Jacarepagua

Jacarepaguá
neighborhood
Church of Nossa Senhora da Penna in Jacarepaguá
Jacarepaguá Location in Rio de Janeiro
Coordinates: 22°56′45″S 43°22′54″W / 22.94583°S 43.38167°W / -22.94583; -43.38167Coordinates: 22°56′45″S 43°22′54″W / 22.94583°S 43.38167°W / -22.94583; -43.38167
Country	Brazil
State	Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
Municipality/City	Rio de Janeiro
Zone	West Zone
Administrative region	Jacarepaguá
Area
• Total	7,579.64 ha (18,729.70 acres)
Population (2010)
• Total	157,326
• Density	2,100/km2 (5,400/sq mi)

Jacarepaguá (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒakaɾepaˈɡwa]), with a land area of 29.27 square miles (75.8 km²), is a neighborhood situated in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 2010, it had a population of 157,326. The name comes from the indigenous name of the location, "shallow pond of caymans", yakaré (cayman, C. yacare) + upá (pond) + guá (shallow), by the time of the Portuguese invasion.

Jacarepaguá is located in the West Zone of Rio in the Baixada de Jacarepaguá, between Maciço da Tijuca and the Serra da Pedra Branca. The upper middle class Barra da Tijuca separates the suburb from the sea.

Jacarepaguá is divided into the following sub-areas (sub-bairros), which nowadays are already considered different neighborhoods:

The suburb is known for large open areas where events and shows, such as the last Rock in Rio, take place.

The bairro contains the Camorim center of the 12,500 hectares (31,000 acres) Pedra Branca State Park, created in 1974. It is one of the greenest areas of Rio, with plenty of nature in some of the sub-areas, especially in Vargem Grande and Vargem Pequena.

It holds a samba school called Unidos de Jacarepaguá, churches like Nossa Senhora do Loreto, many shopping centers like Rio Shopping, Quality Shopping, and Center Shopping, and schools such as Garriga de Menezes, Pentágono and Primus, and several clubs, like Olímpico and Bandeirantes. In the mid-20th century, the area was home to the composer and mandolin player known as Jacob do Bandolim.

It is also home to the Autódromo de Jacarepaguá, which hosted the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix between 1978 and 1989. It also hosted the Rio de Janeiro motorcycle Grand Prix between 1995 and 2004.