View source for Niterói

{{Short description|Municipality in the State of Rio de Janeiro}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                   = Niterói
|settlement_type        = [[Municipalities of Brazil|Municipality]]
|official_name          = Municipality of Niterói
|nickname               =
|motto                  =
|image_skyline 		    = {{multiple image
| perrow                = 2/2/2/1
| total_width           = 300px
| border                = infobox
| caption_align         = center
| image1                = Museu de Arte Contemporânea by Diego Baravelli.jpg
| caption1              = [[Niterói Contemporary Art Museum|Contemporary Art Museum]]
| image2                = 12189486 - Niterói - Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil.jpg
| caption2              = Icaraí Beach
| image3                = Praça Popular de Niterói by Diego Baravelli 03.jpg
| caption3              = Caminho Niemeyer
| image4                = Itacoatiara.jpg
| caption4              = [[Itacoatiara|Itacoatiara Beach]]
| image5                = Ilha de Mocanguê by Diego Baravelli.jpg
| caption5              = Mocanguê Island and [[Rio–Niterói Bridge]]
| image6                = Fortaleza de Santa Cruz vista do Forte do Pico.jpg
| caption6              = [[Fortaleza de Santa Cruz da Barra|Santa Cruz da Barra Fortress]]
| image7                = Panorâmica do Parque da Cidade.jpg
| caption7              = [[Guanabara Bay]] as seen from Niterói
}}
|imagesize 		        =
|image_caption 		    =
|image_flag 		    = Flag of Niterói.svg
|image_seal 		    = Brasão de Niterói, RJ.svg
|image_map 		        = RiodeJaneiro Municip Niteroi.svg
|mapsize 		        = 250px
|map_caption 		    = Location in Rio de Janeiro
|pushpin_map            =
|pushpin_map_caption    =
|subdivision_type       = Country
|subdivision_type1 	    = [[Regions of Brazil|Region]]
|subdivision_type2 	    = [[States of Brazil|State]]
|subdivision_name     	= {{flag|Brazil}}
|subdivision_name1 	    = [[Southeast Region, Brazil|Southeast]]
|subdivision_name2 	    = {{flag|Rio de Janeiro}}
|leader_title 		    = Mayor
|leader_name 		    = [[Rodrigo Neves]] 
|leader_party           = [[Democratic Labour Party (Brazil)|PDT]]
|leader_title1          = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
|leader_name1           =
| founder               = [[Arariboia]]
|established_title      = Founded
|established_date       = 22 November 1573
|established_title2     = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
|established_date2      =
|established_title3     =
|established_date3      =
|area_total_km2 	    = 129.38
|area_land_km2          =
|area_land_sq_mi        =
|area_water_km2         =
|area_water_sq_mi       =
|area_water_percent     =
|area_urban_sq_mi       =
|area_metro_sq_mi       =
|population_as_of 	    = 2020
|population_note        =
|population_total 	    = 515,317
|population_footnotes   =<ref>[https://cidades.ibge.gov.br/brasil/rj/niteroi/panorama IBGE 2020]</ref>
|population_density_km2 = auto
|population_density_metro_sq_mi =
|population_urban       =
|timezone 		        = [[Time in Brazil|BRT]]
|utc_offset 		    = &minus;3
|coordinates            = {{coord|22|52|58|S|43|06|14|W|region:BR|display=inline}}
|elevation_m 		    = 0
|area_code              = 21
|postal_code_type       = [[Código de Endereçamento Postal|Postal Code]]
|postal_code            = 24000-000
|blank_name             = '''[[Human Development Index|HDI]]''' (2010)
|blank_info             = 0.837  – <span style="color:#090">very high</span><ref>{{Cite web |title=Archived copy |url=http://www.pnud.org.br/arquivos/ranking-idhm-2010.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233352/http://www.pnud.org.br/arquivos/ranking-idhm-2010.pdf |archive-date=8 July 2014 |access-date=1 August 2013 |publisher=[[United Nations Development Programme]] (UNDP)
}}</ref>
|website 		        = {{URL|niteroi.rj.gov.br}}
|footnotes 		        =
}}

