NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS CURRICULUM SUPPORT
Geography
Human Environments:
Urban Change
A Case Study of Rio de Janeiro
[INTERMEDIATE 1;
INTERMEDIATE 2]
The Scottish Qualifications Authority regularly reviews
the arrangements for National Qualifications. Users of
all NQ support materials, whether published by
Learning and Teaching Scotland or others, are
reminded that it is their responsibility to check that the
support materials correspond to the requirements of the
current arrangements.
Acknowledgement
Learning and Teaching Scotland gratefully acknowledges this contribution to the National
Qualifications support programme for Geography.
The following images have been reproduced from National Qualification Exam Papers with the
kind permission of the Scottish Qualifications Authority: Figure 2.1: Reasons for Rural to
Urban Migration in ELDCs; Figure 3.1: Structure of a city in an ELDC; Figure 5.3: A Typical
Favela in Rio de Janeiro; Figure 5.4: Problems in Rio’s Favelas; Figure 6.1: A Self-Help
Scheme.
The following photos have been reproduced from www.sxc.hu: Figure 4.2: Christ the
Redeemer; Figure 4.4: District of Ipanema; Figure 7.1: Barra Apartment Blocks; Figure 7.2:
Barra da Tijuca Beach; Figure 8.1: Traffic Congestion in Rio; Figure 9.1: Industry in
Guanabara Bay.
The following photo has been reproduced from www.bigfoto.com: Figure 7.1: Roçinha - Rio’s
Largest Favela.
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
This resource may be reproduced in whole or in part for educational purposes by educational
establishments in Scotland provided that no profit accrues at any stage.
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Contents
Section 1:
Urbanisation
4
Section 2:
Rural–urban migration
7
Section 3:
The structure of cities in ELDCs
9
Section 4:
Case study of a city in an ELDC: Rio de Janeiro
11
Section 5:
Rio de Janeiro: favelas
17
Section 6:
Rio de Janeiro: improving the favelas
22
Section 7:
Rio de Janeiro: wealthy suburbs
24
Section 8:
Rio de Janeiro: transport problems
27
Section 9:
Rio de Janeiro: environmental problems
30
Section 10:
Glossary
33
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URBANISATION
Section 1: Urbanisation
The increase in population living in towns and cities is known as
urbanisation. It is mainly a result of the migration of people from rural
to urban areas.
Figure 1.1: Urbanisation in ELDCs and EMDCs
Economically Less
Developed Countries
40%
60%
Economically More
Developed Countries
Urban
25%
Rural
75%
In EMDCs (Economically More Developed Countries) most people
(75%) live in towns or cities. Urbanisation started during the
nineteenth century and continued into the twentieth century. In the UK
cities such as Glasgow grew in population as people moved to find
work in the heavy industries such as steel production and shipbuilding.
In ELDCs (Economically Less Developed Countries) most people still
live in the countryside (60%), although this is changing. In Africa,
Asia and South America urbanisation has occurred mainly since the end
of the Second World War.
Cities across the developing world are growing in size at a rapid rate.
At the end of 2005, the world had 350 cities with a population of over 1
million people. China alone has 33 cities with over 1 million
inhabitants.
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URBANISATION
The 20 largest urban areas in the world (as of 2005) are shown in
Figure 1.2.
Task 1: Urbanisation
(a)
(i)
When did urbanisation start in developed countries
(EMDCs)?
(ii) When did urbanisation begin in ELDCs?
(b)
(i)
Using an Atlas, complete Table 1.3 on page 6, naming the
countries in which the largest urban areas are located.
(ii) Mark with an asterix (*) the cites in ELDCs (developing
world)
(iii) How many of the world’s 20 largest urban areas are in
ELDCs (developing countries)?
