Brasília

Brasília, capital city of Brazil, in the Federal District, south-central Brazil. It is situated in a savannah region at an elevation of about 1,005 m (3,300 ft) and has a mild, dry climate. Brasília is a city of striking modern appearance and was constructed (beginning in 1957) on an uninhabited site to replace the overcrowded former capital of Rio de Janeiro, which was too isolated from the rest of the country and vulnerable to invasion.

Brasília is served by a growing network of roads linking it to all parts of the country, including distant cities such as Belém, Belo Horizonte, and Salvador, and is connected by rail to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Only light industry is permitted in the city. Outside its limits, however, are a number of rapidly growing satellite communities, many of which, although lacking in facilities, have a more vital commercial life than Brasília.

The city layout, which was designed by the Brazilian urban planner Lúcio Costa, resembles an aeroplane in shape. Along the “fuselage”, which is the city's main axis, are the offices of the national government, while the “wings” contain residential apartment buildings and foreign embassies. At the nose of the “fuselage” is the Plaza of the Three Powers, in which is set the circular, largely underground Metropolitan Cathedral, itself a notable architectural structure; this, and all the city's other major buildings, were designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. Beyond the cathedral is the Palace of the Dawn, the presidential residence; it is set at the edge of a lake formed by the damming of the Paraná River, which borders the city on three sides. The Ministry of Foreign Relations, set in water gardens, is another noteworthy landmark. Located in the city are the University of Brasília (1961), the National Theatre, botanical gardens, a zoo, and a sports stadium. Brasília was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 as an outstanding landmark in the history of urban planning.

The idea of an inland capital was suggested as early as 1789 and was included in the provisions of the constitution of 1891. In 1957, during the administration of President Juscelino Kubitschek, construction of the new city began and it was finally dedicated on April 21, 1960. Although initially suffering from geographical isolation, the city has grown rapidly, largely the result of immigration from the poorer regions of the country, and has begun to achieve its goal of increasing the development of the Brazilian interior. Population 2,455,903 (2007 estimate).