Quick facts
Rio de Janeiro overview
Rio de Janeiro (orange) and the other large cities of Brazil
Rio de Janeiro lies in Brazil at 22.91°S, 43.18°W, about 12 m above sea level. The local time zone is America/Sao_Paulo (UTC-3); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than São Paulo (12,400,232) and larger than Belo Horizonte (2,721,564). The largest city in Brazil is São Paulo with 12,400,232 people; the capital, Brasília, has 2,207,718.
The national capital, Brasília, is about 936 km away; the nearest large city is Itaguaí, 61 km from Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil as a whole has a live population of 213,783,157 (+0.3% a year) and ranks #7 of 238 countries — see the Brazil population page for the full statistics and the Brazil atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Rio de Janeiro
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Itaguaí Rio de Janeiro | 61 km | 123,980 |
| Barra do Piraí Rio de Janeiro | 82 km | 100,764 |
| Araruama Rio de Janeiro | 86 km | 137,906 |
| Nova Friburgo Rio de Janeiro | 96 km | 189,939 |
| Volta Redonda Rio de Janeiro | 104 km | 279,971 |
| Barra Mansa Rio de Janeiro | 109 km | 181,679 |
| São Pedro da Aldeia Rio de Janeiro | 111 km | 110,677 |
| Angra dos Reis Rio de Janeiro | 117 km | 179,120 |
Largest cities in Brazil
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | São Paulo | São Paulo | 12,400,232 |
| 2 | Rio de Janeiro | Rio de Janeiro | 6,747,815 |
| 3 | Belo Horizonte | Minas Gerais | 2,721,564 |
| 4 | Salvador | Bahia | 2,711,840 |
| 5 | Fortaleza | Ceará | 2,400,000 |
| 6 | Manaus | Amazonas | 2,219,580 |
| 7 | BrasíliaCapital | Federal District | 2,207,718 |
| 8 | Curitiba | Paraná | 1,948,626 |
| 9 | Recife | Pernambuco | 1,653,461 |
| 10 | Goiânia | Goiás | 1,536,097 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has about 6,747,815 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Rio de Janeiro the capital of Brazil?
No. The capital of Brazil is Brasília (2,207,718 people), about 936 km away. Rio de Janeiro is the 2nd largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Rio de Janeiro compared with the rest of Brazil?
Its 6,747,815 residents are 3.2% of the 213,783,157 people living in Brazil today. São Paulo is larger with 12,400,232 people.
Where is Rio de Janeiro?
In Brazil, at latitude -22.91 and longitude -43.18, 12 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Itaguaí (61 km), Barra do Piraí (82 km), Araruama (86 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Rio de Janeiro Population 2026 — Brazil. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/brazil/rio-de-janeiro/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/brazil/rio-de-janeiro/">Rio de Janeiro Population 2026 — Brazil</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.