Figure 1.2: Location of the world’s largest urban areas
Developed world (ELDCs)
Moscow
Seoul
Beijing
New York
Los Angeles
Cairo
Shanghai
Karachi Delhi
Dhaka
Tokyo
Osaka
Manila
Mexico
City
Mumbai
Kolkata
Jakarta
Sao
Paolo
Rio de Janeiro
Buenos
Aires
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URBANISATION
Table 1.3: The world’s 20 largest urban areas
Urban Area &
Population (millions)
Country
Urban Area &
Population (millions)
1
Tokyo (34.1)
11
Osaka (16.8)
2
Mexico City (22.7)
12
Kolkata** (15.6)
3
Seoul (22.3)
13
Cairo (15.5)
4
New York (21.9)
14
Manila (14.9)
5
Sao Paulo (20.2)
15
Karachi (14.1)
6
Mumbai* (19.5)
16
Moscow (13.8)
7
Delhi (19.5)
17
Buenos Aires (13.4)
8
Los Angeles (18.0)
18
Dhaka (13.1)
9
Shanghai (17.9)
19
Rio de Janeiro (12.1)
10
Jakarta (17.2)
20
Beijing (12.0)
Country
Source: www.geography.about.com
Note
*Mumbai was previously known as Bombay
**Kolkata was previously known as Calcutta
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RURAL–URBAN MIGRATION
Section 2: Rural–urban migration
The reasons why people choose to leave the countryside and move to
large cities is the result of push and pull factors. These are shown in
Figure 2.1.
Figure 2.1: Reasons for rural–urban migration in ELDCs
PUSH FACTORS
PULL FACTORS
movement
of people
 Farming the land is very hard
and low paid work
 Desertification and soil
erosion make farming more
difficult
 Drought and famine
 Few doctors and hospitals
 Lack of education
 Poor roads and transport
 Better paid jobs in
factories
 Higher standard of living
 Good reports from family
who live in the city
 Better schools and
education
 Better public transport
 Entertainment and night
life
Across the developing world, many millions of people have chosen to
give up their way of life as subsistence farmers. This basic type of
farming only produces enough food for individuals and their families,
and making a living is often very difficult. City life seems more
appealing and many people choose to migrate there.
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RURAL–URBAN MIGRATION
However, the sheer volume of people migrating into cities in the
developing world has caused major problems. There are simpl y not
enough jobs and houses to cope with a rapidly growing population. As
a result most of the migrants cannot get jobs: they remain poor and
cannot afford to rent or buy property. Some remain homeless and live
rough on the streets, but most choose to build their own houses, often
illegally, with whatever materials they can get their hands on.
Large squatter settlements or shanty towns are often the result of rapid
urbanisation. These are named differently around the world: for
instance in India they are called bustees; in Brazil they are known as
favelas.
Task 2: Rural–urban migration
(a)
(i)
What is subsistence farming?
(ii) Give four reasons why people are giving up the rural way of
life.
(b)
(i)
What attracts people to large cities in ELDCs?
(ii) What are the problems of large numbers of people migrating
in ELDCs?
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THE STRUCTURE OF CITIES IN ELDCs
Section 3: The structure of cities in ELDCs
Figure 3.1: Structure of a city in an ELDC
Shanty Towns
CBD
This area has high rise
buildings and office blocks. It
is a busy, congested area with
shops, many services and
traditional street markets.
The shanty towns or
squatter settlements are
found at the edge of the
city, many kilometres from
the CBD. They occupy less
desirable areas, such as
steep hillsides, swamps or
near polluting factories.
High Quality Housing
Mainly luxury apartment blocks for
the wealthy. Found near the CBD
and main roads to allow access to the
jobs and services in the city centre.
CBD
Periferia
An area of low
quality housing. forty
years ago this was a
squatter area, but is
now legal and well
established. The
name ‘periferia’
means edge or
periphery of the city.
Industrial Zone
Factories locate along
transport links (main
roads and railways).
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THE STRUCTURE OF CITIES IN ELDCs
Task 3
Using Figure 3.1, complete the blanks in the paragraph below:
As in EMDCs, cities in ELDCs also have a CBD. This contains many
services and tall _________ ____________, although traditional
__________ ____________ are also located here. Around the CBD is
an area of ________ quality housing with luxury ________________.
The people who live here work nearby in services in the CBD. Outside
this area the ______________ is found. This is an area of _____
quality housing, although improvements have been made in recent
years. On the edge of the city, the shanty towns or _________ __
________________ can be found. These are ______________ areas
with very basic housing and few services, set up by migrants from rural
areas. The poorest people live here. In ELDC cities, industry is found
along the main transport routes such as __________ and
______________.
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CASE STUDY OF A CITY IN AN ELDC: RIO DE JANEIRO
Section 4: Case study of a city in an ELDC: Rio de
Janeiro
Location
Rio de Janeiro is on Brazil’s Atlantic
coast, in the south-east of the country. It
is situated next to a large natural harbour
known as Guanabara Bay.
