🇧🇷 Why Rio de Janeiro is not the capital of Brazil Name the capital of Brazil. Just don't peek anywhere. If you said Rio de Janeiro, you are not alone — but you are not quite right. Many people around the world think that Rio de Janeiro is the capital of Brazil. It is a common mistake, and there is a good reason for it. For almost 200 years, Rio was indeed the capital. But today, the capital of Brazil is a different city. Rio de Janeiro became the capital in 1763. At that time, Brazil was a colony of Portugal. Later, in 1808, the Portuguese royal family moved to Rio to escape Napoleon's army in Europe. For more than ten years, Rio was not just the capital of Brazil, but the capital of the whole Portuguese Empire! After Brazil became independent in 1822, Rio remained the capital. However, by the mid-20th century, the government wanted a change. Rio was on the coast, and it was very crowded. Politicians worried that a coastal capital was too easy to attack from the sea. They also wanted to develop the center of the country, which was almost empty. So, they decided to build a new capital in a more central location. The government chose a place in the middle of the country, on a high plain. They built a completely new city from scratch. The construction started in 1956 and the city was built in only 41 months. It was a huge project. The city planner Lúcio Costa designed the city plan, and the famous Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer designed many of the buildings. The city was planned to look like an airplane from above. Brasília was officially opened on April 21, 1960. It became a symbol of a new and modern Brazil, looking to the future. Since then, Brasília has been the capital of Brazil. Today, it is a modern city with interesting architecture. All the main government buildings are there. Brazil is the largest country in South America. The official language is Portuguese, and the government is a federal republic with a president as the head of state. So, next time someone asks you about the capital of Brazil, you can surprise them with the correct answer. Rio de Janeiro is still a beautiful and famous city, full of history and culture. But the political heart of Brazil now beats in Brasília. Vocabulary: 👀 peek [piːk] — подглядывать, заглядывать 🏛️ capital [ˈkæpɪtl] — столица 🏝️ colony [ˈkɒləni] — колония 🇵🇹 Portugal [ˈpɔːtʃʊɡl] — Португалия 🏃 escape [ɪˈskeɪp] — сбежать, спастись 🕊️ independent [ˌɪndɪˈpendənt] — независимый 🔄 remain [rɪˈmeɪn] — оставаться 🌊 coast [kəʊst] — побережье 🕳️ empty [ˈempti] — пустой 🏞️ plain [pleɪn] — равнина 🏗️ from scratch [frəm skrætʃ] — с нуля 🌎 South America [saʊθ əˈmerɪkə] — Южная Америка 🏛️ federal republic with a president as the head of state [ˈfedərəl rɪˈpʌblɪk wɪð ə ˈprezɪdənt æz ðə hed əv steɪt] — федеративная республика с президентом во главе государства ❤️ beat [biːt] — биться #A2 #B1