'''Niterói''' ({{IPA|pt-BR|niteˈɾɔj|lang}}; {{IPAc-en|lang|n|ɪ|t|ə|ˈ|r|ɔɪ}} {{respell|nit-ə-ROI}}) is a [[List of municipalities in Rio de Janeiro|municipality]] in the state of [[Rio de Janeiro (state)|Rio de Janeiro]], in the [[Southeast Region, Brazil|southeast region]] of Brazil. It lies across [[Guanabara Bay]], facing the city of [[Rio de Janeiro]] and forming part of the [[Greater Rio de Janeiro|Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area]].<ref>[https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Rio+De+Janeiro,+Rio+de+Janeiro,+Brazil&daddr=Niter%C3%B3i,+Rio+de+Janeiro,+Brazil Rio de Janeiro to Niteroi, Brazil – Google Maps]</ref> It was the capital of Rio de Janeiro, as marked by its golden [[mural crown]], from 1834 to 1894 and again from 1903 to 1975. It has an estimated population of 515,317 inhabitants (2020) and an area of {{convert|129.375|km2|abbr=on}}, making it the fifth most populous city in the state. It has the highest [[Human Development Index]] in the state{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} and the seventh highest among Brazil's municipalities in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|date=3 August 2021|title=IDHM Municípios 2010 {{!}} PNUD Brasil|url=https://www.br.undp.org/content/brazil/pt/home/idh0/rankings/idhm-municipios-2010.html|access-date=2021-08-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803005425/https://www.br.undp.org/content/brazil/pt/home/idh0/rankings/idhm-municipios-2010.html|archive-date=3 August 2021}}</ref> Individually, it is the municipality with the second highest average monthly household income per capita in Brazil<ref>[http://www.atlasbrasil.org.br/2013/pt/perfil_m/niteroi_rj Niterói, RJ] ''Atlas do Desenvolvimento Humano do Brasil''.</ref> and appears in 13th place among the municipalities of the country according to social indicators related to education.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lucas|first=Jorge Alexandre|date=2014|title=Todos os Cariocas: Identidade e Pertencimentos no Mundo Globalizado|publisher=Revista Científica Ciência em Curso|pages=111–123|issn=2317-0077|url=http://www.portaldeperiodicos.unisul.br/index.php/ciencia_curso/article/view/2659|language=fr|access-date=29 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823194803/http://www.portaldeperiodicos.unisul.br/index.php/ciencia_curso/article/view/2659|archive-date=23 August 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The city has the nicknames of ''Cidade Sorriso'' (Smile City).<ref>{{Cite book|title=Niterói, cidade sorriso : complemento iconográfico|date=2015|others=Carlos Wehrs, Carlos Supplement to: Wehrs|isbn=978-85-913908-2-3|location=Rio de Janeiro|language=pt-BR|oclc=1001302128}}</ref>

Studies by the [[Fundação Getulio Vargas|Getulio Vargas Foundation]] in June 2011 classified Niterói as the richest city of Brazil, with 55.7% of the population included in class A. Considering the classes A and B, Niterói also appears in the first place, with 85.9% of the population in these classes. According to 2010 data from [[Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics|IBGE]], Niterói's nominal gross domestic product was 11.2&nbsp;billion reais, being the fifth municipality with the highest gross domestic product of the state. The city is the second largest formal employer in the state of Rio de Janeiro, although it occupies the 5th place in terms of the number of inhabitants. The city is one of the main financial, commercial and industrial centers in the state of Rio de Janeiro, being the 12th among the 100 best Brazilian cities to do business.

Niterói was founded on 22 November 1573 by the [[Tupi people|Tupi]] chief [[Arariboia]], who later was forcibly converted to Roman Catholicism and was given the Christian name of Martim Afonso, after the Portuguese explorer [[Martim Afonso de Sousa]], making it the only Brazilian city to have been founded by a non-Christian, non-assimilated [[Indigenous peoples in Brazil|indigenous person]].<ref name="origin">{{cite web | url = http://www.cdp-fan.niteroi.rj.gov.br/niteroi.htm | title = The Niterói Secretary of Culture's official website | access-date = 25 February 2007 | publisher = Niterói City Hall | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070614171215/http://www.cdp-fan.niteroi.rj.gov.br/niteroi.htm | archive-date = 14 June 2007 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

The municipality contains part of the {{convert|2400|ha|adj=on}} [[Serra da Tiririca State Park]], created in 1991.<ref>{{citation|language=pt|ref={{harvid|Parque Estadual da Serra da Tiririca – UERJ}}
 |title=Parque Estadual da Serra da Tiririca|publisher=UERJ: Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
 |url=http://www.meioambiente.uerj.br/destaque/tiririca_def_parque.htm|access-date=2017-02-07}}</ref>

== Toponym ==
<!-- Portuguese: Para uma abordagem mais técnica e fiável, sustentada de fontes primárias, ver “Os topônimos indígenas do Rio de Janeiro quinhentista”, de Frederico Edelweiss, na Revista do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro, pp. 80–134 -->

"Niterói" is a term of Tupi origin, with "{{lang|tpn|[[:Wiktionary:Nheterõîa#Old Tupi|Nheterõîa]]|italic=no}}" being its recorded form in the ''{{interlanguage link|Vocabulary in the Brasílica Language|qid=Q116447893|s=1}}'' ({{lang|pt|Vocabulário na língua brasílica}}), a dictionary of the [[Tupi language]] compiled at the end of the 16th century. According to {{interlanguage link|Frederico Edelweiss|pt}}, this term would mean "the (bay) all sinuous", through the composition of {{lang|tpn|nhe-}}, a reflexive pronoun, {{lang|tpn|terõ}}, "sinuous" (a term recorded by [[Antonio Ruiz de Montoya]] in his {{lang|es|[[Tesoro de la lengua guaraní]]}}), and {{lang|tpn|îá}}, a particle that indicates a customary trait. Edelweiss reinforces this hypothesis through the poem ''[[De Gestis Mendi de Saa]]'', which calls Rio de Janeiro a "sinuous port" twice, and he suggests that this designation reveals Tupi influence.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Edelweiss|first=Frederico|date=1967|title=Os topônimos indígenas do Rio de Janeiro quinhentista|trans-title=The indigenous toponyms of 16th-century Rio de Janeiro|journal=[[Revista do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro]]|language=Portuguese|location=Rio de Janeiro|volume=275|pages=114–117|issn=0101-4366}}</ref><!-- Portuguese: Os termos tupis foram atualizados conforme a grafia adotada por Eduardo de Almeida Navarro (acento circunflexo para semivogais, a título de exemplo). -->

