has been dammed to form this large lake, which has a circumference of...
. The principles of simplicity and modernity, that in the past characterized the great works of architecture, motivated Niemeyer. The viewer has an impression of looking at a glass box, softly landed on the ground with the support of thin external columns.
The building has an area of 7,000 m2 and three floors: basement, landing and second floor. The auditorium, kitchen, laundry, medical center, and the administration are at basement level. The rooms used by the presidency for official receptions are on the landing. There are four suites, two apartments and other private rooms on the second floor which is the residential part of the palace.
The building also has a library, a heated Olympic-sized swimming pool, a music room, two dining rooms and various meeting rooms. A chapel and heliport are in adjacent buildings.
Palácio do Planalto
Palácio do Planalto
The Palácio do Planalto is the official workplace of the President of Brazil. It is located at the Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília, Brazil. As the seat of government, the term Planalto is often used as a metonym for the executive branch of the government.The main working office of the President...
is the official workplace of the President of Brazil
President of Brazil
The president of Brazil is both the head of state and head of government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces...
. It is located at the Praça dos Três Poderes
Praça dos Três Poderes
Praça dos Três Poderes is a plaza in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. The name is derived from the presence of the three governmental powers around the plaza: the Executive, represented by the Palácio do Planalto ; the Legislative represented by the Congresso Nacional ; and the Judiciary,...
in Brasília. As the seat of government
Politics of Brazil
The politics of Brazil take place in a framework of a federal presidential representative democratic republic, where by the President is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system...
, the term "O Planalto" is often used as a metonym for the executive branch of government.
The main working office of the President of the Republic is in the Palácio do Planalto. The President and his family do not live in it, rather in the official residence, the Palácio da Alvorada
Palácio da Alvorada
The Palácio da Alvorada is the official residence of the President of Brazil. The palace was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and inaugurated on June 30, 1958.The name comes from the quote of Juscelino Kubitschek:or, in English:-Architecture:...
. Besides the President, senior advisors also have offices in the "Planalto," including the Vice-President of Brazil
Vice-President of Brazil
The Vice President of Brazil is the second-highest ranking government official in the executive branch of the Government of Brazil after the President...
and the Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff of Brazil
The Chief of Staff of the Presidency of the Republic is the highest-ranking member of the Executive Office of Brazil, and a senior aide to the President.In Brazil, the Chief of Staff is a member of the president's cabinet, with the rank of Minister....
. The other Ministries are along the Esplanada dos Ministérios
Monumental Axis
The Monumental Axis is a central avenue in Brasília's city design.The avenue begins on the National Congress of Brazil building and is considered part of the DF-002 road. Its first section is known as "Ministries Esplanade" , as it is surrounded by ministries buildings...
.
The architect of the Palácio do Planalto was Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho is a Brazilian architect specializing in international modern architecture...
, creator of most of the important buildings in Brasília. The idea was to project an image of simplicity and modernity using fine lines and waves to compose the columns and exterior structures.
The Palace is four stories high, and has an area of 36,000 m2. Four other adjacent buildings are also part of the complex.
Complexo Cultural da República
Cultural Complex of the Republic
The Complexo Cultural da República is a cultural center located along the Eixo Monumental, in the city of Brasília, Brazil. It is formed by the National Library of Brasília and the National Museum of the Republic...
(Portuguese for Cultural Complex of the Republic) is formed by the National Library
National library
A national library is a library specifically established by the government of a country to serve as the preeminent repository of information for that country. Unlike public libraries, these rarely allow citizens to borrow books...
of Brasília and the National Museum of the Republic. It is situated in the Eixo Monumental, next to the Cathedral of Brasília.
The National Library of Brasília (Biblioteca Nacional de Brasília in Portuguese) occupies an area of 14,000 m2, consisting of reading and study rooms, auditorium and a collection of over 300,000 items.
