Brazil

Geography

Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Brazil has a coastline of over 7,367 kilometers. It borders Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, and French Guiana to the north, Uruguay to the south, Argentina and Paraguay to the southwest, Bolivia and Peru to the west, and Colombia to the northwest. Numerous archipelagos are part of the Brazilian territory, such as Penedos de São Pedro e São Paulo, Fernando de Noronha, Trindade e Martim Vaz, and Atol das Rocas.

Brazil is traversed by the Equator and Tropic of Capricorn and is home to varied fauna and flora, as well as extensive natural resources.

The Amazon rainforest.

Brazilian topography is diverse, including hills, mountains, plains, highlands, scrublands, savannas, rainforests, and a long coastline. The extensive low-lying Amazon rainforest covers most of Brazil’s terrain in the north; small hills and low mountains occupy the south. Along the Atlantic coast there are several mountain ranges, with altitudes of roughly 9,500 feet (2,900 m). The highest peak is the 9,735 foot (3,014 m) Pico da Neblina (Misty Peak) in Guiana’s highlands. Major rivers include the Amazon, the largest river in terms of volume of water and the second-longest in the world; the Paraná and its major tributary, the Iguaçu River, where the Iguaçu Falls are located; as well as the Negro, São Francisco, Xingu, Madeira, and Tapajós rivers.

Climate

The Iguazu Falls

Brazil’s climate has little seasonal variation, since 90 percent of the country is located within the tropics. However, the climate varies considerably from the mostly tropical north (the equator traverses the mouth of the Amazon) to temperate zones below the Tropic of Capricorn, which crosses the country at the latitude of the city of São Paulo. Brazil has five climatic regions: Equatorial, tropical, semiarid, highland tropical, and subtropical.

Temperatures along the equator are high, but southern Brazil has subtropical temperate weather, normally experiencing frost in the winter (June-August), and occasional snow in the mountainous areas, such as Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. Temperatures in the cities of São Paulo and Brasília are moderate because of their altitude of approximately 3,000 feet (1,000 m). Rio de Janeiro and Salvador, located on the coast, have warm climates.

Precipitation levels also vary widely, being higher in the humid Amazon Basin and lower in the somewhat arid landscapes of the northeast. The majority of Brazil has moderate rainfall, with most of it falling in the summer (between December and April), south of the Equator. The Amazon region is notoriously humid, with rainfall of more than 2,000 millimeters per year, getting as high as 3,000 millimeters in parts of the western Amazon and near Belém. Despite high annual precipitation, the Amazon rainforest has a three-to-five month dry season.

Environment

The Toco Toucan is a typical animal of the Brazilian rainforest.

Brazil’s large area comprises different ecosystems, which together sustain some of the world’s greatest biodiversity. Because of the country’s intense economic and demographic growth, Brazil’s ability to protect its environmental habitats has increasingly come under threat. Extensive logging in the nation’s forests, particularly the Amazon, destroys areas the size of a small country each year, and potentially a diverse variety of plants and animals. Between 2002 and 2006, an area of the Amazon rainforest equivalent in size to the U.S. state of South Carolina was completely decimated, for the purposes of raising cattle and logging. By 2020, it is estimated, at least 50 percent of the species in Brazil may become extinct.

The Pantanal area of Brazil is considered by many to be the world’s largest, freshwater, wetland system. It is one of the most pristine and biologically rich environments on the planet. It also provides many economic benefits, including offering a huge area for water purification and groundwater discharge and recharge, climate stabilization, water supply, flood abatement, and an extensive, transport system, among numerous other important functions.

There is a general consensus that Brazil has the highest number of both terrestrial vertebrates and invertebrates of any single country in the world. Also, Brazil has the highest primate diversity, the highest number of mammals, the second highest number of amphibians and butterflies, the third highest number of birds, and fifth highest number of reptiles. There is a high number of endangered species, many of them living in threatened habitats such as the Atlantic forest.