==History==
===France Antarctique===
{{Quote box |width=22em |align=left |title=Historical affiliations|bgcolor=#B0C4DE |fontsize=90% |quote={{flagicon|POR|1640}} [[Portuguese Empire]] 1573–1815<br>[[File:Flag United Kingdom Portugal Brazil Algarves.svg|border|22px]] [[United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves|United Kingdom]] 1815–1822<br>{{flag|Empire of Brazil}} 1822–1889<br>{{flagicon|BRA}}[[Brazil|Republic of Brazil]] 1889–present

[[File:Brazilian ball for Henry II in Rouen October 1 1550.jpg|thumb|center|250px|At the [[royal entry]] of [[Henry II of France|Henry II]] in [[Rouen]], 1 October 1550, about fifty naked men were employed to illustrate life in Brazil and a battle between the [[Tupinambá people|Tupinambá]] allies of the French, and the [[Tabajara]] Indians.]]}}

In the year 1555, French navigator [[Nicolas Durand de Villegaignon]] allied himself with the [[Tupinambá people|Tupinambas Indians]] who dominated the Guanabara Bay and instituted a French colony in the region, [[France Antarctique]]. The region was avoided by the Portuguese because of the hostility of the Tupinamba. The region developed under the command of Villegaignon, who planned to build a city in the region. After a while, Calvinists who had emigrated from France to the colony returned to France, where they accused Villegaignon of prejudice against Protestants and of maladministration. The French navigator had to return to France to explain himself.

Following the absence of the French leader, the Portuguese crown began noticing that the [[Guanabara Bay|bay of Rio de Janeiro]] would make a strategic scale for the Atlantic route of ships from [[Portugal]] to its colonies in Africa and Asia, as well an important advanced bridgehead for the defense of South Brazil. Fortresses were built and an alliance was formed with nearby native [[Tupi people|Tupi-Guaraní]] tribes to defend the settlement against other European invaders. Then, in 1560, the Portuguese leader [[Mem de Sá]] attacked and destroyed the French fort that was located in Guanabara Bay, Coligny Fort, without, however, being able to definitively expel the French from the region. [[Estácio de Sá]], Mem de Sá's nephew, who would continue to command the war, enlisted the help of the head of the Temiminos Indians, [[Arariboia]], who accepted the governor's request to help the Portuguese expel the French from the Guanabara Bay, in the hope to regain the mother island.

With the end of the war in 1567, Estácio de Sá invoked Arariboia and the [[Tupi people|Temininós]] Indians to occupy the right side of the entrance to the Guanabara Bay, opposite the city of [[Rio de Janeiro|São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro]] founded by Estácio in 1565, as previously requested by Arariboia a tract of land. Thus, the entrance to the bay would be fully protected from intrusion. The place to be occupied by Arariboia was known as "Banda D'Além" (the land beyond), in the eastern side of the bay, from ''River Marui'' to the ''Red Barriers'' between ''Gragoata'' and ''Boa Viagem'' beaches.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cdp-fan.niteroi.rj.gov.br/niteroi.htm |title=Conheça Niterói (Know Niterói) |access-date=25 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614171215/http://www.cdp-fan.niteroi.rj.gov.br/niteroi.htm |archive-date=14 June 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This area corresponded to what is nowadays the northwestern part of the municipality of Niterói, which includes the central and northern zones of its urban area. There, in the "Land Beyond", Arariboia founded the Town of Saint Lawrence of the Indians (in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], ''Vila de São Lourenço dos Índios''), the embryo for the future city of ''Niterói'', a Tupi name that means "Hidden Waters".

===Imperial era===
[[File:Hospital Maritimo de Sta. Isabel Jurujuba, da Coleção Brasiliana Iconográfica.jpg|thumb|left|270px|St. Isabel Maritime Hospital in [[Jurujuba]] area, 1853]]
The village was visited by the [[List of Brazilian monarchs|King of Brazil]], [[John VI of Portugal|John VI]], in 1816, who also decreed its emancipation from [[Rio de Janeiro]] on 10 May 1819 and gave the new-created municipality a new name, ''Vila Real da Praia Grande'' (Royal Town of Great Beach).

In 1834, the city of Rio de Janeiro, capital of the newly established [[Empire of Brazil]], was detached from the rest of [[Rio de Janeiro Province]]; Vila Real da Praia Grande was then chosen as the new capital of that province, while the city of Rio de Janeiro itself was converted into a ''[[neutral municipality]]'', following the [[Ato Adicional]]. Niterói served the function of capital until the year of 1975 – except for the period between 1894 and 1903 when it was temporarily transferred to the city of [[Petrópolis]].

Vila Real da Praia Grande was officially renamed ''Nictheroy'' ([[Tupian language|Tupi]] for "hidden waters") on 6 March 1835. This old spelling persisted until the mid-20th century, when the current spelling–Niterói–was adopted. The capital condition has brought a number of urban developments such as the steam boat, public lighting to whale oil, water supply and new means of transport to connect the city to the interior of the province. Nine years later, the Emperor [[Pedro II of Brazil|D. Pedro II]] granted the city of Niterói the title of [[:pt:Imperial Cidade|Imperial City]]. The appointment was given to the most important cities, giving them some autonomy and regional power.