The National Museum of the Republic (Museu Nacional da República in Portuguese) consists of a 14,500 m2 exhibit area, two 780-seat auditoriums, and a laboratory. The space is mainly used to display temporary art exhibits.
Paranoá Lake
Paranoá LakeLake Paranoá
Paranoá Lake, or Lago do Paranoá, is an artificial lake located in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. On the east side of the city, the Paranoá River has been dammed to form this large lake, which has a circumference of...
is a large artificial lake built to increase the amount of water available to the region. It has the second largest marina in Brazil, and hosts wakeboarders and windsurfers.
Juscelino Kubitschek bridge
Juscelino Kubitschek bridge
The Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge , also known as the President JK Bridge or just the JK Bridge, is a steel and concrete bridge that crosses Lake Paranoá in Brasília. It links the southern part of the lake, and St. Sebastian Paranoá the Pilot Plan , through the Monumental Axis...
, also known as the 'President JK Bridge' or the 'JK Bridge', crosses Lake Paranoá
Lake Paranoá
Paranoá Lake, or Lago do Paranoá, is an artificial lake located in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. On the east side of the city, the Paranoá River has been dammed to form this large lake, which has a circumference of...
in Brasília. It is named after Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira
Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira
Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira , known also by his initials JK, was a prominent Brazilian politician of gypsy Czech origin who was President of Brazil from 1956 to 1961. He was born in Diamantina, Minas Gerais, and died in 1976...
, former president of Brazil
President of Brazil
The president of Brazil is both the head of state and head of government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces...
. It was designed by architect Alexandre Chan and structural engineer
Structural engineer
Structural engineers analyze, design, plan, and research structural components and structural systems to achieve design goals and ensure the safety and comfort of users or occupants...
Mário Vila Verde. Chan won the Gustav Lindenthal
Gustav Lindenthal
Gustav Lindenthal was a civil engineer who designed the Hell Gate Bridge among other bridges.Lindenthal's work was greatly affected by his pursuit for perfection and his love of art. His structures not only serve the purpose they were designed for, but are aesthetically pleasing to the public eye...
Medal for this project at the 2003 International Bridge Conference in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
due to "...outstanding achievement demonstrating harmony with the environment, aesthetic merit and successful community participation".
It consists of three 60 m (196.9 ft) tall asymmetrical steel arches that crisscross diagonally. With a length of 1,200 m (0.75 miles), it was completed in 2002 at a cost of US$ 56.8 million. The bridge has a pedestrian walkway and is accessible to bicyclists and skaters.
Praça dos Três Poderes
Praça dos Três Poderes
Praça dos Três Poderes is a plaza in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. The name is derived from the presence of the three governmental powers around the plaza: the Executive, represented by the Palácio do Planalto ; the Legislative represented by the Congresso Nacional ; and the Judiciary,...
(Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
for Square of the Three Powers) is a plaza in Brasília. The name is derived from the encounter of the three federal branches around the plaza: the Executive, represented by the Palácio do Planalto
Palácio do Planalto
The Palácio do Planalto is the official workplace of the President of Brazil. It is located at the Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília, Brazil. As the seat of government, the term Planalto is often used as a metonym for the executive branch of the government.The main working office of the President...
(presidential office); the Legislative
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
, represented by the Congresso Nacional
National Congress of Brazil
The National Congress of Brazil is the legislative body of Brazil's federal government.Unlike regional legislative bodies – Legislative Assemblies and City Councils -, the Congress is bicameral, composed of the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies .The Senate represents the 26 states and...
(National Congress); and the Judicial branch, represented by the Supremo Tribunal Federal (Supreme Federal Court).
It is a tourist attraction in Brasília, designed by Lúcio Costa
Lúcio Costa
Lucio Costa was a Brazilian architect and urban planner.-Career:Costa was born in Toulon, France.Educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, England and in Montreux until 1916, he graduated as an architect in 1924 from the School of Fine Art in Rio de Janeiro...
and Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho is a Brazilian architect specializing in international modern architecture...
as a place where the three branches would meet harmoniously.
