literally "January River," named by explorer Amerigo Vespucci because he discovered it on Jan. 1, 1502, and so called because he incorrectly thought the bay was the estuary of a large river. See January.
City in southeastern Brazil on the Atlantic Ocean. Second-largest city in Brazil, after São Paulo; its former capital; and its financial, commercial, transportation, and cultural center.
Note: Rio is famous as a tourist attraction. Especially popular are its beaches, particularly the Copacabana.
Note: Rio's annual carnival is world-famous.