Territoriality, rurality and rural-urban relationship. – Analyzing currents changes in Brazilian countryside becomes mandatory. Besides performing traditional roles – being a reference of activities permanence, providing urban areas with workforce and raw materials, and consuming urban goods –, rural areas are becoming more and more a place of activities other than farming ones. Industrial activity and tourism service activities exemplify it. In addition to making nature features stand out, tourism linked activities point out the change tendency.

This paper seeks to present some of these changes in Rio do Janeiro's countryside, where, besides cattle raising, numerous non-farming activities are taking place, especially tourism.