Resource information
Despite Rio de Janeiro's privileged
position as Brazil's historical capital (from the
eighteenth century until 1960) and as a major center for
tourism, culture, and education, the city and its region
(collectively known as the metropolitan region of Rio de
Janeiro) confronted significant challenges during the final
decades of the twentieth century. Since the relocation of
the national capital to Brasilia, ongoing industrial
restructuring, and social inequality contributed to declines
in the region's share of Brazil's population and
gross domestic product (GDP). However, since 2001, the
region has entered a new period of expansion, based on the
surging petrochemical and metallurgical industries, and port
and logistics services. Also promising for development over
the coming years, the city will host the 2014 World cup
final game and the 2016 summer Olympics. With this in mind,
the World Bank, with a guarantee from Brazil's federal
government, is funding the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan urban
and housing Development Policy Loan (DPL).