Facts about slavery in Brazil

Brazil was the country that imported the most African slaves

This disheartening fact about Brazil is still ignored by many people, while many others simply don’t know about it – the country imported by far the most slaves.

It’s estimated that about 12.5 million slaves were sent abroad, and 38.9% of all of them went to Brazil.

That’s somewhere around 4.8 million. Much more than the 2nd place British Caribbean which received about 2.3 million slaves.

Brazil was the last nation in the Americas to abolish slavery

As if having the most significant number of slaves wasn’t enough, Brazil was the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery in 1888.

After all the other countries in the western world and under significant pressure from Europe, Brazil finally abolished such horrific acts in the 19th-century.

Although this was a step toward equal rights for all races, it’s worth mentioning racism didn’t disappear from the country.

Facts about Brazil: 9% of the population is African descendant

Racism and slavery are touchy topics for the upper class in the country

Roughly 9% of the Brazilian population has African ancestry, and 46% is considered interracial, including Indigenous Brazilian, African, and European. We have ethnic groups from many regions worldwide, and we proudly say we’re a multicultural society.

See the slogan of this website, for example—experience diversity.

However, the economic inequality of blacks and mixed-race people in Brazil is alarming.

Many people claim the country is meritocratic and that racism doesn’t exist here; after all, Brazil is so multicultural, how could it be?

The reality isn’t pretty different, unfortunately. And many people, especially the upper classes of our society, simply deny talking about it.

However, more and more folks of all ethnicities feel suppressed by this. As a result, they are bringing up this and other touchy topics in the country, such as misogyny and the macho culture.

Editor’s note: The slogan of this website is “Experience Diversity” because my country is diverse, and I’m not only proud of it but I’m also fighting, together with fellow Brazilians, to make it equal for everybody.

World Heritage site

The Brazilian capital is the only city in the world built in the twentieth century to be awarded by UNESCO, a United Nations agency since 1987, the status of being a World Heritage Site.

In order to be considered for World Heritage status, a site must fulfill one of ten standards for qualification. Brasilia fulfilled two:

• to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius
• to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history

Created from nothing in the center of the country Brasilia is a landmark in the history of town planning, from the layout of the residential and administrative districts to the symmetry of the buildings themselves, which are designed to harmonize with the city’s overall design. The official buildings, in particular, are innovative and imaginative.

Brazilian geography

Brazil is mostly a tropical country that has many geographical features in its territory, from desert to rainforest and mountain.

The highest mountain in Brazil is Neblina Peak, reaching 9,822 ft (2.994 m). This massive Brazil fact (pun intended) is a blast for adventure and hike lovers.

That’s because Neblina Peak is a unique and challenging hike that takes you to the limit before even you get to the mountain.

The whole trip includes a boat, 4×4 jeep, and trekking through the jungle to reach Brazil’s highest point. Totally worth it.

And while Brazil has many modern cities, colonial towns, pristine beaches, and breathtaking mountains, the second-most visited place in the country is the Iguazu Falls.

The entrance gate for most visitors is Rio de Janeiro, of course.

As for its borders, Brazil borders all countries in South America, except Chile and Ecuador.

Credits

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in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

Brasilia, Brazil  history

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Общая информация о Бразилии

Официальное название: Федеративная Республика Бразилия

Столица: Бразилиа

Площадь территории: 8 547,4 тыс. кв. км

Общее население: 201,1 млн. чел.

Административное деление: Государство разделено на 23 штата, один столичный округ и 3 федеральных территории.

Форма правления: Республика, с федеративным государственным устройством.

Глава государства: Президент, избираемый на 5 лет.

Состав населения: Этнические группы: белые — 53.9 %(португальцы — 20 %; итальянцы — 14 %; испанцы — 8 %; немцы — 6,6 %; арабы — 5,3 %); мулаты — 38,5 %; чёрные — 6,2 %; азиаты — 0,5 % ( японцы и пр.); индейцы — 0,43 % (тупи-гуарани, же, араваки, карибы, пано и др.).

