Rio Case Study

Question 1

Where is Rio?

Answer 1

South east of Brazil, in the continent of South America. It has grown around a large natural bay called Guanabara bay.

Question 2

Is Brazil a HIC, NEE or LIC?

Answer 2

A newly emerging emerging economy.

Question 3

What is Rio’s population?

Answer 3

6.7 million people in the city, and 13 million in the surrounding areas, so the city serves the needs for many people looking for jobs.

Question 4

What is Rio’s importance to brazil?

Answer 4

It is the second largest city, and remains the countries cultural capital.

It has a major port, exporting coffee, sugar and iron ore.

It is brazils second most important industrial centre, producing 5% of brazils GDP

It’s main service industries are banking and finance.

Question 5

What is Rio’s importance to the world as a whole?

Answer 5

The statue if the Christ redeemer is one of the seven wonders of the world.

Rio staged the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 olympics.

The city is an important international transport hub, with 5 ports and 3 airports.

Question 6

How has inward immigration led to a population increase in Rio?

Answer 6

People migrate in Brazil to Rio, for its job opportunities. This is largely from poorer areas such as the Amazonia and the drought hit north eastern Brazil.

Question 7

His has natural increase led to a population increase in Rio?

Answer 7

Rio’s population is quite young, because young people are more likely to move to richer areas for jobs. This means that natural increase is high as more people of child bearing age live in Rio.

Question 8

What are the Social opportunities in Rio?

Answer 8

To improve healthcare in favelas, they have arranged for medics to take health kits to people homes, and have prevented the spread of 20 diseases. This has caused life expectancy to increase.

To,improve education the authorities have arranged for volunteers, given school grants to the poor, and opened a university in the favela Rocinha.

Question 9

What are the opportunities for access to resources in Rio?

Answer 9

To improve water supply in favelas, 7 new treatment plants have been built, and over 300km of pipes laid. Now over 95% of the population have access to clean water.

Electricity supply has been improved by installing 60km of new power lines, building a nuclear generator and a new hydro electric complex, which may increase Rio’s energy production by 30%

Question 10

How has economic development increased the opportunities in Rio?

Answer 10

Due to improvement in roads, healthcare and transport many companies have been attracted to Rio. Rio now provides more than 6% of employment in Brazil.

Question 11

What are examples of economic development in Brazil?

Answer 11

One industrial area in Rio is Sepetiba bay, where there is the largest steel works in South America.

Land river opened a £240 million car manufacturing factory in Rio, employing over 300 people.

The city is subject to a lot of tourism, and during the 2016 olympics building projects provided many construction jobs. Tourism, banking and manufacturing are all big employers in Rio.

Question 12

How are favelas a challenge in Rio?

Answer 12

Rocinha is the largest favela in Rio. Favelas are illegal settlements, built by arrivals to the city. There are over 1000 favelas in Rio.

Social deprivation in favelas is high. Favelas are located along the edge of the city, along hillsides. Therefor houses are poorly constructed and there is limited road access.

Question 13

How is providing clean water, sanitation and energy a challenge in Rio?

Answer 13

In non improved favelas 50% have no sewage collections, 12% have no running water and 30% have no electricity.

Question 14

How is providing education a challenge in Rio?

Answer 14

In rio only 1/2 of children continue education beyond the age of 14. Many drop out of school and some get involved in drug trafficking. There are shortages of local schools, and low lay and poor training for teachers.

Question 15

How is healthcare a challenge in Rio?

Answer 15

Over 40% of the city has no access to a local clinic. Infant mortality rates are high at 50 per 1000.

Question 16

How is unemployment a challenge in Rio?

Answer 16

20% of those of working age in favelas are unemployed. Also 1/3 of Rio’s workers work in the informal sector, so don’t have a formal contract, so don’t get taxed.

Question 17

How are crime rates in Rio a challenge?

Answer 17

In favelas there is a murder rate of 20 per 1000. Also many favelas are under the influence of drug gangs.

Question 18

How is waste disposal a challenge in Rio?

Answer 18

Favelas are built on steep hillsides with limited road access, so waste can’t be collected. Most waste is dumped and pollutes the water system, causing disease like cholera to spread.

Question 19

How is air pollution a challenge in Rio?

Answer 19

Around 5000 deaths occur per year due to air pollution, this is due to heavy congestion and pollutants released form factories.

Question 20

How is water pollution a challenge in Rio?

Answer 20

Guanabara bay is highly polluted, causing damage to wildlife. This pollution comes form the favelas, as well as industrial waste and oil spills. Fishing has declined by 90% in the last 20 years.

This pollution also threatens to affect Rio’s famous beaches and the income they bring for the tourism industry.

Question 21

How is traffic congestion a challenge in Rio?

Answer 21

Rio is the most congested city in South America. Rush hour brings gridlock to the city on a daily basis. The number of cars in Rio has grown by over 40% in the last decade as people become more wealthy, and many prefer to travel by car due to high crime levels.

Question 22

How has the complexo de alemão scheme created improvements in Rio?

Answer 22

This favela has a population of over 100,000 people. It has been transformed due to a policy called pacification.

Pacification has two stages. The first stage is that the police force and military march into favelas and drive out criminal gangs, establishing a police presence. In stage two authorities provide local services, such as education and healthcare.

So far 30 of Rio’s 1000 favelas have been pacified since 2008. However most gangs have just moved to other favelas.

Question 23

How did the cable car system in Rio have an impact?

Answer 23

The cable car system meant that people could get to the centre of Rio in 16 minutes, as opposed to the two hour walk. 9000 people used the system daily. The stations for cable cars were also community hubs, hosting libraries and banking services.

However some argued the $64 million cost was not justified,a new should have been spent of the social problems the people faced.

In 2017 the system completely stopped running, and remains out of use to this day, as none of the residents have the skills or money to fix such a problem.

Question 24

How has the campo grande project had an impact on Rio?

Answer 24

Campo grande is a settlement where over 800 houses were built a 60 minute drive away from the city centre, for those forcibly evicted to make room for the olympics.

The houses are a better quality,a new have sanitation, clean water and electricity access.

However the campo grande is 1.5 hours away from teh city centre, so residents had to give up their jobs, and the area lacks community facilities like local clinics and schools, and children don’t even have anywhere to play.