Barra da Tijuca

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 2000 Brazil Census. Unlike the South and Central Zones, Barra da Tijuca follows Modernist standards, with large boulevards creating the major transit axis. The area's masterplan was designed by Lúcio Costa, known for his work on Brasília, and creates a region filled with many gardens, shopping malls, apartment buildings, and large mansions. In recent years, due to the rapid development of the Brazilian economy, Barra's population has increased by over 100,000, as a large number of residents and companies search for cheaper real estate as an alternative to the densely populated South Zone of Rio. Demographic data indicates that the region is the fastest-growing neighborhood in Rio: 98,851 in 1991, 174,353 in 2000, and 300,823 in 2010.

Barra natives and residents are known as Barristas, or more popularly, Barrenses.