Так же есть самбо (афро-индейцы) и пардо (коричневые) — их количество точно не известно.

Государственный язык: португальский. Также используются испанский, немецкий, итальянский, японский , украинский , английский и индейские языки.

Религия: 73,6% — католики, 15,4% — протестанты, 1,3% — спиритуалисты, 0,3% — банту/вуду, 7,4% — атеисты, 2% — другие.

Интернет-домен: .br

Напряжение в электросети: ~127 В/220 В, 60 Гц

Телефонный код страны: +55

Штрих-код страны: 789-790

Fun facts about Brazil

Portuguese is the official language in Brazil

Unlike popular belief, we Brazilians speak Portuguese.

In fact, Brazil is the only country in South America that speaks Portuguese. And besides Guyana, French Guiana, and Suriname, all other countries speak Spanish.

That’s one of those Brazil fun facts I love sharing with people because when I meet people abroad, they always start speaking Spanish with me. When I say I don’t speak Spanish, they ask me, “but aren’t you Brazilian?”

Brazil was a Portuguese colony for 322 years

After the last fun fact about Brazil, this one probably doesn’t come as a surprise anymore.

The Portuguese arrived in Brazil in 1500 and kept the country one of their colonies for 322 years. They stayed until 1822 when locals fought for independence and won on September 7.

The name Brazil comes from a tree named Brazilwood

This is one of my favorite quick facts about Brazil.

Back in the day, when the Portuguese arrived in Brazil, the brazilwood tree was everywhere.

It was a considerable export good for them, and because there were so many, they gave its name to the country, Brazil.

Higher education

There are several institutions of higher learning in Brasília, including: Universidade Católica de Brasília, Centro Universitário de Brasília, Centro Universitário do Distrito Federal, Centro Universitário, Instituto de Educação Superior de Brasília, União Pioneira da Integração Social, Universidade Paulista, and the Universidade de Brasília (University of Brasília.)

The University of Brasília (UnB), which opened in 1962, is central to much of the city’s cultural life. The architect Oscar Niemeyer designed its main building, the Central Institute of Science (ICC). UnB, located in the heart of Brasília on the banks of Paranoá Lake, is one of the most respected institutions in Brazil. Its modernistic buildings house 23 institutes and schools; 50 departments; 16 scientific, technological, cultural, artistic, and general service centers; student, faculty and staff residences; a hospital; a sports center equipped with swimming pools, racetrack, and various sports fields and courts; a seismological observatory capable of registering earthquakes across the planet; an animal-research laboratory and an ecological station. UnB is also about to build its own technological park. UnB’s central library has the largest archive in midwestern Brazil and caters to the needs of the Federal District and of researchers from across the nation. UnB also maintains the Fazenda Água Limpa, a farm in the outskirts of Brasília where ecological, agricultural, and forestry research is conducted.

Each semester, the University of Brasília accepts nearly 2,000 incoming students from a pool of approximately 20,000 candidates for its 63 daytime or evening undergraduate programs. On the graduate level, the university offers 64 master’s programs and 45 doctoral programs.

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article
in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

Brazil  history

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

History of «Brazil»

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.

Fun facts about Brazil laws

The flag should always be up-to-date

As said before, the starry night on the Brazilian flag depicts the night on November 15, 1889, the Proclamation of the Republic, and these stars aren’t random.

Each one of them represents a Brazilian state as well as the country’s capital in a specific constellation.

And another Brazil fun fact is that the law imposes the flag should always be up-to-date. That means if a Brazilian state is created or abolished, the stars on the flag should reflect that.

No one can get arrested on the days before an election

Well, almost no one. But this rather absurd Brazilian law that imposes authorities may not arrest or detain any voter starting five days before elections up to 48 hours after the election closing.

The only exceptions to that, so the only cases when a voter can get arrested is when the person is caught in committing a crime or if the person committed one of the following crimes instead:

• Torture
• Drug dealing
• Racism
• Heinous crimes
• Any offense against the state

It’s bizarre, I know. But the reason for this law is that the government wants to avoid unfair arrests caused by opposing parties that might try to frame other people and influence the election results.

