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Travel Unearthed’s MUST SEE
7 Natural Wonders of the World
Travel Unearthed’s MUST SEE
7 Natural Wonders of the World
- Rio de Janeiro means ‘River of January’. Believing they had reached the mouth of a huge river, the Portuguese explorers named it in honour of the month they arrived
- Guanabara Bay is a natural bay that was created by the Atlantic Ocean. The oceans waves eroded the softer rocks and sand of the bay, leaving the hard surrounding rocks still intact
- Some of the surrounding hills of Rio have been flattened and used as bay fill to extend the city
- Rio de Janeiro is also known as the marvellous city
- Rio de Janeiro was the capital of brazil from 1763 to 1960
- In 2016, Rio de Janerio will be the first South American city to host the Summer Olympic games, and is expected to host the final match of the World Cup in 2014
- Another great view of the bay and its surrounds that should not be missed is that from the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain. A cable car will take you to the top, with some great views on the way.
- It has the world’s largest natural deep-water harbour and the only replanted urban forest in the world
- Rio de Janeiro has 80km (50 miles) of beaches
- The bay is 31km (19 miles) long
- The Tamoio people, the original habitants of the area, named the bay Guanabara meaning arm of the sea