Cathedral of Brasília
The Cathedral of BrasíliaCathedral of Brasília
The Cathedral of Brasília is the Roman Catholic cathedral serving Brasília, Brazil, and serves as the seat of the Archdiocese of Brasília. It was designed by Oscar Niemeyer, and was completed and dedicated on May 31, 1970...
in the capital of the Federative Republic of Brazil, is an expression of the architect Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho is a Brazilian architect specializing in international modern architecture...
. This concrete-framed hyperboloid structure
Hyperboloid structure
Hyperboloid structures are architectural structures designed with hyperboloid geometry. Often these are tall structures such as towers where the hyperboloid geometry's structural strength is used to support an object high off the ground, but hyperboloid geometry is also often used for decorative...
, seems with its glass roof reaching up, open, to the heavens. On 31 May 1970, the Cathedral’s structure was finished, and only the 70 m (229.66 ft) diameter of the circular area were visible. Niemeyer's project of Cathedral of Brasília is based in the hyperboloid of revolution which sections are asymmetric. The hyperboloid structure itself is a result of 16 identical assembled concrete columns. These columns, having hyperbolic section and weighing 90 t, represent two hands moving upwards to heaven. The Cathedral was dedicated on 31 May 1970.
Popular culture
John Bosco
John Bosco , was an Italian Catholic priest, educator and writer of the 19th century, who put into practice the convictions of his religion, dedicating his life to the betterment and education of street children, juvenile delinquents, and other disadvantaged youth and employing teaching methods...
.
According to Don Bosco's prophecy:
Brasília lies between the parallels 15° S and 20° S, where an artificial lake (Paranoá Lake
Lake Paranoá
Paranoá Lake, or Lago do Paranoá, is an artificial lake located in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. On the east side of the city, the Paranoá River has been dammed to form this large lake, which has a circumference of...
) was formed. Don Bosco is Brasília's patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
.
American Flagg!
American Flagg!
American Flagg! is an American comic book series created by writer-artist Howard Chaykin, published by First Comics from 1983 to 1989. A science fiction series and political satire, it and was set in the U.S., particularly Chicago, Illinois, in the early 2030s. Writers besides Chaykin included...
, the First Comics
First Comics
First Comics was an American comic-book publisher that was active from 1983–1991, known for titles like American Flagg!, Grimjack, Nexus, Badger, Dreadstar, and Jon Sable...
comic book series created by Howard Chaykin
Howard Chaykin
Howard Victor Chaykin is an American comic book writer and artist famous for his innovative storytelling and sometimes controversial material...
, portrays Brasilia as a cosmopolitan world capital of culture and exotic romance. In the series, it is a top vacation and party destination.
International Airport
Brasília International Airport
Brasília-Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport is the airport serving Brasília, Brazil. Since April 22, 1999 the airport is named after Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira , the 21st President of Brazil....
– President Juscelino Kubitschek serves the metropolitan area with major domestic and international flights. It is the third busiest Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian airport based on passengers and aircraft movements. Because of its strategic location it is a civil aviation hub for the rest of the country. This makes for a large number of takeoffs and landings and it is not unusual for flights to be delayed in the holding pattern before landing. Following the airport's master plan, Infraero
Infraero
Empresa Brasileira de Infraestrutura Aeroportuária, Infraero in short, is a Brazilian government corporation created in 1972 and responsible for operating the main Brazilian commercial airports. In 2009, Infraero's airports carried 128,135,616 passengers and 1,114,754 tons of cargo and operated...
built a second runway, which was finished in 2006. In 2007, the airport handled 11,119,872 passengers. The main building's third floor, with 12 thousand square meters, has a panoramic deck, a food court, shops, four movie theaters with total capacity of 500 people, and space for exhibitions. There are 136 shop spaces at Brasília Airport.