Figure 4.1: Location of Rio
Rio was named by the Portuguese
explorer, Gaspar de Lemos, in January
1501. He mistakenly thought that
Guanabara Bay was a wide river mouth
and he gave it the name Rio de Janeiro,
meaning ‘River of January’.
The city is the second largest in Brazil
and was the country’s capital city until
1960, when Brasilia took its place. Six
million people live within the city
boundaries, but 12 million actually live in the wider built-up area.
Geography
In terms of scenery, Rio is one of the most breathtaking ci ties in the
world. The city is squeezed into a narrow strip of land between the
coastline and a steep range of forested mountains.
Miles of sandy beaches and coastal lagoons are overlooked by very
steep mountains including Sugar Loaf Mountain and the Corcovado,
which rises to over 700 metres. The Corcovado is world famous for
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CASE STUDY OF A CITY IN AN ELDC: RIO DE JANEIRO
the 40-metre high statue of Christ the Redeemer at its top,
overlooking the city (see Figure 4.2).
Figure 4.2: Christ the Redeemer
Image from www.sxc.hu
Industry
Rio is the top visitor destination in South America and tourism is the
city’s biggest industry. The sandy beaches of Copacabana and
Ipanema, the hot sunny climate, the magnificent scenery and the
spectacular annual carnival attract visitors from all over the world.
For centuries Rio was Brazil’s largest and most important city.
Although Sao Paolo has overtaken it in size and population, it is still
very important to Brazil. Rio’s main manufacturing industries
include chemicals, pharmaceuticals, clothing, furniture and processed
foods. Service industries are also very important and Rio is a major
centre for banking, finance and insurance.
Rio is also still a major port from where coffee, sugar, and iron ore
are exported to all parts of the world.
The main areas of Rio de Janeiro are shown in Figure 4.3.
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CASE STUDY OF A CITY IN AN ELDC: RIO DE JANEIRO
Figure 4.3: Map of Rio de Janeiro

Guanabara Bay
Penha
Fundao
Rio-Niteroi Bridge
North Zone
Port Area
Niteroi
Maracana
Centro

Pica Tijuca (1022m)
Lin
e
Corcovado
(740m)
Ye
llo
w



Botafogo
West
Zone
Sugar Loaf (395m)
Rocinha

Copacabana
Ipanema
Tijuca Lagoon
0
Pedra da
Gavea (845m)
Barra da Tijuca
South Zone
5km
Key
Tijuca National Forest Park

Shanty towns (favelas)
Industrial areas
International airport
Motorways/expressways

Granite mountains
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CASE STUDY OF A CITY IN AN ELDC: RIO DE JANEIRO
Main areas of Rio de Janeiro
Rio is separated into four main zones:
Centro
Centro (or Central Business District) is the oldest part of town and
contains many historical buildings, including the Imperial Palace and
the main cathedral, along with many shops and market stalls. Tall
office blocks and service industries dominate the skyline of the city
centre. Some of Brazil’s largest organisations have their headquarters
in Rio’s CBD, including Petrobras (Brazil’s largest oil company) and
CVRD (its largest mining firm).
South Zone
This South Zone was originally made up of small fishing villages
including Copacabana and Ipanema (see Figure 4.4). They only
became connected to Rio when road tunnels were built under the
mountains. The main tourist hotels and beaches are located here
beside luxury flats. However there are large areas of poverty nearby
on the steep hillsides overlooking the South Zone, notably Ro çinha,
which is South America’s largest slum.
Figure 4.4: The district of Ipanema
Image from www.sxc.hu
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CASE STUDY OF A CITY IN AN ELDC: RIO DE JANEIRO
North Zone
This is the industrial part of Rio and includes the docks and
warehouses around the main port area. The airport and the main
football stadium, the Maracanã, are also located here. This part of the
city is an area of mainly low quality housing and poor servi ces,
known as the ‘periferia’. Many shanty towns have grown up on the
edge of the city, where migrants from rural areas of Brazil are forced
to settle.
