▁of ▁Brazil , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁high ▁rate ▁of ▁natural ▁increase . ▁The ▁sub urban ▁population ▁more ▁than ▁triple d ▁to ▁some ▁ 1 . 5 ▁million ▁between ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁at ▁a ▁time ▁when ▁the ▁city ▁proper ▁exceed ed ▁ 3 . 3 ▁million . ▁Following ▁the ▁transfer ▁of ▁the ▁national ▁capital ▁to ▁Bras ília ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁Rio ' s ▁rate ▁of ▁population ▁growth ▁slow ed ▁somewhat , ▁although ▁the ▁sub urban ▁population ▁continued ▁to ▁m ush room . ▁By ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁there ▁were ▁more ▁than ▁ 5 ▁million ▁residents ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁and ▁ 3 . 6 ▁million ▁in ▁the ▁sub ur bs . ▁Although ▁subsequent ▁growth ▁continued ▁at ▁a ▁less er ▁rate , ▁by ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 1 st ▁century ▁the ▁metropol itan ▁population ▁exceed ed ▁ 1 1 ▁million , ▁of ▁which ▁nearly ▁half ▁res ided ▁in ▁the ▁sub ur bs . ▁ ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁the ▁latter ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁population ▁growth , ▁real ▁estate ▁spec ulation , ▁and ▁an ▁ampl ified ▁dependence ▁on ▁autom ob iles ▁precip itated ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁changes ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁The ▁highway ▁system ▁was ▁expanded , ▁with ▁improved ▁access ▁to ▁numerous ▁sub urban ▁areas . ▁Still ▁higher ▁sk ys c rap ers ▁arose ▁in ▁the ▁Centro ▁and ▁larger ▁resident ial ▁to wers ▁increasing ly ▁replaced ▁small ▁a partment ▁buildings ▁and ▁houses . ▁Land own ers ,