There were many reasons that Brazil wanted to relocate its capital to an inland location. Rio de Janerio, a coastal city and previous capital of Brazil, had a very compromising site, open to naval attack. An inland capital would be safe from any naval threat. Moving the capital inland would help stimulate the economy by tapping into the vast resources continental Brazil had to offer. The country would become more aware of it's role in the Americas and of its neighboring countries. Many people believed that transferring the capital would promote a unified country, rather than the set of enclaves Brazil had become, and would help erase reminders of Portugese domination, like Rio. An inland capital could become a growth center, promoting regional and national development, and help fulfill a continental destiny which many people believed in. It was also a common belief that having the capital of Brazil in Rio gave the government a distorted view of the country. Finally, an inland capital could be used as an ideological device which could create a spirit of national unity throughout Brazil.