At the end of the 19th century, around 1885, some tram systems were founded, which allowed the expansion of the city to Icaraí, Ponta d'Areia and [[Itaipu, Niterói|Itaipu]] districts.

===Republican era===
[[File:Alameda em 1909.JPG|thumb|left|270px|Alameda São Boaventura in Fonseca area, 1909]]
In 1890, the Brazilian provinces began being called states and the neutral municipality (Rio de Janeiro city) had its status changed to ''Federal District'' (or simply '''DF''', the Portuguese acronym for ''Distrito Federal'').

The monarchist [[Revolta da Armada|navy revolt]] in 1893 damaged productive activities and forced the transfer of the capital's headquarters to [[Petrópolis]]. In 1903, Niterói returned to be the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. This brought about a new impulse to modernize the city with the construction of squares, decks, parks, waterway station and sewage network, as well as widening of the streets and main avenues.

A [[Niterói circus fire|circus fire]] in the city killed 323 people on 17 December 1961; the fire was later found to have been deliberately set by disgruntled circus employees. It is one of the worst tragedies in Brazilian history and the most fatal in the annals of world circus show history.

Following the transference of Brazil's capital to [[Brasília]] in 1960, the city of Rio de Janeiro became a [[city-state]] named [[Guanabara (state)|Guanabara]]. This state was merged with Rio de Janeiro State in 1975; since then, Niterói lost its condition of the state's capital in favor of the [[city of Rio de Janeiro]].

On 8 April 2010; the mudslide triggered due to heavy rainfall cost at least 200 lives. At least 11,000 people were forced to flee homes due to further mudslides.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/04/2010491715201125.html |title=Fears Rio mudslide toll could soar – Americas |publisher=Al Jazeera |access-date=2013-03-26}}</ref>

==Geography==
Niterói has an area of 129,375 square kilometers located between the [[Guanabara Bay]] (west), the Atlantic Ocean (south), [[Maricá]] (east) and [[São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro|São Gonçalo]] (north).

There are a number of beaches in the area, including Praia de Fora and Praia do Imbuí, with their historical values; Piratininga Beach, Camboinhas Beach, Itaipu Beach and Itacoatiara Beach, the most visited;{{citation needed|date=January 2019}} Praia do Sossego, Praia Adam and Eve and Prainha. It has two saltwater lagoons: Piratininga and Itaipu. The first is linked to the second by means of the Camboatá Canal, opened by the National Department of Sanitation Works in 1946. The Itaipu Lagoon, in turn, connects to the sea through the Itaipu Canal, which was built in 1979.

The relief consists of crystalline terrains, divided into massifs and coastal hills. The massifs predominate in the south and form the mountains of Malheiro, Calaboca and Tiririca, where is the Stone of the Elephant, the highest point of the municipality, 412m high.

The coastal plains are composed of sediments, obviously located near the sea. The most extensive area covers the entire area of Piratininga and Itaipu lagoons.

===Climate===
Niterói has a [[tropical climate]], specifically a [[tropical monsoon climate]], with warm to hot temperatures year round as well as relatively frequent rainfall.

{{Weather box
|location = Niterói (1931–1960)
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|width = 100%
|Jan high C = 32.2
|Feb high C = 32.4
|Mar high C = 31.5
|Apr high C = 29.1
|May high C = 27.4
|Jun high C = 26.6
|Jul high C = 26.1
|Aug high C = 26.9
|Sep high C = 27.0
|Oct high C = 27.9
|Nov high C = 28.7
|Dec high C = 30.1
|year high C = 28.8
|Jan mean C = 26.4
|Feb mean C = 26.5
|Mar mean C = 25.7
|Apr mean C = 23.6
|May mean C = 21.5
|Jun mean C = 20.2
|Jul mean C = 19.6
|Aug mean C = 20.5
|Sep mean C = 21.4
|Oct mean C = 22.6
|Nov mean C = 23.6
|Dec mean C = 25.0
|year mean C = 23.0
|Jan low C = 22.1
|Feb low C = 22.2
|Mar low C = 21.6
|Apr low C = 19.6
|May low C = 17.3
|Jun low C = 15.6
|Jul low C = 14.8
|Aug low C = 15.6
|Sep low C = 17.1
|Oct low C = 18.6
|Nov low C = 19.6
|Dec low C = 20.8
|year low C = 18.7
|precipitation color = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 147.1
|Feb precipitation mm = 136.7
|Mar precipitation mm = 149.4
|Apr precipitation mm = 124.0
|May precipitation mm = 89.9
|Jun precipitation mm = 55.9
|Jul precipitation mm = 52.3
|Aug precipitation mm = 50.1
|Sep precipitation mm = 59.3
|Oct precipitation mm = 87.9
|Nov precipitation mm = 115.8
|Dec precipitation mm = 139.3
|year precipitation mm = 1207.7
|Jan humidity = 74.8
|Feb humidity = 76.0
|Mar humidity = 77.5
|Apr humidity = 79.5
|May humidity = 80.8
|Jun humidity = 81.2
|Jul humidity = 79.4
|Aug humidity = 75.9
|Sep humidity = 76.3
|Oct humidity = 76.8
|Nov humidity = 76.7
|Dec humidity = 76.9
|year humidity = 77.6
|Jan sun = 196.7
|Feb sun = 179.8
|Mar sun = 189.3
|Apr sun = 159.9
|May sun = 144.2
|Jun sun = 134.7
|Jul sun = 156.6
|Aug sun = 182.5
|Sep sun = 139.8
|Oct sun = 146.0
|Nov sun = 157.3
|Dec sun = 161.5
|year sun = 1948.3
|source 1 = [[Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia]]<ref name=INMET>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181115151022/http://www.inmet.gov.br/portal/index.php?r=clima%2FgraficosClimaticos
| archive-date = 15 November 2018
| url = http://www.inmet.gov.br/portal/index.php?r=clima/graficosClimaticos
| title = Gráficos Climatológicos (1931–1960 e 1961–1990)
| publisher = Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia
| language = pt
| access-date = 15 November 2018
| url-status = live
}}</ref>
}}