The airport is located about 11 km (6.8 mi) from the central area of Brasília, outside the metro system. There are many taxis outside the main gate, and some bus lines which connect the airport to the central area of Brasília. The parking lot accommodates 1,200 cars. In addition to domestic and regional services (TAM, GOL, Azul, WebJET, Trip and Avianca).
Brasilia is improving its international connections; non-stop flights to Miami, United States with AA started in Nov 2010 and with TAM in Dec 2010. There are already direct flights to Atlanta, United States with Delta; Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, Peru with LAN and TACA ; and to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portugal with TAP. On March 28, 2011 PLUNA
PLUNA
PLUNALíneas Aéreas Uruguayas S.A. is the flag carrier of Uruguay, headquartered in Carrasco, Montevideo. It operates scheduled services within South America, as well as unscheduled cargo and charter services, with its main hub being Carrasco International Airport near Montevideo.- Foundation :The...
will begin direct service to Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, Uruguay, and connections and on June 18 Copa Airlines
Copa Airlines
Compañía Panameña de Aviación, S.A., operating as Copa Airlines ', is an airline based in Panama City, Panama, and serves as Panama's flag carrier...
will begin direct service to Panama City
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
, Panama increasing and improving connections to the rest of the American continent through the company's Hub of the Americas at Tocumen International Airport
Tocumen International Airport
Tocumen International Airport is an international airport located from Panama City, Panama. In 2006, it underwent a major expansion and renovation program in order to modernize and improve its facilities...
.
Metro
Brasília Metro
Brasília Metro is the metro system in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. It is operated by Metro-DF or Companhia do Metropolitano do Distrito Federal, and was opened in 2001...
is Brasília's underground metro system
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
. The subway system has 24 stations on two lines, the Orange and Green lines, distributed along a total network of 42 km (26.1 mi), covering most of the metropolitan area. Both lines begin at the Central Station and run parallel until the Águas Claras Station. The Brasília metro is not comprehensive, so buses may provide better access to the city center. The metro leaves the Rodoviária (bus station) and goes south, avoiding most of the political and tourist areas. The main purpose of the metro is to serve the largest satellite cities, such as Samambaia, Taguatinga
Taguatinga (Federal District)
Taguatinga is an administrative region of Federal District, Brazil.Population: 243.575 inhabitants .It is now considered the economic capital of the Federal District.OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF GOVERNMENT: http://www.taguatinga.df.gov.br...
and Ceilândia
Ceilândia
Ceilândia is one of the most important satellite towns near Brasília, Brazil. Currently, the city has a population of 350,000 inhabitants.Located 24 kilometers from the Pilot Plan of Brasília, and linked by a four-lane highway, Ceilândia occupies an area of 232 square kilometers and is in one of...
, as well as Guará and Águas Claras. The satellite cities are more populated than the Plano Piloto itself (the census of 2000 indicated that Ceilândia
Ceilândia
Ceilândia is one of the most important satellite towns near Brasília, Brazil. Currently, the city has a population of 350,000 inhabitants.Located 24 kilometers from the Pilot Plan of Brasília, and linked by a four-lane highway, Ceilândia occupies an area of 232 square kilometers and is in one of...
had 344,039 inhabitants, Taguatinga had 243,575, whereas the Plano Piloto had approximately 400,000 inhabitants), and most residents of the satellite cities depend on public transportation.
Buses
Monumental Axis
The Monumental Axis is a central avenue in Brasília's city design.The avenue begins on the National Congress of Brazil building and is considered part of the DF-002 road. Its first section is known as "Ministries Esplanade" , as it is surrounded by ministries buildings...
and the Eixão, about 2 km (1.2 mi) from the Three Powers Plaza. The original plan was to have a bus station as near as possible to every corner of Brasília. Today, the bus station is the hub of urban buses only, some running within Brasília and others connecting Brasília to the satellite cities. In the original city plan, the interstate buses should also stop at the Central Station. Because of the growth of Brasília (and corresponding growth in the bus fleet), today the interstate buses leave from the older interstate station (called Rodoferroviária), located at the western end of the Eixo Monumental. The Central Bus Station also contains a main metro station.
