History of Expansion/Urbanization
Rio de Janeiro was founded on March 1st, 1565 by Portuguese settlers who colonized the area. However, Portuguese explorer, Gaspar de Lemos discovered the area itself in the year 1500. However, he did not settle the area, but instead went onto other areas. The first expansion of the city happened in the late 16th century and was spontaneous. When farmers began to harvest sugar cane the city began to expand outwards towards the port to allow for easier exportation. Even though the city began to expand even further to the bay and plains near the city in the 17th century, the original central place remained where most people and things were concentrated. During the 18th century diamond, iron, and gold mines just outside the city were discovered, which changed how the economy of the city was run. Rio became an important area because it served as the place that this mined gold, iron, and diamonds could be sent from to Portugal due to the countries port. It became the capital due to this reason in 1763. After invasion by France under the rule of Napoleon in the Early 19th century, many portugese people had to flee the country and ended up in Rio. This established Rio as the virtual capital of the Portuguese Empire as many highranking Portuguese were in the city at the time. Rio became the first capital of Brazil when it became independent in the early 19th century. As the century went on the city become even more devleoped with public transportation, tunnels, and more tertiary industry. In 1960, Rio was replaced by Brasilia as capital of the country. This descision was made so that the center of the country developed like the outer edges had. The sector of Rio that had housed the federal offices in Rio became the state of Guanabara. However, Guanabara was absorbed by the state of Rio as well as Rio the city being made capital of Rio the state.