==Politics==
[[File:Câmara Municipal da Cidade de Niterói-RJ.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Niterói Municipal Chamber]]
In Niterói, [[Executive (government)|executive power]] is represented by the [[mayor]] and cabinet of secretaries, in accordance with the model laid out by the [[Brazilian Constitution|Federal Constitution]]. The [[organic law]] of the Municipality and the current [[Comprehensive planning|master plan]] require that the public administration should give the population effective tools to exercise [[participatory democracy]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Lei Orgânica do Município de Niterói/RJ |trans-title=Organic Law of the Municipality of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro |url=https://leismunicipais.com.br/lei-organica-niteroi-rj |access-date=26 August 2025 |lang=pt}}</ref><ref name="Master Plan">{{cite web |title=Plano Diretor de Niterói |trans-title=Niterói Master Plan |url=https://leismunicipais.com.br/plano-diretor-niteroi-rj |access-date=26 August 2025 |lang=pt}}</ref> The city is divided into regional administrations, each headed by a secretary appointed by the mayor.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rodrigo Neves anuncia os primeiros secretários do novo governo |trans-title=Rodrigo Neves announces the first secretaries of his new government |url=https://atribunarj.com.br/materia/rodrigo-neves-anuncia-primeiro-secretario-do-novo-governo |date=18 December 2024 |publisher=A Tribuna RJ |access-date=26 August 2025 |lang=pt}}</ref>

The city's [[legislature]] is constituted by the Niterói Municipal Chamber, composed of 21 elected councilors for four year terms (in compliance with the provisions of Article 29 of the Federal Constitution, which governs a minimum and maximum number of city councilors according to each [[Municipalities of Brazil|municipality's]] population).<ref>{{cite web |title=Vereadores |trans-title=City Councilors |url=https://www.camaraniteroi.rj.gov.br/site/vereadores/ |publisher=Niterói Municipal Chamber |access-date=26 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil |date=2020 |publisher=Supremo Tribunal Federal, Secretaria de Documentação |url=https://www.stf.jus.br/arquivo/cms/legislacaoConstituicao/anexo/brazil_federal_constitution.pdf |isbn=978-65-87125-02-2 |access-date=26 August 2025 |lang=en}}</ref>

The current mayor of Niterói is [[Rodrigo Neves]] ([[Democratic Labour Party (Brazil)|PDT]]), who was re-elected in 2024 after serving two terms from 2013 to 2017 and 2017 to 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last=Magalhães |first=Luiz Ernesto |title=Rio and Niterói officialize joint bid to host the 2031 Pan American Games |url=https://oglobo.globo.com/english/noticia/2024/12/03/rio-and-niteroi-officialize-joint-bid-to-host-the-2031-pan-american-games.ghtml |date=3 December 2024 |publisher=[[O Globo]] |access-date=26 August 2025 |lang=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Prefeito de Niterói – Rodrigo Neves |trans-title=Mayor of Niterói - Rodrigo Neves |url=https://niteroi.rj.gov.br/prefeito-de-niteroi-rodrigo-neves/ |publisher=Niterói City Government |access-date=26 August 2025 |lang=pt}}</ref>

==Economy==
{{Unreferenced section|date=March 2023}}
Niteroi is one most important financial and commercial centers in Rio de Janeiro State, like a modern city, with modern buildings and several shopping malls. Its economy is centered on its trading and commerce services, like real-estate corporations, [[graphic design]], [[web design]] and publicity.
It also hosts industries of food (especially seafood), clothes, candles, and [[marine (ocean)|marine objects]].

The city is located 25 minutes away from [[Rio de Janeiro]]'s downtown region. Niterói boasts the title of fourth richest city in Rio de Janeiro State, and the third in the [[Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area]].
The [[Niterói Contemporary Art Museum]], the city's main landmark, was designed by the famous Brazilian [[modernist]] architect [[Oscar Niemeyer]]. The landscape of the central urban area of the city is dominated by the Niterói Tower, a tall cylindrical office building belonging to the Niterói Shopping Mall.

