Rio Olympics begin with dazzling opening ceremony

The long awaited Rio 2016 Olympics have begun with a dazzling lights display at the famous Maracana Stadium.

Former Brazilian athlete Vanderlei Cordeiro lights the Olympic cauldron Source: AAP

The theme of the Rio 2016 opening ceremony is 'making something great out of almost nothing'.

With just a fraction of the budget enjoyed by Beijing and London before it, Rio's opening ceremony has taken a more austere, but still dazzling tone.

Starting with a promotional video showing aerial shots of various sports being played across Rio, dancers decked in silver costumes and sheets took centre stage at Maracana Stadium for a drawn-out countdown.

With the Brazilian flag raised and the Olympic officials acknowledged, the ceremony kicked off with crews guiding giant structures across a sandy plain, representing the creation of Brazil.