Why did Portugal move Brazil’s colonial capital from Salvador to Rio de Janeiro in 1763?

In 1763, the Portuguese government transferred the colonial capital of Brazil from Salvador to Rio de Janeiro primarily due to the economic shift caused by the discovery of gold and diamonds in the interior region of Minas Gerais.123

During the 18th century, the gold rush brought vast wealth into the Southeast, fundamentally altering the colony's economic and political center. As Rio de Janeiro became the primary trade hub for these mining areas, its strategic and economic importance grew, necessitating a more centralized administrative presence in the region. This move allowed the Portuguese crown to better oversee the lucrative mining activities and the resulting flow of wealth, which had begun to surpass the traditional sugar-based economy of the Northeast.1324