RIO DE ORO 57 RIOJA and churches are numerous, but none of them can be called fine buildings. The cathedral is of a superior style of archi- tecture. Parallel with the beach runs the main street, Primeiro de Marco, from which the minor streets branch off at right angles and are intersected by others at regular distances. The former imperial palace, now the National Mu- seum, skirts the beach, and is seen to great advantage from the landing-place, which is within 60 yards of its entrance. The other public buildings are the naval and military arsenal, a public hospital, a national library containing about 300,- 000 volumes, colleges, and other educa- tional and charitable establishments. ( It has, besides, several scientific institu- tions, a museum of natural history, a botanic garden, and a theater. The har- bor is one of the finest known, and indeed can scarcely be excelled for ca- paciousness and the security which it affords to vessels of every description. The entrance into it from the sea does not exceed a mile from point to point; it afterward widens to about three or four miles, and is commanded in every direction with heavy batteries — all the numerous little islands with which it is interspersed being crowned with artil- lery. This city is the chief mart of Brazil, and especially of the provinces of Minas-Geraes, Sao Paulo, Goyaz, and Matto-Grosso. The manufacturing inter- ests are comparatively unimportant. The imports in 1918 were valued at $119,- 419,000, the exports at $65,427,000. Pop. about 1,200,000. The first settlement at Rio, made by the French, dates back to 1555. The Portuguese founded the city proper in 1567, and it became the capital of Brazil in 1762. The court of Portu- gal was in residence at Rio from 1808 to 1821. RIO DE ORO, a strip of coast with its hinterland belonging to Spain on the W. of the Sahara desert, Africa, stretch- ing from Cape Blanco to Morocco and bounded on the E. and S. by the Ter- ritory of Mauritania belonging to France. Its area is about 121,400 square miles, the French boundary being settled and confirmed in 1900 and 1912. The region is an arid plateau, with a growth of es- parto grass near the sea, and some oases inland. There is some cattle and camel raising and the inhabitants, chiefly ne- groes, number about 30,000. RIO GRANDE, a river of western Africa, which enters the Atlantic by an estuary opposite the Bissagos Islands; upper course not well known. RIO GRANDE DE CAGAYAN, the largest river in Luzon, Philippine Is- lands. It has its rise in the mountain- ous regions of the central part of the island, flows north two hundred miles and empties into the China Sea near the northern extremity of Luzon. The river is navigable for a distance of 13 miles from its mouth, to the town of Lallo, for river steamboats with a draught not exceeding 12 feet. The best quality of tobacco raised in the Philippines is pro- duced along the banks of the river. RIO GRANDE, RIO GRANDE DEL NORTE, or RIO BRAVO DEL NORTE, a large river of North America, rises in the San Juan mountains in southwest- ern Colorado, and flows generally S. E. into the Gulf of Mexico, forming on its way the entire boundary between Texas and Mexico. Its length is about 1,800 miles; it is for the most part a shallow stream, but small steamboats can ascend for nearly 500 miles. Its chief affluent is the Rio Pecos. RIO GRANDE DO NORTE, a mari- time state of northeastern Brazil. Area, 22,190 square miles. The surface is mountainous in the interior and poorly drained, the chief river being the Pi- ranhas. The region is near the equator. Among the industries are fishing, salt production, vegetable wax preparation, horse and cattle raising, while rubber, sugar-cane, cotton, millet, and mandioca are cultivated. The capital is Natal. Pop. about 430,000. RIO-GRANDE-DO-SUL, the extreme S. province of Brazil; bounded partly by the Atlantic, and bordering on Uruguay and the Argentine Republic; area, 91,- 336 square miles. Pop. about 900,000. It is well watered, contains much fertile land, and has a healthy climate. On the coast is the large lake or lagoon of Pa- tos, besides others. The chief occupations of the inhabitants are cattle rearing and agriculture. Among the popula- tion are over 200,000 Germans, there be- ing a number of flourishing German set- tlements. There are some 600 miles of railway. Hides, tallow, horse-hair, bones, etc., are exported. Capital, Porto Ale- gre. ~ RIOJA, FRANCISCO DE (re-5'Ha), a Spanish poet; born in Seville about 1585. He was a great scholar, librarian of the royal library and Chronicler of Castile. He was regarded as one of the best poets of his time. His best known work is "Epistola Moral a Fabio," full of sound advice regarding the superior- ity of a quiet and unassuming life. He wrote many sonnets under the titles of "To Riches," "To Poverty," "To the Spring," "To the Rose," and "Silvas." His "Poems," with extensive biography,
