perhaps one of rio de janeiro's most impressive assets is its diverse culture - a melting pot of different values and traditions, makes it one of the most interesting and exciting places to visit - modern day brazilians come from a wide range of racial and cultural backgrounds, primarily indigenous, african, and european ancestries. 

when the first portuguese settlers arrived in brazil during the early 1500s it was not uncommon for the colonizers to have children with local women - the offspring of these unions were called 'mestiços', while 'mulatos' were the children of portuguese and african slaves - these terms are outdated and no longer considered appropriate when referring to someone's cultural background.