A new inter-state station was opened in July 2010. It is on Saída Sul (South Exit) near Parkshopping and a metro station.
Distances to Other Brazilian Major Cities
- GoiâniaGoiânia-Climate:The city has a tropical wet and dry climate with an average temperature of . There's a wet season, from October to April, and a dry one, from May to September. Annual rainfall is around 1,520 mm....
: 209 km (129.9 mi); - Belo HorizonteBelo HorizonteBelo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
: 740 km (459.8 mi); - CuiabáCuiabáUnder the Koppen climate classification, Cuiaba features a tropical wet and dry climate. Cuiabá is famous for its searing heat, although temperatures in winter can arrive sporadically at 10 degrees, indeed atypical, caused by cold fronts coming from the south, and that may only last one or two...
: 1009 km (627 mi); - São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
: 1020 km (633.8 mi); - Campo GrandeCampo Grande-Climate:Campo Grande has a highland tropical climate, semi-humid, hot, and notably seasonal, with a dry winter season from May through September or October. Under the Koppen climate classification Campo Grande features a tropical wet and dry climate, albeit a noticeably cooler version of the...
: 1134 km (704.6 mi); - Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
: 1160 km (720.8 mi); - Vitória: 1237 km (768.6 mi);
- CuritibaCuritibaCuritiba is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. It is the largest city with the biggest economy of both Paraná and southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.75 million people and the latest GDP figures for the city surpass US$61 billion according to...
: 1400 km (869.9 mi); - SalvadorSalvador, BahiaSalvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...
: 1540 km (956.9 mi); - PalmasPalmasPalmas may refer to:* Palmas, one of the two sectors of Cataño, Puerto Rico* Palmas, Tocantins, the capital of the state of Tocantins in Brazil* Palmas, Paraná, a centenary small city in the south of the state of Paraná in Brazil...
: 1614 km (1,002.9 mi); - AracajuAracaju-Vegetation:Aracaju lies in tropical forest. Rainforests are characterized by high rainfall, with minimum normal annual rainfall between 2,000 mm and 1,700 mm...
: 1650 km (1,025.3 mi); - TeresinaTeresinaTeresina is the capital and most populous municipality in the Brazilian state of Piauí. It is located in North-central Piauí 366 km from the coast.It is therefore, the only capital in the Northeast that is not located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. With 814 439 inhabitants, it is the 19th...
: 1662 km (1,032.7 mi); - FlorianópolisFlorianópolis-Climate:Florianópolis experiences a warm humid subtropical climate, falling just short of a true tropical climate. The seasons of the year are distinct, with a well-defined summer and winter, and characteristic weather for autumn and spring. Frost is infrequent, but occurs occasionally in the winter...
: 1700 km (1,056.3 mi); - MaceióMaceióMaceió is the capital and the largest city of the coastal state Alagoas, Brazil. The name "maceió" is of Indian origin, and designates the natural spontaneously courses of water which flow out of the soil...
: 1899 km (1,180 mi); - São Luís: 1953 km (1,213.5 mi);
- Porto AlegrePorto AlegrePorto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
: 2027 km (1,259.5 mi); - BelémBelémBelém is a Brazilian city, the capital and largest city of state of Pará, in the country's north region. It is the entrance gate to the Amazon with a busy port, airport and bus/coach station...
: 2130 km (1,323.5 mi); - RecifeRecifeRecife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
: 2133 km (1,325.4 mi); - João PessoaJoão PessoaJoão Pessoa , is the capital city of the state of Paraíba, was founded in 1585 and sometimes called the city where the sun rises first, is a Brazilian city and the easternmost city in the Americas at 34º47'38"W, 7º9'28"S. Local residents call its easternmost point Ponta do Seixas. It is also...