Committing an environmental crime on Sundays and holidays is an aggravating factor

It’s common and right to punish crimes against the environment. But the weird fact about Brazil is that committing this kind of crime on Sundays, holidays, or during the night is an aggravating factor.

That’s because inspectors don’t work during those hours and days, and the government wants to discourage people from committing crimes during the period the inspectors don’t work, increasing the chance of getting infractors.

Interesting facts Brazil symbols

São Paulo State’s flag was supposed to be Brazil’s flag

After the country became a republic, people wanted a new flag to represent a new beginning.

Many projects were presented to the authorities at the time. Still, the current flag of São Paulo is one of the best-known rejected projects.

And because of this rejection, the state of São Paulo won a tricolor flag where each color represents the major ethnic groups in Brazil.

The black represents the African slaves who built the country, the white represents the European immigrants, and the red represents the Indigenous people of our lands.

The stars on the Brazilian flag depicts a specific starry night

The starry night on the flag, a national symbol of Brazil, isn’t any ordinary night, but the one of November 15, 1889, as seen from Rio de Janeiro.

On that day, a military coup d’etat established the Republic of Brazil, and an astronomer was asked to draw the sky above their heads and mark that day in history. (And in our flag too.)

The lone star in the flag isn’t the capital, Brasília

Each star on the Brazilian flag represents a state or the capital.

While many people believe the lone star at the top half of the flag is Brasília, the country’s capital, I can tell you that’s a big misconception.

In fact, that star represents Pará, a northern state. At that time, Pará was the northernmost state in Brazil, Amapá and Roraima were created later.

And since each state’s position was chosen according to their location in Brazil, Pará is the lone star.

Климат

Несмотря на то, что 90% территории страны находятся в тропическом поясе, более 60% населения Бразилии проживает в зоне умеренных температур, формирующихся под воздействием преобладющих высот, дующих со стороны моря ветров и фронтов холодного воздуха. 

В Бразилии представлены пять климатических типов: экваториальный, тропический, полузасушливый, тропический высокогорный, и субтропический. Для городов, расположенных на равнинной местности, таких как Сан-Пауло, Бразилиа и Бело-Оризонте, характерны умеренные температуры среднее значение которых составляет + 19 градусов.

#BANNER#

Города Рио-де-Жанейро, Ресифи и Салвадор, расположенные на побережье, характеризуются жарким климатом, который смягчает тропический ветер. 

Субтропический климат южных городов, таких как Порто-Алегре и Куритиба, сравним с некоторыми регионами США и Европы, где случаются периодические заморозки. Зимой в этом поясе температура может опускаться ниже нуля.

Несмотря на расхожее мнение о том, что в бассейне Амазонки царит невыносимая жара, температура в этом районе не превышает + 32 градусов, а ее среднегодовое значение составляет + 22-26 градусов при незначительных сезонных колебаниях в самые жаркие и самые холодные месяцы года.

Самый жаркий район Бразилии — это северо-восток. В период засухи, длящийся с мая по ноябрь, температура воздуха на северо-востоке повышается до + 38 градусов. По сравнению с Амазонкой этот район Бразилии характеризуется более резкими сезонными колебаниями температур. Вдоль побережья Атлантического океана от Ресифи до Рио-де-Жанейро средняя температура колеблется от + 23 до + 27 градусов. 

На возвышенных территориях в глубине страны температура понижается до + 18-23 градусов. К югу от Рио-де-Жанейро различия между временами года становятся более отчетливыми, а сезонные колебания температур — более ярко выраженными. В этом районе страны среднегодовое значение температур составляет от + 17 до + 19 градусов.

Времена года в Бразилии распределяются следующим образом:

Весна: с 22 сентября по 21 декабря

Лето: с 22 декабря по 21 марта

Осень: с 22 марта по 21 июня

Зима: с 22 июня по 21 сентября

Administrative divisions

Politically, Brazil is a federation of twenty-six states and one federal district.

