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Take an aerial view of Rio 100 days before the Olympics

Nearly all the Olympics venues are ready, but Brazil faces some major political and economic distractions in the 100 days leading up to Rio 2016. Meanwhile here's an aerial look at the Summer Olympics host city.

Wednesday marks 100 days until the start of the Summer Games

As Brazil prepares to host the Summer Games in 100 days, here's an overhead look at Rio, starting with Copacabana Beach. The famous strip of sand will host the beach volleyball, marathon swimming, road cycling and triathlon events during the Games, which begin on Aug. 5.

(Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)
(Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)

Brazil's recession prompted some last-minute cutbacks.

Some of the cost-saving plans included reducing the number of volunteers and pulling air-conditioning from athletes' rooms. This is the Maracana Stadium, which has been repurposed as the Rio Olympic Stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies will take place. 

(Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)

Brazil throws a great party, but …

Brazil has long been known as a great party host, so long as the guests don't mind a location that still has the builders in it, Reuters photographer Ricardo Moraes, says. Here, one of Moraes' aerial shots reveals men still working inside the Olympic Stadium on Monday.

(Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)

Last week, two cyclists died.

The collapse of a new seafront cycle lane touted as part of the Olympics legacy has shaken Rio residents. The lane fell when a wave swept up the sea wall last week. Such stories may be partly responsible for slow demand for tickets, according to Rio 2016 spokesman Phil Wilkinson.

(Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)

The IOC says it's satisfied.

The International Olympic Committee visited Rio this month and expressed its satisfaction with progress so far, albeit with the caveat that "thousands" of small details still needed to be finalized.

Some of those concerns involved the central Olympic park, seen here on Monday. 

(Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)

Slums remain in the shadow of Olympic venues.

Next to the Olympic park is the Vila Autodromo slum, named for its proximity to Rio's old Formula One racecourse. Residents of the favela were mostly evicted to make way for construction, but some holdouts remain.

(Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)

Officials say the Games will turn out fine.

Some 36 test events have already taken place at arenas and stadiums, including the X-Park Deodoro Olympic Park, as well as on Rio's beaches and new mountain bike tracks.

(Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)

Here's an athlete training at canoe slalom on the X-Park course on Monday.

(Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)

Construction continues next to the golfing venue.

All of the Olympic venues save for the velodrome and the athletics stadium, where the running track is being laid, are complete, Reuters reports. This is the Olympic golf venue in the shadow of a building under construction tower. 

(Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)

The water venues are ready, despite pollution concerns.

About 10 kilometres from Copacabana, next to the main Santos Dumont Airport, is Marina da Gloria. The marina will host the sailing events during Rio 2016.

Inland from there is the heavily polluted urban water body called the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, which will host the rowing and canoe sprint events.

(Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)
(Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)

With files from CBC News