: 2249 km (1,397.5 mi); - FortalezaFortalezaFortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. With a population close to 2.5 million , Fortaleza is the 5th largest city in Brazil. It has an area of and one of the highest demographic densities in the country...
: 2285 km (1,419.8 mi); - MacapáMacapáMacapá is a Brazilian city, capital of Amapá state. Located in the North Region, it is the only state capital that has no highway connections with other capitals...
: 2396 km (1,488.8 mi); - Natal: 2507 km (1,557.8 mi);
- Porto VelhoPorto VelhoPorto Velho is the capital of the Brazilian state of Rondônia, in the upper Amazon River basin. The population is estimated to be 426,558 people...
: 2589 km (1,608.7 mi); - Rio BrancoRio BrancoRio Branco is a Brazilian city, capital of Acre. Located in the Valley of Acre in northern Brazil, it is the most populous county in the state, with 305,954 inhabitants, according to a 2009 estimate - almost half the state population....
: 2923 km (1,816.3 mi); - ManausManausManaus is a city in Brazil, the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is situated at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. It is the most populous city of Amazonas, according to the statistics of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and is a popular ecotourist destination....
: 3490 km (2,168.6 mi); - Boa VistaBoa Vista, RoraimaBoa Vista is the capital of the Brazilian state of Roraima. Situated on the western bank of the River Branco, the city lies 220 km away from Brazil's border with Venezuela. It is the only Brazilian capital located entirely above the Equator...
: 4085 km (2,538.3 mi).
Famous places nearby
Nearby attractions include:- Chapada dos VeadeirosChapada dos VeadeirosChapada dos Veadeiros is located in the state of Goias, in the Central West region of Brazil. It is a geographical area filled with breath taking mountains, rivers, and waterfalls. The area is known for the national park of Chapada dos Veadeiros. The national park was created in 1961, it has been...
– A National ParkNational parkA national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
with plenty of cerrado wildlife and surrounded by several spectacular waterfalls. - Itiquira FallsItiquira FallsThe Itiquira Falls is a waterfall in Brazil. They are located 34 kilometers north of Formosa in the state of Goiás and 115 kilometers from Brasília on a paved road. The falls have a height of 168 meters, making them possibly the highest accessible waterfall in Brazil and the second highest overall...
– this 168 m-high waterfall is just over 100 km from Brasília, in the municipality of Formosa, GoiásFormosa, GoiásFormosa is a city and municipality located in the state of Goiás, Brazil, approximately 80 kilometers east of Brasília. The population was 90,247 in a total area of 5,806.89 km² . Formosa is known for its waterfalls and natural beauty... - Caldas NovasCaldas NovasCaldas Novas is a Brazilian city and municipality in the state of Goiás. It is considered by many to be the largest hydro-thermal resort in the world.-Location:...
– The largest natural hot springHot springA hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
s resort in the world. Located about 360 km (223.7 mi) southeast of the city in the state of GoiásGoiásGoiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The name Goiás comes from the name of an indigenous community...
. - PirenópolisPirenópolisPirenópolis is a town located in the Brazilian state of Goiás. It is well known for its waterfalls and colonial architecture, and a popular festival involving mounted horses called Festa do Divino Espírito Santo which takes place 45 days after Easter....
– The city, located 150 km from Brasília, is well known for its waterfalls and colonial architecture, and a popular festival involving mounted horses called Festa do Divino Espírito Santo which takes place 45 days after Easter. Its nightlife is very popular, and a Jazz Festival takes place in May. - Goiás VelhoGoiás, GoiásGoiás is a small city and municipality in the state of Goiás in Brazil. The population was 24,072 in a total area of 3,108 km² . It is the former capital of the state and preserves much of its colonial heritage...