The national territory was divided in 1969, into five main regions: North, Northeast, Central-West, Southeast, and South.

The North covers 45.27 percent of the surface of Brazil and has the lowest number of inhabitants. With the exception of Manaus, which hosts a tax-free industrial zone, and Belém, the biggest metropolitan area of the region, it is fairly unindustrialized and undeveloped. It accommodates most of the rainforest vegetation of the world and many indigenous tribes.

The Northeast, inhabited by about 30 percent of Brazil’s population, is culturally diverse, with roots set in the Portuguese colonial period and in Amerindian and Afro-Brazilian elements. It is also the poorest region of Brazil and suffers from long periods of dry climate. The largest cities are Salvador, Recife, and Fortaleza.

The Central-West region has low demographic density when compared to the other regions, mostly because part of its territory is covered by the world’s largest marshlands area, the Pantanal, as well as a small part of the Amazon rainforest in the northwest. Much of the region is covered by Cerrado, the largest savanna in the world. The Central-West region contributes significantly toward agriculture. The largest cities of this region are: Brasília (the capital), Goiânia, Campo Grande, Cuiabá, Anápolis, Dourados, Rondonópolis, and Corumbá.

The Southeast region is the richest and most densely populated. It has more inhabitants than any other South American country and hosts one of the largest megalopolises of the world. The main cities are the country’s two largest: São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The region is very diverse, including the major business center of São Paulo, the historical cities of Minas Gerais and its capital Belo Horizonte, the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, and the coast of Espírito Santo.

The South is the wealthiest by GDP per capita and has the highest standard of living in the country. It is also the coldest region of Brazil, with occasional occurrences of frost and snow in some of the higher altitude areas. It has been settled by European immigrants, mainly of Italian, German, Portuguese, and Slavic ancestry, and has clearly been influenced by these cultures. The largest cities in this region are Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Florianópolis, Londrina, Caxias do Sul, and Joinville.

Government buildings

Praça dos Três Poderes, meaning Square of the Three Powers, is a plaza in which the buildings housing the three branches of government are located. The Executive is represented by the Palácio do Planalto (presidential office; the Legislative by the Congresso Nacional (National Congress); and the Judiciary, by the Palácio da Justiça, in which is housed the Supreme Federal Tribunal, Brazil’s highest court.

National Congress

The National Congress of Brazil.

Brazil’s bicameral National Congress consists of a Senate, (the upper house), and a Chamber of Deputies (the lower house). Since the 1960s, the National Congress has its seat in Brasilia. As most of the official buildings in the city, it was designed by Oscar Niemeyer following the style of modern Brazilian architecture. The semisphere to the left is the seat of the Senate, and the semisphere to the right is the seat of the Chamber of the Deputies. Between them there are two towers of offices. The Congress also occupies other surrounding buildings, some of them connected by a tunnel.

The building is located in the middle of the Monumental Axis. In front of it there is a large lawn where demonstrations take place. At the rear of the building, is the Praça dos Três Poderes, where the Palácio do Planalto and the Palace of Justice lie.

Palácio da Alvorada

The Palácio da Alvorada is the official residence of the President of Brazil. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer and inaugurated in 1958, it is located at SHTN Asa Norte in Brasília.

One of the first structures built in the republic’s new capital city, the «Alvorada» lies on a peninsula at the margins of Lake Paranoá. The principles of simplicity and modernity oriented Niemeyer’s project.

The building has an area of 89,699 square feet and three floors: basement, landing, and second floor. On the basement level are located the auditorium, kitchen, laundry, medical center, and the administration. On the landing are located the rooms used by the presidency for official receptions. The second floor is the residential part of the palace, with four suites, two apartments and other private rooms.

The building has also a library, a heated Olympic-sized swimming pool, a music room, two dining rooms. and various meeting rooms. Located in adjacent buildings are the chapel and the heliport.