===Growth===
By the time of its emancipation, the urban area of Niteroi corresponded to its central zone and São Domingos only. The south zone – Icarai, Santa Rosa, Vital Brazil – began to be urbanized in 1841, when the Santa Rosa farm was divided into estates, while Jurujuba evolved from an old fishermen colony. São Francisco and Charitas, sites named after the Catholic Church built in honor to Saint Francis by the Jurujuba cove, remained sparsely populated until about 1940. As for the northern zone of Niteroi, its urbanization began in the late 19th century, when a [[rail transport|tramway]] was inaugurated, allowing the expansion of the city to north and northeast, as well boosting the urban growth of the neighboring municipality of São Gonçalo.

The realm of Itaipu – a former vast zone of farming lands and forests east of Niteroi – was annexed to the municipality in 1943. It has lost its countryside traits and its urban population has grown fast since the late 1960s.

In the early 20th century, Niteroi started its industrialization boom.

==Demographics==
Niteroi is {{convert|14|km|mi|abbr=on}} distant from Rio de Janeiro City, to which it is linked by the [[Rio–Niterói Bridge]] and two ferryboat services. According to the 2010 Brazilian Census, the city has a population of 487,320 people, making it the [[Rio de Janeiro (state)|fifth most populous city in the state of Rio de Janeiro]] and the [[List of cities in Brazil by population|39th most populous in the country]]. At the 2010 Census, the population of Niterói grew 9.3% from 2000 to 2010, meaning Niterói had the lowest city population growth in the state of Rio de Janeiro in this period.

The quality of life of the municipality of Niteroi is considered one of the best (third place) among 5,600 other Brazilian municipalities, according to UN indexes (2000 est.).

{|
|+'''Population growth of Niterói''' 
! style="background:#efefef;" | Year
! style="background:#efefef;" | Population 
|-
| 1950 || style="text-align:right;"| 698,582
|-
| 1970 || style="text-align:right;"| 513,771
|-
| 1990 || style="text-align:right;"| 431,070
|-
| 2000 || style="text-align:right;"| 459,451
|-
| 2010 || style="text-align:right;"| 487,327
|-
| 2022 || style="text-align:right;"| 481,749
|
|}

===Religion===
[[File:Catedral de São João.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Catedral de São João]]
In the city of Niterói there are several manifest religious doctrines. According to the 2010 census, of the total population of Niterói, there were 258,391 [[Roman Catholic]] (53%), 97,759 [[evangelicals]] (35%) and 34,484 [[Spiritists]] (11%).

According to the division of the Catholic Church in Brazil, Niterói belongs to the Regional Episcopal Council East I of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, and the archiepiscopal seat is in the city of Niterói. The [[Archdiocese of Niterói]] comprises 14 municipalities of the region of the capital and the interior of Rio de Janeiro State, forming in total 73 parishes and 1 quasi-parish divided into 6 vicariates. There is also the Jewish community integrated to the Israeli Federation of Rio de Janeiro, it also has the most different Protestant creeds, as well as the practice of [[Buddhism]], messianism, [[Afro-Brazilian religions]] and others.

==Education==
Niteroi is the seat of the [[Fluminense Federal University]], one of the most important research centers in Brazil.<ref>[http://idgnow.uol.com.br/mercado/2006/11/08/idgnoticia.2006-11-08.3249860806/IDGNoticia_view/ UFF in numbers]</ref> Other colleges include ISE La Salle and [[Universidade Candido Mendes|Cândido Mendes University]].

Catholic schools, mainly [[Lasallian educational institutions|La Salle Institute]] and São Vicente de Paulo, are the most traditional elementary and high schools of the city. Other important schools are PH, Marília Matoso, Pedro II, Gay Lussac, [[Instituto Abel]], Colégio Nossa Senhora Das Mercês, the [[Salesian|Salesian High School]], ETE – Henrique Lage (a.k.a. Faetec), [[Oswaldo Cruz Institute]] and Escola Canadense de Niterói.

Niterói has the highest Human Development Index (HDI) and best level of literacy in [[Rio de Janeiro State]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.educacaoniteroi.com.br/noticias.php?mostrar=noticiacompleta&id=bf51d16855&cat=principal |title=Fundação Municipal de Educação de Niterói |access-date=10 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211060936/http://www.educacaoniteroi.com.br/noticias.php?mostrar=noticiacompleta&id=bf51d16855&cat=principal |archive-date=11 December 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Transportation==
{{Unreferenced section|date=March 2023}}

===Bus===
The urban bus service is the only means of public transportation in the city of Niterói. There are just under fifty active lines, all operated by private companies. Most municipal bus lines have an end point in the center of Niterói (at the João Goulart Bus Terminal), or they pass through the center of Niterói.

===Ferry===
[[File:Niteroi01.jpg|thumb|240px|Arariboia ferry station in Niterói]]
The sea crossing between Niterói and the city of Rio de Janeiro is made by two routes, both having as destination the [[Praça Quinze de Novembro|Praça XV]] Station. The stations, in Niterói, are located in Arariboia Square, in the center and in the [[Charitas]] neighborhood. The crossing between ''Praça Arariboia'' and ''Praça 15 de Novembro'' is done by large boats, with capacity for up to 2,000 passengers, in a journey that lasts about twenty minutes.

