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Population: 198,739,269 Dialing Code: +55 Languages: Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language); note - less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor Amerindian languages Religions: Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4% (2000 census) Internet TLD: .br Located: Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean Area: 8,511,965 sq km Residents with HIV: 730,000 Literacy: 88.6% Comparative Size: slightly smaller than the US Nationality Noun: Brazilian(s) Nationality Adjective: Brazilian currencyBRL |
Brazil is the fifth-largest country in the world, covering over almost half of the entire South America. Everything in the country seems to exist on a large scale. It has the world's eighth-largest economy, the largest rainforest in the Amazon, one of the largest waterfalls in Iguacu, and the largest art deco statue in “Christ the Redeemer.” No wonder that it has captivated and bewildered travelers from all over the globe (more than five million each year) for centuries.
Brazil is also the home of soccer, winning the World Cup a record five times and producing world-famous stars like Pele and Ronaldo. These days, the country almost always seems to be at the top. Some of the most beautiful supermodels are born here, and it was even chosen as the site of the upcoming 2016 Olympics. Probably the only negatives there are its notoriously corrupt government, and the wracking poverty as exemplified by the favelas.
Land of the Samba
No reference to Brazil will be complete without discussing its colorful and diverse culture. At the forefront is the ever-popular samba, a dance that has since become an icon of the Brazilian identity. Not to mention that it is a critical component of the merrymaking and revelry that is the Carnival Festival. In fact, a common activity for tourists to the land is to go to samba school and learn a few moves.
Brazil's culture is closely tied to the Portuguese culture (the only one in South America), a result of once being a colonial nation. Still, it has made its own marks, evident in contributions to the world like bossa nova (Brazilian music), futsal (indoor football), vale tudo (combat sport), caipirinha (Brazilian cocktail), and capoeira (dancing martial arts).
Amazon Beauty
Over 67 percent of Brazil is covered by the Amazon Rainforest, which is mostly responsible for the country's immense natural beauty and resource. As such, it is a favorite destination for the hard-core adventurers, offering exciting activities like hiking, trekking, cave tourism, rafting, and diving. But simple sightseeing is also popular, with 1,677 bird species to watch, and 600 wildlife species to discover.
It doesn't need the Amazon to be impressive, though. Brazil is known for its coastlines that stretch more than 7,000 kilometers, with some of the best beaches found in Rio de Janeiro. The country also brims with historical sites, boasting such UNESCO World Heritage Sites as Salvador da Bahia, Olinda and its futuristic capital, Brasilia.