– Ancient capital of the State of Goiás, filled with magnificent and very well-preserved colonial architecture, also known by its popular parties and ceremonies, like the Fogaréu, in which masked men honor Christ's death and resurrection on Easter SundayEasterEaster is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
.
Sports
Football
Brasília is home to two major football teams:- Brasiliense Futebol ClubeBrasiliense Futebol ClubeThe Brasiliense Futebol Clube is a Brazilian football club, based in Taguatinga, Distrito Federal.Brasiliense wears yellow uniforms, hence one of its supporters' associations is named Febre Amarela...
from Taguatinga (Commonly called "Facção") - Sociedade Esportiva do GamaSociedade Esportiva do GamaGama is a Brazilian football team from Gama in Distrito Federal, founded on November 15, 1975.Gama greatest rival is Brasiliense.Their home stadium is the Bezerrão stadium, capacity 25,000. They play in green shirts, white shorts and green socks....
(Commonly called "Ira")
Neither of them have been successful in the First Division of the Brazilian Championship
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
The Campeonato Brasileiro de Clubes da Série A , popularly known as the Brasileirão , is a professional football league at the top of the Brazilian football league system held annually since 1959. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates a system of promotion and relegation with the Série B...
. Brasiliense at the moment plays Second Division, while Gama was relegated to the Third Division for 2009.
The main stadiums are the Estádio Mané Garrincha
Estádio Mané Garrincha
Estádio Nacional de Brasília is a multi-purpose stadium in Brasilia, Brazil. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium holds 45,200. The stadium was built in 1974....
and the Serejão
Serejão
Estádio Elmo Serejo Farias, usually known as Serejão or Estádio Boca do Jacaré, is a association football stadium in Taguatinga, DF, . The stadium holds 35,000 people. It was built in 1978...
.
Brasília is one of the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup
2014 FIFA World Cup
The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be the 20th FIFA World Cup, an international association football tournament that will take place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014....
and 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup
2013 FIFA Confederations Cup
The 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup will be held in Brazil in 2013, as a prelude to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The tournament is expected to be held from 15–30 June 2013...
, for which Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
is the host nation. The rebuilding of Garrincha Stadium is ongoing. The brand-new stadium which is being constructed in its place will be called National Stadium of Brasilia.
Brasília will also host football tournaments during the 2016 Summer Olympics
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, are a major international multi-sport event to be celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee...
to be held in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
.
Hang Gliding
Brasília is known as a departing point for the practice of unpowered air sportsAir sports
The term Air sports covers a range of aerial activities such as:* Aerobatics* Ballooning* General aviation including Air racing* Gliding* Hang gliding* Human powered aircraft* Model aircraft* Parachuting* Paragliding...
, sports that may be practiced with hang gliding
Hang gliding
Hang gliding is an air sport in which a pilot flies a light and unmotorized foot-launchable aircraft called a hang glider ....
or paragliding wings. Practitioners of such sports reveal that, because of the city's dry weather, the city offers strong thermal winds and great "cloud-streets", which is also the name for a manoeuvre quite appreciated by practitioners. The national capital hosted the 14th Hang Gliding World Championship, one of the categories of free flying, in 2003. And in 2005, from August 21 to 27, it has host the 2nd stage of the Brazilian Hang Gliding Championship.
Motor Sport
Brasília is the site of the Autódromo Internacional Nelson PiquetAutódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet (Brasília)
Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet is a race course in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. With 5.476 km of length, the name of the circuit was originally Autódromo de Brasília at the establishment in 1974, but later changed to the current name...
which hosted a non-championship round of the 1974 Formula One Grand Prix season
1974 Formula One season
The 1974 Formula One season was the 25th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1974 World Championship of F1 Drivers and the 1974 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, contested concurrently over a fifteen race series which commenced on 13 January and ended on 6 October...
.
