Quick answerRio de Janeiro is a city in Brazil, with 6,730,729 people inside the city limits in 2025. The wider metropolitan area had about 13.9 million people in 2025. It is best known for the Copacabana Beach, the Christ the Redeemer and the Sugarloaf Mountain. Its official language is Portuguese, and its currency is the Brazilian real.
Rio de Janeiro is the second-largest city in Brazil, with about 6.7 million people inside the city limits and about 13.9 million in the wider metropolitan area (2025). It stands on the Atlantic coast in south-eastern Brazil and is famous for Copacabana beach, Sugarloaf Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue.
Key facts
| Country | Brazil |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 6,730,729 (2025) |
| Population (metro) | 13,930,000 (2025) · Greater Rio de Janeiro metro area (UN World Urbanization Prospects estimate, via Macrotrends), 2025 |
| Elevation | 2 m above sea level |
| Time zone | America/Sao_Paulo |
| Language | Portuguese |
| Currency | Brazilian real (BRL, R$) |
| Coordinates | 22.9111° S, 43.2056° W |
Overview
Rio de Janeiro stands on the Atlantic coast in south-eastern Brazil, between the sea and forested granite mountains. With 6,730,729 residents inside the city limits in 2025, it is Brazil's second-largest city, and its metropolitan area of 13,930,000 people is the second largest in the country. The city covers 1,221 square kilometres and is known for its natural setting — the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, Sugarloaf Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado.
Rio was the capital of Brazil for nearly 200 years, from 1763 until Brasília took over in 1960, and it was the capital of the Portuguese Empire for a time after the royal family fled to Brazil in 1808. The city is famous for carnival, the world's largest, for samba and bossa nova, and for football at the Maracanã stadium. Rio hosted the 2014 World Cup final and the 2016 Summer Olympics. Its historic centre, old port and the Carioca landscapes are a UNESCO World Heritage site.
What Rio de Janeiro is known for
- Copacabana Beach
- Christ the Redeemer
- Sugarloaf Mountain
- Carnival
- Samba
Landmarks
- Christ the Redeemer
- Sugarloaf Mountain
- Copacabana Beach
- Ipanema Beach
- Maracanã Stadium
- Selarón Steps
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro had 6,730,729 residents inside the city limits in 2025, according to IBGE, making it the second-largest city in Brazil. Its metropolitan area had 13,930,000 people. The city covers 1,221 square kilometres on the Atlantic coast in south-eastern Brazil.
Where is Rio de Janeiro and what is it known for?
Rio de Janeiro is on the Atlantic coast in south-eastern Brazil, between the sea and forested granite mountains. It is known for Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, Sugarloaf Mountain, the Christ the Redeemer statue, carnival and samba. Rio was the capital of Brazil until 1960.
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Keep exploring
- Brazil — the country Rio de Janeiro is in
- São Paulo — another city in Brazil
- Brasília — another city in Brazil
- Salvador — another city in Brazil
- All cities in Brazil
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.