Based on information of June 30, 2019, the IBGE once again carried out the biannual update of the list of municipalities comprising the Metropolitan Areas - RMs, Development Integrated Regions - RIDEs and Urban Agglomerations defined by the states and Federal Government.

Since 2013, the IBGE biannually updates the composition of every Brazilian RM, RIDE and Urban Agglomeration on its website. Other information about the regional divisions can be accessed here.

Revision shows inclusion of new municipalities in Metropolitan Areas of Natal, Serra Gaúcha and Goiânia

The current revision of the IBGE shows the inclusion of new municipalities in the Metropolitan Areas in the states of Rio Grande do Norte, Goiás and Rio Grande do Sul. In Rio Grande do Norte, the municipality of Bom Jesus was included in the RM of Natal, according to Complementary Law no. 648/2019. In Rio Grande do Sul, Nova Roma do Sul is the new municipality in the RM of Serra Gaúcha, which now adds up to 14 municipalities. And Inhumas was the 21st municipality included in the RM of Goiânia, in the state of Goiás, in the Central-West.

Neither the Development Integrated Regions - RIDEs nor the other Metropolitan Areas of the Brazilian states changed. Currently, Brazil has 74 Metropolitan Areas. The state with the highest number of RMs is Paraíba (12), followed by Santa Catarina (11), Alagoas (9) and Paraná (8). Today, Brazil has five urban agglomerations, being three in the state of São Paulo and two in Rio Grande do Sul.

The metropolitan areas and urban agglomerations are divisions created by complementary laws under the jurisdiction of each state, according to article 25, paragraph 3, of the Federal Constitution of 1988. This measurement aims at integrating the organization, planning and implementation of public functions of common interest.

On their turn, RIDEs are established as administrative areas that comprise different Federation Units. According to article 43, paragraph 3, of the Federal Constitution, they are created by a specific legislation under the jurisdiction of the Union, which lists the municipalities that comprise them, as well as defines the operational structure and the interests of the participating political-administrative units.