Barra is well known for its beaches, its many lakes and rivers, and its lifestyle. This neighbourhood represents 4. Barra da Tijuca is classified as one of the most developed places in Brazil, with one of the highest Human Development Indexes HDI in the country, as measured in the Brazil Census.
Unlike the South Zone and Rio's Downtown, Barra da Tijuca, built only 30 years ago, follows the Modernist standards, with large boulevards creating the major transit axis. In recent years, because of the development of the Brazilian economy , Barra has received more than , new residents and many companies' headquarters looking for a more modern address. Demographic data indicates that the region is the fastest growing county in Rio: 98, in , , in , and , in Those born in Barra da Tijuca, or those who live there, are called Barristas, or Barrenses.
The neighborhood is a cultural, economic, and administrative hub of the city, and is believed to be the safest of Rio's upper-class neighbourhoods because of its lack of favelas and plentiful private and public security.
It is the home of several celebrities and football players. The name Barra da Tijuca can be roughly translated as "clay sandbank". The region of Barra da Tijuca was originally a large beach, with typical undergrowth sandbanks.
The area, full of swamps and unsuitable for planting, remained unoccupied until the middle of the twentieth century, even though occasional groups of fishermen frequented the region. In , the region was given to religious Benedictines, who settled only in the neighborhoods of Camorim , Vargem Pequena , and Vargem Grande. The concentration of large tracts of land in the hands of a few was one of the causes of its late growth. Additionally it is separated from the rest of the municipality by large, difficult-to-cross mountain ranges with peaks ranging from β meters.
