Brazil Facts and Information
The fifth largest country in the world, Brazil occupies most of the top half of South America with a coastline that stretches 4,600 miles along the Atlantic. Slightly smaller than the United States, Brazil borders all but two of the continent's other countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela. While Brazil lacks the geographical variation of its Andean neighbors, it nonetheless possesses stellar natural wonders such as dramatic Iguazu Falls on its border with Argentina, considered one the top sights in all of South America, its tropical white-sand beaches, its pampas, and of course, the world's largest rainforest, the Amazon, that encompasses 50% of its territory. The country's cultural traditions reflect elements of its Portuguese conquerors, the populations of African slaves it imported until ending the practice in the late 1800s, its voluntary immigrations especially from Europe and Asia, and its many indigenous tribes. From these roots come its famed Carnaval celebration and popular music traditions including the internationally famous samba that emerged in the early 20th century, the bossa nova beat from the fifties and less known but equally popular at home, the Choro. Since achieving independence from Portugal in 1822, Brazil has known its share of rebellion and dictatorship. While government corruption and widespread poverty have not been eradicated, Brazil is today a politically stable democracy and an economic powerhouse, the ninth largest economy in the world.
Return to Previous Page
Brazil at a glance
-
OFFICIAL NAME
-
Federative Republic of Brazil
-
GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE
-
Democracy
-
PRESIDENT
-
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Referred to as "Lula;" 2002; re-elected 2006)
Worker's Party (founding member)
Born poor, became factory worker, union activist and congressman; first president to come from working-class background.
-
POPULATION
-
173,888,841 million (est. 2007)
-
CAPITAL
-
Brasilia
2,455,903 (2007)
-
OTHER MAJOR CITIES (ranked by population)
-
Sao Paulo
Rio de Janeiro
Salvador
Belo Horizonte
Recife
-
ETHNICITY
-
52% White
41% Mixed race
6% Black
1% Other
-
LANGUAGES
-
Portuguese
Many indigenous languages
-
LITERACY
-
86.4%
-
LIFE EXPECTANCY
-
Men 68.3
Women 76.38
-
RELIGION
-
74% Roman Catholic
15% % Protestant
4% Other
7% None
-
AREA
-
3,284,470 square miles
-
PROTECTED AREAS
-
28 National Parks
6 National Ecological Reserves
23 National Biological Reserves
-
NATIONAL FLOWER
-
Ipe-amarelo (Tecoma chrysostricha)
-
NATIONAL BIRD
-
Sabia-laranjeira
-
MAJOR INDUSTRIES
-
Agriculture
Mining (iron ore, tin, quartz)
Manufacturing (textiles, shoes, chemicals, steel)
Food processing
Service
-
MAJOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
-
Coffee
Citrus fruit
Soybeans
Wheat
-
HOLIDAYS
-
1/1 New Year's Day
Feb (or Mar) Carnaval
Mar/Apr Good Friday
4/21 Remembrance of Tiradentes (French Revolutionary hero, Civic Patron of Brazil, symbolizing power of the people)
5/1 Labor Day
May (or June) Corpus Christi
9/7 Independence Day
10/12 Nossa Senhora Aparecida (Catholic Patroness of Brazil)
11/2 Dia dos Finados (Day of the Dead)
11/15 Proclamation of the Republic
12/25 Christmas
-
CUISINE
-
Visitors can expect superb cuisine on Brazil tours, with heavy influences from Europe (especially Italy) and Africa. Among the delectable entrées are feijoada, a tomato-based beef stew with black beans, sausage and bacon, and arroz con feijoa, a stew of aromatic pineapple guava and rice simmered with bacon. One mainstay is the cassava (manioc) tuber that is used as a component in stews and soups; fried as a snack food and pulverized into flour. On Brazil tours at Christmas time, visitors may experience the unusual culinary tradition of turkey prepared with a basting of rich coffee, cream and sugar, stuffed with ground manioc, pork sausage, onions and celery. Favorite side dishes include polenta, pepper-scented rice, fried bananas, ambrosia and coconut puddings and orange salad. Chayote (or chuchu) is a green vegetable of the gourd family that is baked in a cheese sauce. Snack foods include pastels and empadas, mixtures of meats, fish and cheese in pastries, baked or fried, and quejadinhas, an amalgam of coconut and parmesan. The country's most famous regional cuisine is from the southern state of Minas Gerais. Brazil is too warm and humid in most places to grow quality wine.
-
CURRENCY
-
Real (R$)
-
INTERNATIONAL DIALING CODE
-
55
-
TIME ZONE
-
Four time zones; Most of Brazil is US Eastern Standard Time + 1 hr during most, but not all of the year, so it is best to check local time on arrival.
-
ELECTRICITY
-
Some is 110V and some 220V. Plugs are round, the same as those used in Europe.
CONTACT US
CALL
1.877.784.5400
TOLL FREE
OUTSIDE
THE U.S.A. CALL
1.206.784.8111
