Brasilia, the glittering new capital of Brazil - described as a "town planner's golden dream" - was recently visited by VISNEWS cameraman Sepp Riff during his tour of Latin America.

The city lies 600 miles north-west of Rio de Janeiro and covers 400 square miles. It has risen in four years on a high plateau 3900 feet above sea level. With its satellite cities, Brasilia's present population stands at just over 100,000. This is about one sixth of the planned population.

This present total des not include the "cadangos", the people from the poor north-eastern section of Brazil whose cheap labour is said to have made the whole project possible. They live in "Free Town", a shanty town on the outskirts of Brasilia.

There have been many estimates of the cost of constructing this long-desired inland capital - some run as high ass GBP357 million.

Sites for the construction of foreign embassies have been laid out, residential areas stretch out for miles across the plateau, industrial areas are taking form.

Twenty-four bands are nearing completion in Brasilia. The bank of London and South America were soon to start work on a 13-storey building. Fifteen Brazilian banking houses were planning their headquarters in the city. Most of these are ultra modern skyscrapers.

The exuberant architecture of the marble, concrete and glass Government offices - designed by Dr. Oscar Niemeyer - is sign of what is to come in Brasilia. He is responsible for all architectures in the capital with the exception of the embassies. These will be designed according to each country's choice.

According to the official records, Brasilia's history is tracked back as far as 1808 when the "Correio Brasiliense" - a Brazilian newspaper edited in London - was strongly in favour of the transfer of the capital to the centre of the country. The paper deplored the settlers' "preoccupation" with the natural beauty of Rio de Janeiro Harbour. Brasilia's present daily newspaper, the "Correio Brasiliense", commemorates this farsighted editor.

In his final year in office, President Kubitschek ensured that the construction of Brasilia was so advanced that it could not be abandoned by any successor to his office.

The new Brasilian leader, President Janio Quadros, who has embarked upon a nation-wide austerity programme, will govern the country form the new capital, but the fast pace of the building programme will be slowed down.