West Zone
This is the most modern area in Rio. It includes the areas of
Jacarepagua and Barra De Tijuca, a wealthy coastal suburb to the
south west of the city. Barra has many luxury apartment blocks,
shopping malls, and recreational and tourist facilities such as hotels,
restaurants and theme parks. New motorways connect this area with
the rest of the city.
Task 4: Rio de Janeiro
Read pages 11–15 of this unit and answer the questions below:
(a)
How did the city of Rio de Janeiro get its name?
(b)
Rio is known as the ‘Cidade Maravilhosa’ which means
marvellous city. Explain why Rio is one of the most picturesque
cities in the world.
(c)
Give four reasons why Rio de Janeiro is a popular tourist
destination.
(d)
Apart from tourism, what other industries are located in Rio?
(e)
What goods are exported from Rio’s harbour?
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CASE STUDY OF A CITY IN AN ELDC: RIO DE JANEIRO
(f)
Complete the table below using the information on pages 14–15
to show the main features of Rio’s four main zones.
Zone
Main types of housing
Other features/
main activities
Centro
North
South
West
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RIO DE JANEIRO: FAVELAS
Section 5: Rio de Janeiro: favelas
Over the last 50 years, millions of people have migrated from rural
Brazil to large cities such as Rio, in the hope of better employment and
a better standard of living.
In reality, there are not enough jobs or houses for all the migrants when
they arrive. With no place to stay, they have set up their homes on
many of Rio’s hillsides and unused areas (near swamps and rubbish
dumps), and built their houses from basic materials. These illegal
squatter settlements are known as favelas. The name comes from a
wild flower which grows on the hillsides. Rio has over 600 favelas.
Figure 5.1: Population growth in Rio 1950–2000
6.0
Population (Millions)
5.0
Favela Population
Total Population
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
Year
Rio’s population has trebled since 1950 to 6 million. This rapid growth
and lack of housing means that over 1.3 million live in the favelas. The
population of Rio’s favelas is growing by 100,000 each year as people
continue to migrate.
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RIO DE JANEIRO: FAVELAS
Roçinha
Roçinha (refer to Figure 4.3 for its location) is Rio’s largest and oldest
favela with an estimated population of 150,000. This area of slum
housing is found on a very steep hillside in Rio’s South Zone,
overlooking the beach districts of Copacabana and Ipanema.
Roçinha’s first shacks were built in the 1940s, but the main growth of
the area was during the 1970s and 1980s with the construction of Barra
da Tijuca, a nearby wealthy suburb. Migrants were attracted by the
prospect of jobs in the construction industry.
Figure 5.2: Roçinha – Rio’s largest favela
Image from www.bigfoto.com
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RIO DE JANEIRO: FAVELAS
Rio’s favelas have a number of major problems:
Poor housing and services
Houses in favelas are built illegally with basic materials such as scrap
wood, corrugated iron, broken bricks and even plastic sheets. About
12% of the households in Rio do not have running water, over 30%
have no sewage connections and 30% have no electricity. Residents
use illegal connections or ‘gatos’ to overhead pylons to secure
electricity, which is very dangerous. This can cause fires to start and
people to be electrocuted.
Figure 5.3: A typical favela in Rio de Janeiro
Overcrowding and poor health
Rio’s favelas are incredibly overcrowded. On average 37,000 people
are crammed into each square kilometre of favela. With the poor
sanitation, diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea spread quickly. The
life expectancy in a Rio favela is only 56. Infant mortality rates are
also high: 50 infants per 1000 will not reach the age of one.
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RIO DE JANEIRO: FAVELAS
Lack of jobs
Unemployment rates are high (around 20%). Most of those who are
employed have jobs in the informal sector (black market) as street
vendors, drivers, labourers, maids or producing sewing and handicraft
work for the local street market. Jobs in the informal sector are poorly
paid (less than $100 a month) and work is irregular.
Crime
Rio’s favelas are controlled by criminal gangs who are involved in
drugs, gun crime, bank robberies, kidnapping and murder – 80 people
are killed each day in Rio. Roçinha is one of Rio’s most feared areas
and the police hardly ever patrol on foot unless they are heavily armed.
If a problem develops they will often shoot down from a helicopter into
the slum.
