Brazil

Brazil is the largest state in South America and occupies about half of the entire continent. It is a diverse country full of contrasts between different cultures and especially between rich and poor.

Surface area: 8,516,000 km²
Regions: Brazil is roughly divided into five regional conurbations: North, North-East, Central, South-East and South Brazil. The state also consists of 26 states, including Amazonas, Parà and Mato Grosso; and a federal district, Brasilia.
Border States: Brazil borders the majority of all South American countries. It borders Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana to the north, Uruguay to the south, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru to the west and Colombia to the northwest.
Oceans: The state borders exclusively on the Atlantic Ocean, namely on the north and east sides.
Population: The population of Brazil is apparently controversial, since one finds different values from different sources. On average, we are talking about around 200 million people. About 22% of them are Mulatto, 15% Portuguese, 12% Mestizo, 11% Italian, 11% Black African, 10% Spanish. Brazil is relatively sparsely populated, with the majority of the population living in the major cities near the Atlantic coast.
Language: The most widely spoken and official language is Portuguese. However, there are some Brazilians who speak German and Italian, especially in the southern cities of the country.
Religion: Almost 90% of Brazil’s inhabitants are Roman Catholics, some of whom are also followers of the Afro-Brazilian faith. In addition, there are several faiths which, however, do not have a lot of affiliation and are therefore not of great importance for the state.
Education: compulsory education for 8 years. About 93% of the population over 15 years can read and write.
System of government: There is a presidential democracy. The Head of State and Government is President Michel Temer.
Currency: Brazilian Real

Capital: Even though Brasilia is the official capital, it is not necessarily the most important and characteristic city of Brazil. Other important cities like Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro surpass Brasilia in size as well as in fame and importance. Rio was for a long time the actual capital of the country and is still today an important tourist and commercial center. Since the city is relatively remote on the edge of the state, Brasilia was finally recognized as the capital. The relocation of the capital to the center of Brazil was primarily intended to create a feeling of unity for all citizens. Even if the cities of Brazil, especially Rio, show themselves publicly as culturally important, temperamental and beautiful, there is also a very bad side. Especially in the big cities there is a lot of poverty and one finds there big slums, so-called favelas.

Flag: Meaning of the flag: The green area and the yellow diamond represent the rain forests and their rich mineral resources of the country.

Climate: Overall, it can be said that the climate in Brazil is tropical, i.e. hot and humid. The south of the country is more in the subtropical zone. Depending on the area, the temperatures can vary between about 20-30°C.

Landscape: The country is quite diverse and has several different landscapes. In the south there are many plateaus, hills and mountains, such as the Brazilian highlands, while the north is characterized by extensive, lush, evergreen rain forests. The country also has grasslands, tree steppes and dry forests. Very important and typical for Brazil is of course the Amazon rain forest in the north, which occupies about 40% of the country and is the largest tropical forest on earth. The Atlantic rain forest in the east is also worthy of mention, occupying about one third of Brazil. However, it must be added here that only very few parts of the forests are completely untouched. Humans pose a very great threat to the rain forest and its conservation. In the northeast of the state there is another type of vegetation, the caatinga (white forest). Meanwhile, the Cerrado area can be found in central Brazil. This is the Savannah of Brazil, which occupies a relatively large part of the area. Another special feature is the so-called Pantanal, a swampy area in the south of the country.

Elevations: In Brazil there are not many high mountains and mountain ranges. Exclusively in the southeast there are some higher elevations. The highest mountain of the country is the Pico da Neblina and has a height of 2. 994m. Two other famous mountains can be found in the city of Rio de Janeiro: the Corcovado, on which the statue of Christ, famous for Rio, is enthroned, and the colloquially called Sugar Loaf.

Flora and Fauna: Both under water and on land, the world of animals and plants in Brazil is diverse and overwhelming. Among the special plants are for example the rubber tree “Caucho”;, the precious wood rosewood and other medicinal plants and orchids. Also, the animal world is extremely species-rich, despite the few at mammal-types. Very typical for Brazil are the sloths, the armadillo and the anteater. In the forest one meets the tapir and the wild boar “Pekari”;, as well as puma and jaguar. In addition, different types of monkeys can be found in the trees of the forests. In the savannas live also the skunk, the raccoon and the coatis. Also, very characteristic of the country are the numerous bird species such as the macaw and the hummingbird as well as falcons and vultures. The Panatal is considered the cradle of countless species such as quails and wild ducks, and toucans. You can also find carnivorous piranha fish here. Not to forget the variety of insects and arachnids, such as the bird spider and the scorpion. Also many snake species have their home in Brazil. But many of these unique animal species are threatened with extinction. Giant turtles, various crocodile species, and the river dolphins living in the Amazon are just a few examples of the many endangered animals.

Waters: Brazil’s most famous and most important river is the Amazon. With a length of almost 7,000 km, this is not the longest river in the world, but it is the richest in water. In addition, there are still some noteworthy tributaries, for example the Rio Madeira. Very important for Brazil and also a popular tourist destination nowadays are the Iguacu waterfalls. The overwhelming waterfalls are located in the south of the country and are about 3 times larger than Niagara Falls.

Islands: Several islands of the Brazilian state are known for their popularity with tourists. Some examples include the islands of Fernando de Noronha, the volcanic islands of Trindade and Martim Vaz. But the biggest island is Marajó. The so-called Rocas Atoll, which is characterized by a very unusual flora and fauna, should also be mentioned.

Economy: Brazil is a so-called emerging country. The gross domestic product amounts to around 750 million US dollars. The main economic sectors are services, industry, construction and agriculture. Especially the south and the west are used very scenically. Coffee, sugar cane, soybeans, cocoa, cereals and tobacco are grown. Cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys and mules are also kept. Brazil also lives from its mineral resources. There’s plenty of oil, gas, coal, iron, bauxite and gold.

History: Brazil was a Portuguese colony from 1530 to 1821, which is why the state took over much of Portugal’s language, traditions and culture. In 1822 Brazil declared its independence and became an empire, 67 years later a republic. In the course of time, many Europeans immigrated, especially Germans and Italians. In the year 1945 the UN was founded, Brazil was a founding member.