Rio de Janeiro (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʁi.u dʒi ʒɐˈne(j)ɾu] ⓘ, [ˈʁi.u dʒɐˈ-])[a] is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil.

[6][7][8][9] The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast (assigned by IBGE).

Rio de Janeiro shares borders with all the other states in the same Southeast macroregion: Minas Gerais (N and NW), Espírito Santo (NE) and São Paulo (SW).

The original demonym for the State of Rio de Janeiro is fluminense, from Latin flumen, fluminis, meaning "river".

During the first years of the Brazilian Republic, carioca came to be the name given to those who lived in the city's slums or a pejorative used to refer to the bureaucratic elite of the Federal District.

Only when the city lost its status as Federal District (to Brasília) and became the State of Guanabara in 1960 did carioca become an official demonym along with guanabarino.

There followed a process of cultural enhancement influenced not only by the arrival of the royal family, but also by the presence of European graphic artists who were hired to record the society and Brazilian natural features.

In the 1970s, with the transfer of the capital to Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro began to be one of the worst states in the country in terms of economic dynamism.

Everyone referred a friend, a relative to take a position in the federal district," explains Marieta de Moraes Ferreira, history professor at UFRJ.

Left-wing governors and mayors such as Leonel Brizola, Saturnino Braga, Marcello Allencar, César Maia, Anthony Garotinho, and Benedita da Silva, among others, helped drive away many industries that still existed in the state.

But oil revenues, used by the government to repay financing debts, including the payroll of idle workers, fell to 1.6 billion reais.

Petrobras became the target of the largest anti-corruption operation in Brazil, with the participation of governors such as Sérgio Cabral Filho and Pezão, linked to leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, pushing back investments that were to be at the forefront of the pre-salt exploration.

Even when state municipalities received millions of reais in royalties, public spending was used for marginal improvements, for beautification, such as porcelain floors, whale-shaped monuments, without generating revenue or benefit.

[11][12][13][14][15] The state is part of the Mata Atlântica biome and is made up of two distinct morphological areas: a coastal plain, known as baixada, and a plateau, which are disposed in parallel fashion from the shoreline on the Atlantic Ocean inland towards Minas Gerais.

There are prominent slopes near the ocean, featuring also diverse environments, such as restinga vegetation, bays, lagoons and tropical forests.

The highest point of the state, the Pico das Agulhas Negras (Black Needles Peak) is located in the Serra da Mantiqueira which forms the physical border with neighbouring Minas Gerais.

Frost is not uncommon in some mountainous cities such as Teresópolis, Nova Friburgo and Petrópolis and snow has been reported occasionally in the Itatiaia National Park.

In the mountains annual mean temperatures are around 18 °C (64 °F) but can range from 20 °C (68 °F) at an elevation of 600 to 700 metres (2,000 to 2,300 ft) above sea level to 7 °C (45 °F) in the Itatiaia National Park.

[17] Other European ethnic groups, such as Swiss, Finnish and Germans settled mostly in the mountainous areas (Nova Friburgo, Petrópolis, etc.)

Rio de Janeiro (state) exports: petroleum 44.8%, fuel 17.5%, siderurgy 13%, chemicals 3.6%, nonferrous metals 2.8%, vehicles 2.1% (2002).

According to Embratur, it is the most sought-after destination by foreign tourists who visit Brazil for leisure, and second place in business and events tourism.

[39] Christ the Redeemer, elected one of the seven wonders of the modern world, Sugarloaf (with its famous cable car), Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, Copacabana, Ipanema and Barra da Tijuca beaches, Tijuca forest, Quinta da Boa Vista, Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, Cinelândia and the Maracanã stadium are among the main visiting points.

[40][41][42][39] The state of Rio de Janeiro is one of the best in the country in terms of infrastructure, although it has some shortcomings, mainly due to its mountainous terrain.

Also of note is the Metropolitan Arc, which surrounds the capital with the aim of removing unnecessary traffic from this area, and which is in the process of being fully completed, with only 23 km of duplication of an old existing section missing.

According to data from the official Brazilian travel bureau, Embratur, nearly 40% of foreign tourists who visit Brazil choose Rio as their gateway, meaning Galeão Airport.

There are special shuttle buses linking Galeão to Santos Dumont, and bus and taxi service to the rest of the city.

The airport complex also has Brazil's longest runway at 4,240 metres (13,910 ft), and one of South America's largest and best equipped cargo logistics terminals.

[60][61] In the state of Rio, Olympic medalists were born such as: Martine Grael, Clínio de Freitas, Daniel Adler, Eduardo Penido, Isabel Swan, Kiko Pelicano, Marcelo Ferreira, Marcos Soares, Nelson Falcão and Ronaldo Senfft in yachting;[62][63] Thiago Pereira, Bruno Fratus and Jorge Fernandes in swimming;[64][65][66] Robson Caetano and José Telles da Conceição in athletics;[67][68] Luiz Felipe de Azevedo in horse riding; Afrânio da Costa and Fernando Soledade in shooting; Affonso Évora, Alfredo da Motta, Algodão, Edson Bispo, Fernando Brobró, Fritz, Marcus Vinícius Dias, Ruy de Freitas and Sérgio Macarrão in basketball; Adriana Samuel, Ana Cristina, André Nascimento, Bernard, Bernardinho, Bruninho, Fabiana Alvim, Fernanda Ferreira, Fernandão, Janina, Kátia Lopes, Leandro Vissotto, Marcelo Elgarten, Nalbert, Rui, Tande, Thaísa and Valeskinha in volleyball;[69] Bárbara Seixas, Jackie Silva, Raquel da Silva, Sandra Pires in beach volleyball, in addition to Hugo Calderano, the greatest table tennis player in the history of Brazil;[70] Nelson Piquet, three-time F1 world champion,[71] Bob Burnquist, considered one of the greatest skateboarders of all time [72] and Marcus Vinicius D'Almeida, archery world runner-up.

[73] An eagle, symbol of Brazil's royal family, appears on the state flag with the rock formation Dedo de Deus ("The Finger of God") near Teresópolis in the background.