Palácio do Planalto

Palácio do Planalto

The Palácio do Planalto is the official workplace of the President of Brazil. It is located at the Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília, Brazil. As the seat of government, the term «o Planalto» is often used as a synonym for the executive branch of the government, similar to the White House in the United States or the Kremlin in Russia.

Besides the President, several major presidential advisers also have offices in the «Planalto,» including the Vice-President and the Chief of Staff. The other major government ministries are laid along the Esplanada dos Ministérios.

The Palace is four stories high and has an area of 43,056 square yards. Four other adjacent buildings are also part of the complex.

Supreme Federal Tribunal

Chambers of the Brazilian Supreme Federal Tribunal

The Supreme Federal Tribunal is the highest court of law of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The court functions as a last resort tribunal and a Constitutional Court; its rulings therefore cannot be appealed. It can also overturn laws passed by the Congress. This happens when the court judges a direct action of unconstitutionality, Ação direta de Inconstitucionalidade or Adin.

The members of the court, who are called ministers (ministro), are appointed by the President and approved by the Senate. They serve until compulsory retirement, at 70 years old.

The number of members has changed through history. The Constitution of 1891 decided that the court would have 15 members. When Getúlio Vargas came into power, the number of members was reduced to 11. It changed to 16 in 1965, but returned to 11 in 1969. It has not changed ever since.

Полезная информация для туристов

Традиционные покупки — интересные и занимательные сувениры: индейские сосуды, негритянские амулеты или изделия из красного дерева пау-бразил. Лучшее место для покупки сувениров — ярмарка «Хиппи», проходящая в воскресенье. Рио имеет также крупные торговые центры — Рио Сул и Барра Шоппинг. Серьезные покупки, которые стоит делать в Бразилии, — натуральные драгоценные камни: бриллианты, изумруды, топазы. 

Бразилия входит в десятку наиболее криминальных стран мира. Не рекомендуется носить дорогостоящих ювелирных украшений, крупные суммы денег, оставлять на пляже без присмотра одежду, фотоаппараты и кошельки, принимать приглашения от малознакомых людей. Не посещайте районы факел (трущоб) даже в дневное время. Никогда не оставляйте документы, деньги и ювелирные украшения в номере отеля (отели не несут ответственность за пропажу вещей из номера). В курортных предместьях Рио, в Манаусе, у водопадов Игуасу безопасно. 

Чаевые в дорогих ресторанах и барах составляют 10 % от счета (если в него не входит плата за обслуживание); в дешевых закусочных — 1—2 реала; в кафе на пляже не приняты; носильщику в отеле или аэропорту дают 1 реал; таксисту округляют счет в большую сторону.

External links

All links retrieved June 23, 2016.

• About Brasilia. www.aboutbrasilia.com.
• Brasília e Região Convention & Visitors Bureau. www.brasiliaconvention.com.br.
• Government website in Portuguese. www.brasilia.df.gov.br.

Capitals of South America

Asunción, Paraguay ·
Bogotá, Colombia ·
Brasília, Brasil ·
Buenos Aires, Argentina ·
Caracas, Venezuela ·
Cayenne, French Guiana ·
Georgetown, Guyana ·
Grytviken, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ·
La Paz, Bolivia ·
Lima, Peru ·
Montevideo, Uruguay ·
Paramaribo, Suriname ·
Quito, Ecuador ·
Santiago, Chile ·
Sucre, Bolivia ·
Stanley, Falkland Islands

Interesting facts about Brazil

Yes, this is a pretty interesting fact about Brazil, let alone the whole continent.

João Pessoa is the easternmost city in the Americas. The city is the capital of Paraíba state and famous for having abundant green areas.

Will you resist watching the sunset here?

Fun fact about Brazil: the sun rises first in João Pessoa

Brasília is not Brazil’s first capital

First things first. Plenty of readers have asked me if Brazil’s capital is Rio de Janeiro, but it’s not.

Well, to comfort you a little bit, know that the city was once the capital of the country.

In fact, Brazil has had three capitals: Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, and the current one, Brasília.

