Rio From Above: Aerial Views Show Off Olympic Venues

Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon is the site of the Olympic rowing venue for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Around 10,500 athletes from 206 countries are expected to take part in 17 days of the Olympiad, competing across 306 events.

Work continues on the Olympic Beach Volleyball Arena on Rio's world-famous Copacabana beach. 

Around 85,000 soldiers and policemen will be deployed at the Olympics — the largest security force assembled at any event in Brazil's history and twice as large as the security presence for London 2012.

Barra Olympic Park will be the heart of the Games with nine venues hosting 16 Olympic and nine Paralympic sports.

At its peak occupancy the Olympic village will host more than 17,000 guests.

Marina da Gloria is the site of the Olympic sailing venue. 

Sailing was supposed to make its Olympic debut at Athens 1896, but due to bad weather it was postponed until Paris 1900. Now one of the most celebrated Olympic sports, in Rio there will be five men’s, four women’s and one mixed event on Guanabara Bay.

A cable-stayed bridge will carry the new Metro Line 4 subway line which connects Rio's city center, tourist neighborhoods and beach areas to the main Olympic zone.

The winning design proposal for the Olympic Park includes plans after the Games for converting the facilities for community use.

The Olympic Tennis Center features 16 courts. 

Serena Williams is the reigning Olympic women's singles and doubles gold medalist.

Team USA took 556 athletes to the London 2012 Olympics, second only to the hosts, and is again expected to bring more athletes than all the other visiting nations in Rio.

The iconic Christ the Redeemer statue overlooks Rio de Janeiro on July 25. 

The Week in Pictures: July 22 - 29