CROWD AT LEBLON BEACH IN RIO DE JANEIRO, 1998-06-17 (photo)

Sunbathers relax on the Leblon beachfront near Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro. Despite abundant natural beauty and new-found economic stability, Brazil has been left out of a global tourism boom that began in the 1980s and struggles to shake its image as a dirty, crime-ridden and chaotic Third World country. Tourism accounts for 7.8 percent of Brazil's gross domestic product (GDP) of $830 billion. The global average is about 11 percent of GDP while in tourist havens like the Caribbean it accounts for more than 25 percent. Violent Rio, still Brazil's top drawing card thanks to its post-card setting, may take years to recover its former status as a premier tourist destination. Picture taken 20MAR98. GN/SV