Greater Rio de Janeiro

Greater Rio de Janeiro is a metropolitan region in Rio de Janeiro state that brings together twenty-two municipalities from the Atlantic coast to the hills surrounding Guanabara Bay. The region forms a continuous urban area connecting several neighboring cities with the capital.

The metropolitan region was formally created in the nineteen-seventies, shortly before the state of Guanabara merged with the state of Rio de Janeiro. This reorganization changed the administrative structure of the entire region fundamentally.

The region contains multiple cultural institutions, from theaters and museums in Rio de Janeiro to traditional festivals celebrated throughout neighboring municipalities.

Trains, buses, and ferries link the municipalities together and allow visitors to move between coastal towns and inland suburbs. Getting around requires time and planning, as distances between districts vary considerably.

The region draws commuters from all municipalities who travel daily to work in the capital, creating dense traffic flows on roads and rail lines. Some neighboring cities develop their own economic centers, which changes daily movements within the metropolitan area.