Rio de Janeiro (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʁi.u dʒi ʒaˈnejɾu]) is one of the 27 states of Brazil. It has the second largest economy of Brazil, with the largest being São Paulo state.
The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast (assigned by IBGE). Rio de Janeiro share borders with all the other states in the same Southeast macroregion: Minas Gerais (N and NW), Espírito Santo (NE) and São Paulo (SW). It is bounded on the east and south by the Atlantic Ocean. Rio de Janeiro has an area of 43,653 km². Its capital is the city of Rio de Janeiro, which was the capital of the Portuguese Colony of Brazil from 1763 to 1815, capital of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves from 1815 to 1822, and capital of independent Brazil from 1822 to 1960.
Armação dos Búzios (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˌahmaˈsɐ̃w duʒ ˈbuːzjui̯ʃ]), often referred to as just Búzios, is a resort town and a municipality located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 2012, its population consisted of 23,463 inhabitants and its area of 69 km². Today, Búzios is a popular getaway from the city and a worldwide tourist site, especially among Brazilians and Argentinians.
In the early 1900s Búzios was popular with the Carioca’s high society, who wanted to escape from the chaotic city life of Rio de Janeiro and enjoy over 23 beaches that the peninsula offers. But it wasn’t until 1964, when the famous French Actress Brigitte Bardot visited Búzios, that it grew to be a popular tourist destination.
Today, the peninsula is a travelling site that offers calmness, direct contact with nature and breathtaking views. The west coast beaches offer calm, clear waters while the east coast ones, facing the open sea, are more wild and draw surfers and water sports enthusiasts. Azeda, Ferradura, João Fernandes, Armação, and Geribá, popular for surfing are amongst the most popular beaches in town. At night, Rua das Pedras, Buzios' main street, offers its visitors an active nightlife and a great variety of shopping and restaurants.