Brazil - travel to Brazil

Useful information about Brazil.

Geography: Brazil is a country situated in South America. Brazil accounts for a third of the land space of South America and borders every country in South America with the exception of Ecuador and Chile.

Climate: Brazil’s climate can be best described as tropical but the country is so large the climate varies in different areas. The winter in Brazil is between the months of June and August.

Attractions: The rainforest is one of the great attractions in Brazil. Brazil also has great beaches and cities and a trip to the city of Rio de Janeiro during the Carnival is very rewarding.

Travel/Holidays: If you are travelling to Brazil there are many different types of holidays on offer ranging from the relaxing beach holiday along the coast to the exciting trekking holiday through the rainforest. Carnival time in Rio is also excellent.

Accommodation: Accommodation in Brazil varies between different locations. For comfort Brazil’s main cities have high standard hotels and hostels. Huts and cabins are common features in the jungles.

Arts/Culture/People: The people of Brazil are very warm and kind and will certainly make your visit more pleasurable. Performing arts are very popular in the main cities of Brazil. The samba is the most renowned dance from Brazil. The scenic landscape of Brazil has inspired many great visual artists.

Religion: The majority of Brazilian’s are Roman Catholic.

Architecture: The greatest influence on Brazilian architecture came during the 16^th and 17^th century from the Portuguese settlers.

Landscape: The landscape of Brazil is best described as uniquely beautiful, rugged in places and splendid in its own form. The country has a mixture of great rivers and waterfalls, stunning mountain ranges and tropical coastal areas.

Flag: Brazil's flag is green with a yellow diamond enclosing a night-blue, star-studded Southern Hemisphere sky. The sky depicts 27 white, five-pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) and the stars are arranged in the pattern of the night sky. A banner across the sky reads, "ORDEM E PROGRESSO," which means "order and progress" in Portuguese.

Government: The government of Brazil is a Federative Republic.

Drink: The most popular drink in Brazil is Cachafa beer, which is a high-proof sugarcane alcohol produced and drank throughout the country. Juices are also popular along with coffee.

Facts: The population of Brazil is over 190,010,000 with the capital city being Brasilia. Brazil was colonized by Portugal from 1500 until its independence in 1822.

Exports: Brazil exports a wide range of manufacturing goods and agricultural products.

Food: Brazil produces a wide variety of beans, roots, vegetables and tropical fruit. Fruit is an important part of the Brazilian diet. Meal times in Brazil are seen as a social time more so than as a requirement for the body.

Currency: The currency of Brazil is the Real (R$)

Time Zone: Standard Time is 2 to 5 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT-2 to -5).

Country Telephone code: The international country calling code of Brazil is +55

Visa: Passport of any nationality, must have at least 6 months remaining validity from the date of entry into the country for which VISA has been applied.

Sport: There are many different sports played in Brazil but the two main sports are soccer and motor sport. In 2002 Brazil won their fifth FIFA World Cup Championship. Ayrton Senna was one of the most exciting Formula 1 motor racing drivers to watch before his tragic death in 1994.

Economy: Brazil has the eight largest economy in the world. Brazil’s economy thrives due to its large amount of Natural Resources and to strong industrial, tourism and agricultural growth. The mineral wealth of Brazil includes gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin and uranium. Brazil also exports large amounts of timber and petroleum.

History: The people of Brazil lived under Portuguese rule from 1500 until it gained its independence in 1822.

Languages: Portuguese is the official language of Brazil though Spanish and English are widely spoken.