Landslides
Heavy rainfall from tropical storms can cause mudslides on Rio’s steep
hills. In 1988 landslides killed 277 people and left another 13,000
homeless as their flimsy houses were swept away.
Task 5: Rio’s favelas
Read pages 17–20 and answer the questions below:
(a)
How did Rio’s ‘favelas’ get their name?
(b)
Describe three different locations where favelas are likely to be
found.
(c)
What is Rio’s oldest favela and how many people live there?
(d)
What materials are the houses in favelas made from?
(e)
What are the health problems in Rio’s favelas?
(f)
What are ‘gatos’ and why are they dangerous?
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RIO DE JANEIRO: FAVELAS
(g)
What is the informal sector? Give three examples of jobs found in
this sector.
(h)
Describe two problems of working in the informal sector.
(i)
Describe the methods used by police to control crime in the
Rocinha favela.
(j)
Using pages 19–20, complete Figure 5.4 below to summarise the
main problems of living in a favela in Rio de Janeiro.
Figure 5.4: Problems of Rio’s favelas
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RIO DE JANEIRO: IMPROVING THE FAVELAS
Section 6: Rio de Janeiro: improving the favelas
Rio’s authorities initally wanted to bulldoze the favelas as they are
illegal, but they realised this would simply cause thousand s of people to
move elsewhere. Today, two different methods of improving the
favelas are used in Rio de Janeiro:
1.
Self-help schemes
A self-help scheme is a small scale
project, which uses the skills of the
local people to upgrade their house
and their neighbourhood.
Figure 6.1: A self-help scheme
Rio’s local authority does not have
the money to build large housing
areas, but it can provide the residents
with basic materials such as bricks,
tiles, wood, cement and glass to
improve their own homes.
As a result of self-help schemes, most of the housing in Roçinha has
been upgraded, and almost all the houses are now made from concrete
or brick. 75% of homes now have electricity and many have satellite or
cable television. Over time Roçinha has changed from a poor, illegal
settlement to a legal area of low quality housing. Many services have
since been established in Roçinha including shops, banks and cafés.
2.
Site and service schemes
Unlike self-help schemes, with site and service schemes the local
authority takes control of building projects. The Favela Bairro Project
or ‘Slum to Neighbourhood’ project was an attempt to bring favela
areas in line with the rest of Rio. The project was started in 1994 and
targets smaller favelas with 500 to 2,500 homes. Larger brick houses
are built, sanitation and water supplies are installed and people may be
allowed eventually to buy their homes. Facilities in the area are also
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RIO DE JANEIRO: IMPROVING THE FAVELAS
improved including the building of health clinics, schools and sports
areas for recreation, and the widening of streets for emergency services
and refuse collection lorries.
Success or failure?
These schemes have proved to be a success; 500,000 people in Rio have
benefited in some way from these improvements. Installing water pipes
and sewers has greatly improved health and reduced disease. The
Favela Bairro Project also generates income for the council as families
have to pay rent for the new homes. However, the Favela Bairro
Scheme is no use to families without jobs who cannot afford the rent.
Task 6: Improving the favelas
(a)
What is a ‘self-help scheme’?
(b)
Describe in detail the improvements made to housing in the
Roçinha favela.
(c)
How is the Favela Bairro Project different from self -help schemes?
(d)
What are the positives and negatives of site and se rvice schemes?
Do you think they have been a success?
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RIO DE JANEIRO: WEALTHY SUBURBS
Section 7: Rio de Janeiro: wealthy suburbs
Location and Growth
Barra da Tijuca is a modern coastal suburb in Rio’s West Zone, next to
the Tijuca lagoon (see Figure 4.3 on page 13). Many of the residents of
Rio’s South Zone have moved the 20 kilometres down the coast to
Barra. It is the fastest growing part of Rio de Janeiro.
Until the 1970s, this area was inaccessible and cut off from the rest of
Rio. The construction of a four-lane motorway with tunnels under Rio’s
many mountains enabled this area to be developed. A new expressway,
the Yellow Line, provides direct access to the centre of Rio.
This modern area is appealing as it has less crime, better housing and is
much less congested. This process of people moving out of cities is
known as counter-urbanisation and is unusual for a city in an ELDC.
