Rio’s carnival by the numbers

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Rio de Janeiro’s carnival, which kicked off Friday, is arguably the world’s biggest party. Here are some key numbers.

6 million participants:

They include some 1.5 million tourists from Brazil and abroad. Many attend the “bloco” street parties, while 72,000 can fit into the Sambodromo parade stadium.

13 Samba schools:

These schools compete in the top division contest at the Sambodromo, each of them with about 3,000 dancers, musicians and float operators. Watching them are 54 judges — and huge crowds of passionate fans.

17,110 police:

Rio’s going through a crime wave and some 17,110 officers are deployed during the festivities. Just around the Sambodromo there are 794.

$1.06 billion in revenues:

The mayor’s office estimates that the city pulls in 3.5 billion reais ($1.06 billion) in tourism revenues. That’s partly thanks to an 86 percent hotel occupancy rate during the period.

106 million condoms:

Brazilians know these as “camisinhas,” or little shirts, but the number distributed free of charge is enormous.

1.8 million gallons of beer:

Carnival means music, costumes and… beer. Drinks giant AMBEV aims to sell 1.8 million gallons (seven million liters) during carnival.

32,560 toilets:

That may sound like a lot. But at the biggest “bloco,” which takes place Saturday with an estimated one million or more people, the proportion will be just one toilet per 2,600 people.