Basketball
The city is home to Uniceub BRB, one of Brazil's best basketball clubs. Currently NBBNovo Basquete Brasil
Novo Basquete Brasil is the Brazilian premier profissional men's basketball league. Organized by the Liga Nacional de Basquete , in a new format to the Campeonato Brasileiro de Basquete, this league is managed for the first time by 19 Brazilian basketball associations, all LNB founding...
champion (2010 and 2011). The club host some of its games at the 16,000 seat Nilson Nelson Gymnasium.
Notable people in Brasília
KakáKaká
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club...
, soccer player born in the satellite city of Gama and plays for Real Madrid (previously played for AC Milan and São Paulo).
Legião Urbana
Legião Urbana
Legião Urbana were a Brazilian rock band formed in 1982 in Brasília, Distrito Federal. The band primarily consisted of Renato Russo , Dado Villa-Lobos and Marcelo Bonfá...
(Portuguese for Urban Legion) were a Brazilian rock band formed in 1982 in Brasília, Distrito Federal. The band primarily consisted of Renato Russo
Renato Russo
Renato Russo was a Brazilian singer and songwriter. His first band was a punk rock band called "Aborto Elétrico" . The band then broke up and split in two different ones: "Capital Inicial" and "Legião Urbana"...
(vocals), Dado Villa-Lobos
Dado Villa-Lobos
Dado Villa-Lobos is a Brazilian musician, best known as the ex-guitarist of post-punk band Legião Urbana. Along with singer Renato Russo and drummer Marcelo Bonfá, he was one of the founding members of that band, who formed in Brasilia in 1982...
(guitar) and Marcelo Bonfá
Marcelo Bonfá
Marcelo Augusto Bonfá , also known simply as Bonfá, is a Brazilian musician. Famous for being the drummer of the famous rock band Legião Urbana, after its disestablishment he started to follow solo career, releasing three albums as of yet.-Biography:Bonfá was born in the city of Itapira, in the...
(drums).
Twin towns / Sister cities
| Abuja Abuja Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos... , Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in... Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... , Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China People's Republic of China China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres... Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... Bogotá Bogotá Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district... , Colombia Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the... Boston Boston Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... , Massachusetts Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent... , Argentina Argentina Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires... (since 2002) |
Doha Doha Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar... , Qatar Qatar Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its... Khartoum Khartoum Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"... , Sudan Sudan Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the... Lima Lima Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima... , Peru Peru Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.... Lisbon Lisbon Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban... , Portugal Portugal Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the... Montevideo Montevideo Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento... , Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area... Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... Xi'an Xi'an Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty... , China People's Republic of China China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres... (since 1997) |
See also
- Flag of the Brazilian Federal DistrictFlag of the Brazilian Federal DistrictThe flag of the Brazilian Federal District was created by the poet Guilherme de Almeida, and officialized on August 26, 1969. The Cross of Brasília in the center symbolizes the indigenous heritage and the strength that hails in all directions. White stands for peace and green stands for the...
- Coat of arms of the Brazilian Federal DistrictCoat of arms of the Brazilian Federal DistrictThe coat of arms of the Brazilian Federal District was conceived by the poet Guilherme de Almeida, and instituted on September 12, 1960. Avoiding traditional heraldry, the design features innovative shapes, similar to the architecture of the Brazilian capital created by Oscar Niemeyer.The shield,...
- List of World Heritage Sites in the Americas
Planned capital cities
- Australia's capital CanberraCanberraCanberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, also a purpose-built city - IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's capital New Delhi - Malaysia's PutrajayaPutrajayaPutrajaya is a planned city, located 25km south of Kuala Lumpur, that serves as the federal administrative centre of Malaysia. The seat of government was shifted in 1999 from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya, due to the overcrowding and congestion in the Kuala Lumpur areas...
, the federal administrative center of the country, also a purpose-built city - PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
's capital IslamabadIslamabadIslamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
, also a purpose-built in the 1960s - The United States's capital Washington D.C.