Housing in Barra da Tijuca
Most of Barra’s 130,000 residents live in
luxurious and spacious apartment blocks
that are between 10 and 30 storeys in
height (see Figure 7.1)
Fig 7.1: Barra apartment block
Security is a high priority and the
residents are protected by modern security
entrances with CCTV, underground
parking, window shutters and bars, alarm
systems and 24-hour security guards who
are often armed to deter criminals.
Apartment blocks contain every modern
convenience including satellite TV,
swimming pools, jacuzzis and saunas;
they often have shops and laundries in the
basement.
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Image from www.sxc.hu
RIO DE JANEIRO: WEALTHY SUBURBS
People who live in Barra are usually from the wealthy classes and it is
quite common for them to employ maids, cooks and gardeners.
Services in Barra da Tijuca
Barra da Tijuca has an American feel to it: it is very unlike Brazil and
more typical of Los Angeles or Miami Beach. It is a self-contained
city: it has everything that its residents need, including well-paid office
jobs, modern schools, hospitals, a university, parks, restaurants and
cinemas. A monorail and numerous dual carriageways allow easy
movement around the town.
Barra has a 5-kilometre stretch of shopping malls and hypermarkets, the
largest retail complex in South America with over 700 shops. Malls are
spacious and air conditioned with large car parks. Retailers such as
Wal-Mart and Makro have located here and in the São Conrado Fashion
Mall, outlets sell luxury designer goods such as Armani. Barra’s
wealthy shoppers are also well protected from pickpockets and
criminals by armed security guards and CCTV cameras in each mall.
Tourism in Barra
Barra is a very popular area for
tourism and recreation. It has an
18-kilometre beach, the longest
in Rio, which has excellent
conditions for bathing, sailing,
surfing, windsurfing and fishing.
The beach front area is lined with
many five-star hotels with
spectacular views of the Atlantic
coast. Numerous cafés,
restaurants and nightclubs are
also found along the promenade.
Figure 7.2: Barra da Tijuca Beach
Image from www.sxc.hu
Barra also has a theme park called Terra Encantada, a championship
golf course and a large concert hall. Due to its excellent services, Barra
da Tijuca is the home to the athlete’s village for the 2007 Pan-American
Games, which are being held in Rio.
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RIO DE JANEIRO: WEALTHY SUBURBS
Task 7: Barra da Tijuca
Read pages 24–25 and answer the questions below.
(a)
Give three reasons why people want to leave Rio and move to
Barra to live.
(b)
Describe what is meant by counter-urbanisation.
(c)
Draw a spider diagram to show the ways in which the apartment
blocks in Barra are made safe and secure for the people who live
in them.
(d)
What evidence is there that Barra da Tijuca has an American
influence?
(e)
Explain why Barra is a very popular place for tourists (give at
least five reasons).
(f)
Label the sketch of Barra da Tijuca (Figure 7.3 below) with the
main features of the area (e.g. high rise apartments, dual
carriageway, beach, Tijuca lagoon, shopping malls, mountains of
Rio, Atlantic Ocean).
Figure 7.3: Sketch of Barra da Tijuca
L
MAL
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A CASE STUDY OF RIO DE JANEIRO (INT 1, INT 2, GEOGRAPHY)
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RIO DE JANEIRO: TRANSPORT PROBLEMS
Section 8: Rio de Janeiro: transport problems
Although the mountains that surround Rio are very picturesque, they
also hem the city in. A large volume of traffic is forced along a few
main roads causing severe congestion, noise and air pollution from
vehicle exhausts. Rio is world famous for its horrendous traffic jams, as
shown in Figure 8.1.
Figure 8.1: Traffic congestion in Rio
Image from www.sxc.hu
62% of the journeys in Rio are made by bus; 30% are by car; and only a
small percentage of journeys are via the metro system (5%) and rail
network (3%). A number of strategies have been put in place to deal
with the city’s transport problems:
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RIO DE JANEIRO: TRANSPORT PROBLEMS
1.
Rio-Niteroi Bridge
The Rio-Niteroi bridge is 14
kilometres long and was one of the
longest in the world when it opened in
1974. It connects Rio with the city of
Niteroi on the other side of
Guanabarra Bay, eliminating 80
kilometres from the road journey
around it, or a one-hour ferry crossing
(see Figure 4.3 on page 13).
