Brasilia, Jul 4 (IANS): Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has vowed Rio 2016 will be a "historic" event after unveiling the Olympic torch.

The torch relay will begin at the Games' birthplace in Olympia, Greece, before embarking on its tour of Brazil in May 2016, reported Xinhua news agency.

White with blue and green waves inset in its upper half, the torch will start its Brazil journey in the capital Brasilia before traversing 300 cities across the country.

It will culminate on August 5 with the lighting of the the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony at the Maracana stadium.

"We are confident that we can meet the challenge before us. We will put on a historic Olympics," Rousseff said on Friday.

"I am sure that the Olympics will be a symbolic moment for us. We will show what this country is made of."

About 12,000 torchbearers are expected to participate in the relay across 20,000 km of Brazilian roads.

According to Rio 2016 president Carlos Nuzman, the route was designed to reach as many people as possible.

"We want to show the world the chemistry that we believe will be born when the Olympic flame meets the warmth of the Brazilian people," he said.

The Rio Games, to be held from August 5 to 21 next year, will be the first Olympics in South America.