There is a replica of the 14th-century Japanese temple Kinkaku-ji in Brazil

With a massive Japanese community, it doesn’t come as a surprise that São Paulo has a replica of one of Japan’s most significant temples, right?

A little over an hour’s drive from the city center, the town of Itapecerica da Serra is home to a beautiful cinerarium.

This cinerarium is based in the Japanese Kinkaku-ji temple’s replica surrounded by a gorgeous garden. This is a great day trip from SP.

In Kyoto, this temple is covered in gold leaf; hence, the name Kinkaku-ji, which means Golden Pavilion in English.

Brazil is massive

Brazil is the fifth most significant and most populated country in the world. In relative terms, Europe is slightly larger than Brazil, making it the largest country in South America.

Brazil is not only enormous, but it also boasts about two-thirds of the Amazon Rainforest. Although this is a fact about Brazil to be proud of, the government is doing little to nothing to preserve it.

Amazon, on the other hand, is the largest rainforest, and the place still has the world’s largest river in volume.

While Amazon is a unique place on earth, the world’s largest swamp is also in Brazil. The Pantanal is an “up and coming” tourist destination in the last five years.

Краткая история

Федеративная Республика Бразилия, история которой началась в начале XVI столетии, – это страна, которая многое испытала на своем веку. В 1500 году мореплаватель Кабрал из Португалии открывает европейцам новые земли, на которых обитали индейские племена, а через 30 лет начинается колонизация страны. Сюда прибывают первые переселенцы и основывают ряд феодальных владений (капитании). Вскоре на тростниковых плантациях колонистов появляются рабы из Африки.

В XIX веке принц Жуан из Португалии, спасавшийся от войск Наполеона, провозглашает государство королевством. Через несколько лет его сын, объявивший Бразилию независимой, получает титул императора и отменяет рабство в стране. После свержения его власти, с 1889 года и по настоящее время Бразилия является федеративной республикой. Бывшие провинции, называемые штатами, получили автономию и собственные законодательные органы.

До середины 80-х годов прошлого века года страна находилась под властью авторитарных президентов, и только 30 лет назад начался период демократизации. Принципы государственного устройства действуют и поныне, а в конституцию вносятся новые поправки.

Food & drink identity information about Brazil

Brazilians eat more rice and beans than feijoada

While feijoada is the national dish of Brazil, most people in the country eat daily rice and beans. Twice to be more precise, once for lunch and another for dinner.

That combination, rice and beans, is easy to prepare. That’s why most households cook it every single day.

Brazilian rice and beans is a typical Brazilian lunch

A politician inspired the creation of Brigadeiro

What was a political campaign, became a national dessert.

If you don’t know, brigadeiro is the most consumed Brazilian dessert, and it all started with the presidential elections of 1945.

Back then, one of the candidates, a brigadier, was the favorite among the female voters, so to help his political campaign, many of them cooked desserts to serve at meetings.

As a result of the war, milk was scarce, so Heloísa Nabuco de Oliveira prepared chocolate fudge truffles with sweetened condensed milk instead.

The little balls were a success and spread quickly across the country. And because they didn’t know a better name, they called it brigadeiro (English: brigadier).

Cachaça was the first documented distilled in the Americas

Although there are registers that cachaça was first produced in Pakistan in 500 AC, the Portuguese brought the plant and technique to Brazil in the 16th-century.

The production of this spirit was first documented in 1622 in Brazil, and people loved it so much that, to this day, they still consume it widely all over the country.

Did you know? Cachaça is a distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice.

In fact, this clear liquor is part of our most important cocktail, caipirinha. A refreshing and simple cocktail made with cachaça, sugar, and lime on rocks.

Tip from a local: A must-do in Brazil is to drink caipirinha in a samba bar or at the beach.

And here goes another Brazil fact, this spirit was recognized as a Geographical Indication of the country. That means, the name cachaça can only be used for bottles produced in Brazil.

So if you see a “Brazilian rum” in the liquor store, know that it didn’t come from Brazil.