Figure 8.2: Sketch of Rio-Niteroi
Bridge
However, due to rising car ownership,
each end of the bridge is completely
jammed at rush hour causing major congestion.
2.
The Yellow Line Expressway
The 21-kilometre ‘Yellow Line’ expressway was opened in 1997 and
connects Barra da Tijuca in the West Zone with Rio’s North Zone and
the international airport. It is shown on the map on page 13. Two 2kilometre long tunnels take it under the mountains of the Tijuca
National Park – the longest urban tunnels in the world. It is a toll road,
as Rio’s authorities did not have enough money to cover the cost of
building it.
Seventy thousand vehicles use the road each day, 13,000 more than
expected. So far the road has been successful in removing 40% of
traffic from local roads in its vicinity.
3.
Improving public transport: Rio’s Metro system
Rio’s Metro system opened in 1979. It has two lines totalling 25
kilometres with 24 stations, but it only accounts for 5% of all journeys
in Rio. Plans to increase the network to 75km of tracks are in place,
but will cost $2.1 billion. These improvements include:


28
extending Line 1 to the tourist areas of Copacabana (completed
2004) and Ipanema (under construction), greatly reducing the
number of buses on the roads;
building a new Line 3 from the city centre under Guanabarra Bay to
Niterói via a tunnel, easing the pressure on the road bridge;
A CASE STUDY OF RIO DE JANEIRO (INT 1, INT 2, GEOGRAPHY)
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RIO DE JANEIRO: TRANSPORT PROBLEMS


building a new Line 4 between Copacabana and Barra da Tijuca (26
kilometres); and
constructing a new Line 5 between the airport and the city centre.
Lines 3, 4 and 5 are still at the planning stage; the local authority has
yet to raise enough money to fund these projects. With Brazil bidding
for the 2014 football World Cup, and Rio likely to host the final,
improvements to the Metro are urgently required.
Task 8: Transport problems in Rio
Read pages 27–29 and complete the tasks below.
(a)
Using the figures on page 27, complete the pie chart and key below
(Figure 8.3) to show the methods of daily journeys made in Rio.
Figure 8.3: Daily journeys in Rio
Key
(b)
Give one advantage and one disadvantage of the Rio-Niterói Bridge.
(c)
Describe what the ‘Yellow Line’ is and comment on how successful
it has been in reducing traffic congestion.
(d)
Describe the main improvements planned for Rio’s Metro system.
(e) What has held up the expansion of the Metro system?
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RIO DE JANEIRO: ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
Section 9: Rio de Janeiro: environmental problems
Although Rio is one of the world’s most scenic cities, it is also one of
the most polluted. Environmental problems in Rio can be put into three
categories:
1.
Air pollution
Very often mist from the Atlantic Ocean mixes with exhaust fumes
from vehicles and pollutants from factory chimneys, creating a brown
smog that smothers the city. Air pollution is estimated to cause 5,000
deaths in the Rio area each year, as it causes respiratory diseases such
as bronchitis and lung cancer.
The Brazilian government has not passed any laws to help limit
atmospheric pollution, and toxins from vehicles and factories continue
to pollute the air on a daily basis. Until major improvements are
completed in public transport to encourage people off the roads, air
pollution will continue to be a major problem in Rio.
2.
Water pollution in Guanabara Bay
Pollution in Guanabara Bay is a major threat to wildlife and tourism.
The bay is home to hundreds of species of marine birds, fish, dolphins
and endangered mangrove swamps. At present, many areas are not
suitable for swimming and smell very badly; if this pol lution was to
spreads to the tourist areas of Copacabana and Ipanema, the local
economy and the thousands of jobs that tourism provides will be hit
hard.
There are two main sources of pollution in the bay:
(a)
Pollution from sewage
Rio’s sewer network has never been able to cope with the huge number
of people. Four hundred tonnes of untreated sewage pours into
Guanabara Bay each day.
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RIO DE JANEIRO: ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
(b)
Pollution from Industry and Shipping
Seventy tonnes of industrial
waste enters the bay each
day from factories in Rio’s
industrial zone.
Oil spills from shipping and
pipelines are also a problem.
In January 2000, 1.3 million
litres of fuel oil leaked from
the Petrobras oil refinery
causing an oil slick 40km 2
in size, which killed
thousands of fish and marine
bids.
