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Megacity Case Study

Rio de Janeiro as a case study of a fast-growing megacity in a newly emerging economy: where it is and why it matters, why it has grown, the opportunities and the social, economic and environmental challenges it faces, and how the Favela-Bairro project improves life for the urban poor.

⏱️ 20 min 🎯 14 activities
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What you'll cover

Rio de Janeiro, a growing megacity

Rio de Janeiro sits on the Atlantic coast of south-east Brazil, a country classed as a newly emerging economy. Rio is a megacity that matters far beyond its region: it is a major port, a centre of industry and tourism, home to the Christ the Redeemer statue, and it hosted the 2016 Olympic Games. Like many megacities it has grown very fast, which brings both opportunities and serious challenges. This module studies why Rio grew, the good and bad sides of that growth, and how the Favela-Bairro project helps the urban poor.

Megacity words

Learn these before you sort any fact about Rio. The case study is marked on organised, categorised knowledge.

Opportunities against challenges

Fast growth gives Rio both opportunities and challenges. A strong case study sets one against the other rather than telling a story.

How to structure the case study

Do not tell the story of Rio year by year. Sort your points into groups, because the marks reward organised knowledge. Weigh the opportunities against the challenges, and split the challenges into three kinds: those affecting people and daily life, those affecting jobs and money, and those affecting the air, water and land. Then link the planning project to the group it helps. Name the city and the project precisely and put each fact in its category.

Match the term to its meaning

  • megacity
  • newly emerging economy
  • rural-urban migration
  • favela
  • a city of more than ten million people
  • a country whose economy is growing fast, like Brazil
  • people moving from the countryside to the city
  • a squatter settlement of self-built homes

Why has Rio grown so fast?

Which pair of causes best explains the fast growth of Rio de Janeiro?

  • Rural-urban migration and natural increase.
  • People leaving the city for the countryside.
  • Only tourists visiting for holidays.
  • A falling birth rate across Brazil.

Opportunities in Rio

Select the TWO opportunities that living in Rio can offer compared with rural Brazil.

  • More jobs in the port, industry and tourism
  • Better access to healthcare and education
  • Cleaner air than anywhere else
  • Guaranteed housing for everyone

Count the improvements left

The Favela-Bairro project brings 4 improvements to a favela: paved roads, clean water, sewers and electricity. One favela already has electricity. Subtract to find how many of the improvements are still to be added. What is the answer?

Order the favela upgrade

Put the steps of upgrading a favela under the Favela-Bairro project in order, earliest first.

  • Build and pave proper roads into the favela
  • Connect clean water, sewers and electricity
  • Add services such as health clinics and schools
  • Give residents legal ownership of their homes

Complete the case study

Rio de Janeiro is a _____ in the newly emerging economy of Brazil. It has grown partly through rural-urban _____, as people move to the city for work. Many of the poorest live in a squatter settlement called a _____. The Favela-Bairro project improves these areas by adding roads, water and legal _____ of homes.

megacity migration favela ownership village commuting suburb rental

Sort each challenge into its category

  • overcrowded favelas and poor housing
  • high unemployment and low-paid informal work
  • air and water pollution
  • high levels of crime
  • a social challenge affecting housing and daily life
  • an economic challenge affecting jobs and income
  • an environmental challenge affecting air and water
  • a social challenge affecting safety

Spot the true Rio facts

Tap the TWO statements that are true about Rio de Janeiro.

  • Rio is a megacity in a newly emerging economy
  • The Favela-Bairro project upgrades favelas
  • Rio has stopped growing completely
  • Fast growth has caused Rio no problems at all

Classify the point

Read each fact about Rio and choose how to classify it.

  • A newcomer to Rio finds work at the busy port and can now earn a wage. Is this an opportunity or a challenge?
  • Heavy traffic and factories leave a haze of air pollution over parts of the city. Which category of challenge is this?
  • Many families live in overcrowded favelas with self-built homes and little space. Which category of challenge is this?

Explain the Rio case study

Using Rio de Janeiro, explain the opportunities and challenges of life in a fast-growing megacity and how urban planning is improving it.

  • State where Rio is and why it is an important city
  • Explain two opportunities the city offers
  • Explain one social, one economic and one environmental challenge
  • Explain how the Favela-Bairro project improves life for the urban poor
  • Finish with a judgement on whether the opportunities outweigh the challenges