Since 2006, the boats have been gradually replaced by large catamarans with a lower capacity (up to 1,200 passengers), but with a shorter crossing time of between 12 and 15 minutes. The crossing between the station of Charitas and that of the ''Praça 15 de Novembro''× is done by small catamarans, being this service considered selective transport.

===Train===
There was a railway extension for passenger transportation, 33&nbsp;km long, connecting Niterói to the municipality of [[Itaboraí]], passing through [[São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro|São Gonçalo]]. Until its deactivation in 2007 the extension was operated by the state-owned company Central. In the end, there were only two daily trips, one in each direction, using an obsolete train of the 1950s. The line is now deactivated and in several sections, the tracks have been removed by the municipalities of São Gonçalo and Niterói. Since in the future there is the proposal to use the bed of this branch for the implementation of part of the projected [[Line 3 (Rio de Janeiro)|Line 3]] of the [[Rio Metro]] between Niterói and Itaboraí.

==Sports==
[[File:Canto do Rio nos anos 50.JPG|thumb|left|240px|[[Canto do Rio Foot-Ball Club]] in 1956]]
Besides being hometown of stars like [[Leonardo Araújo|Leonardo]], [[Edmundo (footballer)|Edmundo]] and [[Gérson]], the city is also homeland of the [[Canto do Rio Foot-Ball Club]], which was founded in 1913 and was the only club outside the city of [[Rio de Janeiro]] to participate in the [[Campeonato Carioca|Rio de Janeiro Championship]] in the 1940s. The club also had its anthem composed by [[Lamartine Babo]], composer of the anthems for every participant of the [[1941 Campeonato Carioca|Rio de Janeiro Championship of 1941]] due to a radio campaign. The city is not currently represented in the elite of national football.

Other football clubs in the city are the [[Fonseca Atlético Clube|Fonseca Athletic Club]], which recently announced its return to professional football and the Rio Cricket and Athletic Association, which participated in the first championship in Rio, reaching third place and having the championship set in its stadium. Rio Cricket also participated in (possibly) the first rivalry of Rio de Janeiro's football, with [[Paissandu Atlético Clube]], a club in the city of Rio de Janeiro, which was founded by Rio Cricket founders and has a [[Campeonato Carioca|Rio de Janeiro Championship]] title.

The city also has the [[Estádio Caio Martins|Caio Martins Stadium]], which is located in the Santa Rosa neighborhood and has for years been the home of [[Canto do Rio Foot-Ball Club|Canto do Rio]] and more recently [[Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas|Botafogo]] in the 2000s. In 2007, the stadium's gymnasium was the stage of the final of the [[Brazilian Volleyball Super League (Women)|Feminine Superleague of Volleyball]], that finished with victory of the team of Rio de Janeiro. Nowadays, the stadium is used for training of [[Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas|Botafogo]] and in games scheduled by the [[Federação de Futebol do Estado do Rio de Janeiro|FFERJ]] – mostly, in championships of inferior divisions.

==Administrative divisions==
From 1943 to the late 1970s, the municipality of Niteroi comprised two districts only: the district of Niteroi (original area) and the district of Itaipu (acquired in 1943), which barely had an urban continuity or even proper road links to each other and were considered apart areas.  The fractioning of Itaipu's farms into real estates as well its boom after the building of the Rio-Niterói's bridge demanded a better integration between the two sides of the municipality which led to the improving of the roads and urban facilities and a reformation on the make up of Niteroi's administrative division.  The municipality was reorganized into five districts.  In the early 1990s, the [[Administrative division (Niterói)|administrative division of Niterói]] was altered once again, being the municipality now divided into twelve administrative, further subdivided into 52 ''bairros'' (neighborhoods) and 5 ''Regiões de Planejamento'' ("Planning Regions").<ref name="Master Plan" />

{| class="wikitable"
|+ 
|-
! Praias da Baía !! Norte !! Oceânica !! Pendotiba !! Leste
|-
| Bairro de Fátima || Baldeador || Cafubá || Badu || Muriqui
|-
| Boa Viagem || Barreto || Camboinhas || Cantagalo || Rio do Ouro
|-
| Cachoeiras || Caramujo || Engenho do Mato || Ititioca || Várzea das Moças
|-
| Centro || Cubango || Itacoatiara || Largo da Batalha || 
|-
| Charitas || Engenhoca || Itaipu || Maceió || 
|-
| Gragoatá || Fonseca || Jacaré || Maria Paula || 
|-
| Icaraí || Ilha da Conceição || Jardim Imbuí || Matapaca || 
|-
| Ingá || Santa Bárbara || Maravista || Sapê || 
|-
| Jurujuba || Santana || Piratininga || Vila Progresso || 
|-
| Morro do Estado || São Lourenço || Santo Antônio ||   || 
|-
| Pé Pequeno || Tenente Jardim || Serra Grande ||   || 
|-
| Ponta d'Areia || Viçoso Jardim ||   ||   || 
|-
| Santa Rosa ||   ||   ||   || 
|-
| São Domingos ||   ||   ||   || 
|-
| São Francisco ||   ||   ||   || 
|-
| Viradouro ||   ||   ||   || 
|-
| Vital Brazil ||   ||   ||   || 
|}

