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Rio is the second largest city in Brazil and the state capital of Rio de Janeiro. The city is best known for its beaches (Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Barra) carnival, football, music and its well preserved tropical forests. Rio de Janeiro, known as the cidade maravilhosa, the marvelous city, is nothing if not exhilarating. Flanked by gorgeous mountains, whitesand beaches and verdant rainforests fronting deep blue sea, Rio occupies one of the most spectacular settings of any metropolis in the world. Tack on one of the sexiest populations on the planet and you have an intoxicating tropical cocktail that leaves visitors punchdrunk on paradise. Some of the most famous landmarks in addition to the beaches includes the giant statue of Christ, atop Corcovado mountain, (named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World), Sugarloaf mountain with its cable car,the Sambodromo,a giant permanent parade avenue lined with grandstands which is used during Carnival, and the Maracana stadium, the world largest football stadium. Rio de Janeiro will host the the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, and will be the first South American city to host the event.

The Rio carnival is probably the most famous party in the world.The main parade of Rio Carnival is at the Sambodrome, a massive concrete stadium-like structure built along Avenida Marques de Sapucai. The parade involves more then 50000 figurants, and a selected number of top samba schools. Most of the schools, representing many districts and social clubs and interests. Rio Carnival is centred in samba schools and themes selected for each year. The themes may be very diverse> they can be a myth, a historical or present event, a political or artistic personality, and must embrace every detail of the year’s school presentation. The lyrics, the music itself, the costumes of the figurants, the papiermâché figures and paintings of the allegoric car, all must accord with the selected theme.

Copacabana is a borough located in the southern zone of the city Rio de Janeiro, known for its 4 km beach which is one of the most famous in the world.Ipanema is a neighborhood located on the southern region of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between Leblon and Arpoador. The beach at Ipanema became widely known by the song "The Girl from Ipanema" "Garota de Ipanema", written by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes.

The Worlds Happiest CityEver since Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers appeared in the 1933 film Flying Down to Rio, the world has been fascinated with Rio de Janeiro. Popular perception of the city is infused with images of starryeyed youngsters dancing into the dusk, backed by imposing mountains and dark sea. That view has propelled Rio to the top of our list of the worlds happiest cities. Famous for its annual Carnaval festival, the secondlargest metropolis in South America finished first among 50 cities in a recent survey.Brazil is associated with all these qualities of good humor and good living and Carnaval," says Anholt. "Carnaval is very important its the classic image that people have of Rio, and its an image of happiness." Source: www.forbes.com