home to almost half of rio's residents, zona norte, the northern part of rio de janeiro is a very densely urbanized region. like the rest of the city, this area was hughely different when the portuguese arrived in the 16th century, being mostly covered in forests and mangrove.

the colonizers quickly started to cultivate the region for farming and other economic activities - in the 18th century, the zona norte was used for cultivation of sugar cane, fruit and vegetables - supplying the rest of the city via land and water.

in the neighborhood of tijuca, one can find the entrance to the parque national da tijuca, rio's second largest natural reserve and one of the most important tourist attractions in the city.