Brasília

Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. It is famous for its urban planning, daring architecture, and overpopulation. It is located in the Brazilian Federal District.

Population and communications

Being less than 50 years old (2005), about only half of the city's population consists of locals. Most other inhabitants have moved in from the surrounding States of Goiás, Minas Gerais, as well as from the North-Eastern states and Rio de Janeiro.

Related Topics:
Goiás - Minas Gerais - Rio de Janeiro

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The city was originally planned for 500,000 people. Central Brasília, known as Plano Piloto, has a population of around 200,000. Most people, however, live in satellite cities created to house the exceeding population. The total inhabitant count of Brasilia jumps to 2.2 million (2004 est.) when the surrounding towns are considered. The population of the most important of these towns: Taguatinga 243,000; Gama 131,000; Sobradinho 130,000; Planaltina 150,000; and Ceilândia 350,000. Also, a significant part of the population lives in the so-called dormitory cities in the surrounding State of Goiás.

Related Topics:
Taguatinga - Gama - Sobradinho - Planaltina - Ceilândia - Goiás

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Brasília is just one of the 29 Administrative Regions within a Federal District that is 5,822 square km in area http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/3416/pop_df_i.htm. Officially, only "Asa Sul" (South Wing), "Asa Norte" (North Wing), and the downtown area of "Plano Piloto" (Pilot Plan) are parts of Brasília. Unofficially, however, Brasília can mean both the "Plano Piloto" area and all of its Administrative Regions and satellite cities; hence the term is often used to refer to the Federal District as a whole.

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While most of the transportation within the Federal District is done through highways and buses, a basic subway system also provides transportation between Brasilia and the satellite cities of Guara, Ceilandia, Taguatinga and Samambaia, through Asa Sul. It also links Park Shopping, one of the city's largest shopping malls, with a few other terminals in the south and central areas of the city; nevertheless, it does not extend into the city's northern half. Aside from the subway and the more comprehensive bus-based public transportation system, there is also a railway connection with São Paulo but no passenger trains operate anymore.

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Brasília is served by roads that link the city to all other regions of the country. It is also a national hub for air transport. It is served by Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport, which currently (2005) has the third largest air traffic in the country. Most international flights, however, require connections through São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro.

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