Figure 9.1: Industry in Guanabara Bay
Image from www.sxc.hu
Guanabara Bay is also polluted by ships emptying their fuel tanks into
the harbour because the local port lacks the necessary equipment for
proper disposal.
Solutions
In 1994 the Guanabara Bay Clean Up Program was established. $300
million was spent on the construction of new sewage treatment plants in
an attempt to improve this problem. Phase 2 of the Program started in
2004 with another $400 million being spent on 12 new sewage works.
This will increase the number of homes in Rio with proper sewa ge
disposal from 35% to 50%, although much still needs to be done.
The local government could also bring in new environmental laws and
be stricter on those who pollute the environment. In February 2002, the
state of Rio de Janeiro fined the owners of the cruise ship Caronia
$400,000 after it deliberately released 7,500 gallons of gasoline into the
Bay, but such large fines are uncommon.
3.
Rio’s waste mountain
The worst problems with waste disposal exist in the favelas. For
instance Roçinha, Rio’s largest favela, has no proper roads, making
waste collection by lorry virtually impossible. Much of this rubbish is
dumped in locations where there is often very poor sanitation : this can
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RIO DE JANEIRO: ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
lead to diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera and other diseases, and to an
increase in rat populations. The dumping of loose litter on the steep
hillsides can cause landslides after periods of heavy rain.
Every two months, the city’s 6 million people produce enough rubbish
to fill the Maracanã stadium, one of the world’s la rgest football grounds
(it can hold 120,000 people). The traditonal way of disposing of solid
materials is to dump it in landfill sites. However, landfill sites are
eyesores and often produce dreadful smells.
Near Rio’s University, an unusual method of waste disposal is being
tried out, which brings benefits to the local area. A small power plant
has been set up using methane gas (biogas) produced from rotting
rubbish. This renewable form of energy will consume 30 tonnes of
garbage per day and produce 1 megawatt of electricity for the local
community, powering 1,000 homes. If this proves to be a success , more
schemes could be put in place across the city.
Task 9: Environmental Problems in Rio
Read pages 30–32 and answer the questions below:
(a)
What are the two main causes of air pollution in Rio de Janeiro?
(b)
What species of wildlife are threatened by pollution in Guanabara
Bay?
(c)
What impact could coastal pollution have on Rio’s tourism?
(d)
Give three reasons why Guanabara Bay is badly polluted.
(e)
What are the solutions to improving water quality in Guanabara
Bay?
(f)
Describe three problems found in Rio’s favelas due to the lack of
proper waste disposal.
(g)
What are the problems of using landfill sites to dispose of waste?
(h)
How can waste products be used to benefit local communities?
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GLOSSARY
Section 10: Glossary
Complete the glossary using the terms in the Word Box on the next
page.
________________
A shanty town in a Brazilian city
________________
Reasons that force people to move from the
countryside to the city
________________
Rio de Janeiro’s local rail network
________________
Illegal connections to the electricity supply in
slum areas
________________
Jobs that are not regulated and that workers often
do not pay tax on (also known as the black
market)
________________
Rio de Janeiro’s largest shanty town
________________
A wealthy beach suburb in Rio de Janeiro’s West
Zone
________________
The factors which attract migrants from the
countryside to big cities
________________
A person who lives in an illegal location
________________
A beach and tourist area in Rio De Janeiro’s
South Zone
________________
When people leave the city centre and move back
out to the edge of the city (suburbs)
________________
Shanty towns in India
________________
Where power stations generate electricity using
the gas from rotting rubbish
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GLOSSARY
________________
The growth of cities as people move from the
countryside to the city
________________
A mixture of smoke and fog
________________
A local authority project in Rio de Janeiro with
the aim of improving slum housing areas
________________
When people are provided with basic materials to
improve their own homes and neighbourhood
________________
An area of low quality housing in a Brazilian
city. It gets its name from being on the city’s
edge or periphery.
________________
A disease of poor sanitation found in shanty
towns
Word Box
Roçinha
urbanisation
metro
push factor
Copacabana
cholera
informal
sector
favela
Barra Da
Tijuca
Favela Bairro
bustees
pull factor
gatos
self-help
scheme
biogas
periferia
squatter
smog
counter-urbanisation
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