A study on the landscape of the very limited geographical area in which an isolated and inveterated plague focus is known in the State of Rio de Janeiro, is maãe. The study comprised the revision of occurrence of human cases since 1938, the climate, the geological, geographical and phyto-vhysiognomic features of the region and the rodent fauna. The interaction betweem man and his setting resulting in the "man-altered landscape" and its relationships to the natural focus of plague are discussed.