only recently the city has started to disseminate information about rio's islands, why they are important, and how to reach them.

rio de janeiro is home to about one hundred islands of varying size - ranging from large residential areas to small rocks only known to local fishermen.  

the islands of the metropolitan area can be classified in oceanic islands, large in size and with tourist appeal and lake side islands, smaller and normally not a touristic destination.

bay islands are located in the two large bays inside metropolitan rio - guanabara bay and sepetiba bay, with the former home to important islands such as the bucolic paquetá and ilha do governador, where the international airport is located.