==Notable people==
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
*[[Alex Rodrigo Dias da Costa]] – [[Association football|footballer]]
*[[André Marques (actor)|André Marques]]  – TV show host, entertainer
*[[Murilo Benicio]] - popular actor
*[[Baby Consuelo]] – singer
*[[Benjamin Constant (Brazilian politician)|Benjamin Constant]] – politician
*[[Daniel Lins Cortês]] – footballer
*[[Dedé Santana]] – former Brazilian comedian
*[[Edinho (footballer, born 1983)|Edinho]]  –  former footballer
*[[Edmundo Alves de Souza Neto|Edmundo]] – footballer
*[[Fernanda Keller]] – triathlete, [[Ironman Triathlon|Ironman]] winner
*[[Gérson]] – footballer
*[[Isabel Swan]] – sailor, Olympic medalist
*[[Leonardo Araújo|Leonardo]] – former Director of Football for [[Paris Saint-Germain F.C.]]
*[[Lars Grael]] – sailor, Olympic champion
*[[Altair (footballer)|Altair]] – football player
*[[Juliana Marins]] - Hiker, Dancer
*[[Leo Moura]] – football player
* [[:pt:Manuel de Nóbrega|Manuel de Nóbrega]] – Brazilian comedian
{{Col-break}}
*[[Carlos Alberto de Nóbrega]] – comedian, television host, scriptwriter, producer, executive director, actor and lawyer
*[[Marcelo Ferreira]] – athlete (sailing), Olympic medalist
*[[Martine Grael]] – sailor, Olympic champion
*[[Matheus Fernandes]] – footballer
*[[Jessé (singer)|Jessé]] – singer
*[[Perla Haney-Jardine]] – actress
*[[Agnaldo Rayol]] – singer and actor
*[[Rafael dos Anjos]] – [[mixed martial artist]], former [[UFC]] lightweight champion
*[[Joílson Júnior]] – Greco-Roman wrestler, Pan American Games medalist
*[[Ricardo Arona]] – fighter
*[[:pt:Ronaldo Olive|Ronaldo Olive]] – journalist 
*[[Ronnie Von]] – singer
*[[Sérgio Mendes]] - Singer, Songwriter
*[[Sérgio Pereira da Silva Porto]] – physicist
*[[Sheymon Moraes]] – mixed martial artist
*[[Torben Grael]] – sailor, Olympic champion 
{{col-end}}

==Gallery==
{{Gallery
|title=
|width=200
|height=120
|align=center
|File:Terminal Rodoviário João Goulart - Vista da parte traseira do prédio.JPG|alt1=|João Goulart Bus Terminal in downtown Niterói
|File:Biblioteca Estadual de Niterói.jpg|alt2=|Niterói State Library
|File:Museu de Arte Contemporânea.jpg|alt3=|[[Niterói Contemporary Art Museum]]
|File:UFF by Diego Baravelli 02.jpg|alt4=|The Gragoatá campus of the [[Fluminense Federal University]]
|File:Palacio dos Correios em HDR.jpg|alt5=|Correios Palace
|File:Palácio Arariboia.jpg|alt6=|Arariboia Palace
|File:Praia de Icaraí.jpg|alt7=|Night view
|File:76ª Delegacia Policial - Niterói.jpg|alt8=|Old and new architecture mingle together in Niterói
|File:Icaraí Niterói.JPG|alt9=|Neighborhood of Icaraí
|File:Itacoatiara beach.jpg|alt11=|[[Itacoatiara]] beach
|File:StCruzFort.jpg|alt12=|Santa Cruz Fortress
|File:Enseada de Fróes Niterói.JPG|alt13=|Fróes cove
|File:Conde de Agrolongo - Canto do Rio, Praia de Icaraí, Niterói RJ, ca. 1895.jpg|alt14=|Icaraí beach in 1895
|File:Vista do Rio de Janeiro a partir de Niterói.jpg|View of Rio de Janeiro from Icaraí beach
}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons and category|Niterói}}
{{NIE Poster|Nictheroy}}
{{wikivoyage|Niterói}}
*[http://www.soumaisniteroi.com.br/historia.html History of the city of Niterói]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061111051626/http://www.niteroi.tur.br/ Niterói Tourism Official Web Site]
*[http://www.guianiteroi.com.br/ A guide to the city of Niterói]
*[https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=niteroi,+brazil&t=k&om=0&ll=-22.91397,-43.108807&spn=0.050044,0.106945 Satellite picture by Google Maps]
*[http://WikiMapia.org/#lat=-22.920136&lon=-43.081512&z=12&l=9&m=s&v=2 Niterói] on [[WikiMapia]]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1tEwgbBQZg/ Gymnastic formation squadron of Niteroi, Nov. 2009]
*[http://amoniteroi.com.br Amo Niterói]
*[http://www.riotandem.com/parapente-niteroi.html Parque da Cidade – Paragliding takeoff ramp.]

{{Coord|22|53|00|S|43|06|13|W|region:BR-RJ_type:city(440,000)|display=title}}

{{Municipalities of Rio de Janeiro}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Niteroi}}
[[Category:Niterói| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities in Rio de Janeiro (state)]]
[[Category:Guanabara Bay]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Rio de Janeiro (state)]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1573]]
[[Category:1573 establishments in Brazil]]
[[Category:1573 establishments in the Portuguese Empire]]