About Brazil
Click here to see a map of Brazil.Brazil is located in South America and is often described as a tropical paradise. The main highlights of Brazil are Rio de Janeiro, Salvador da Bahia, The Amazon, The Pantanal and Brasília. For a long time Rio de Janeiro has been recognised as the image of Brazil. It is divided into two parts, the northern zone and the southern zone by steep mountains. You can see the whole city from Corcovado, which is a 750m mountain peak with the statue of Christ the Redeemer at its summit. Rio de Janeiro is also home to the world’s most famous beach, Copacabana. Ipanema is Rio's richest and most chic beach. Other beaches within and near the city include Pepino, Barra da Tijuca, Flamengo and Arpoador. You must also go on the cable cars at Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf), Parque Nacional de Tijuca, and Rio's famous glitzy Carnaval is a fantastic spectacle. Salvador da Bahia is famous for its beaches, colonial history and is also Brazil's most Africanized State. Salvador da Bahia is definitely one of Brazil’s most famous cities. While here you must visit Carnaval, the Museu Afro-Brasileira, the Elevador Lacerda, and some of the many beautiful beaches. The Amazon covers almost half of Brazil and is a huge system of rivers and forests. The wide stretch of river known as Rio Amazonas runs between the cities of Manaus and Belém. Just a few of the 15,000 species that you may spot here are jaguar, tapir, peccary, spider monkey, sloth, armadillo, caiman, alligator, river dolphin, boa constrictor and anaconda. Forest birds include toucans, parrots, macaws, hummingbirds and gaviào, and there are many insects including over 1800 species of butterflies. If you have trouble spotting wildlife in The Amazon then The Pantanal is the place to go. This vast area of wetlands, lies in the far west of Brazil and extends into the border regions of Bolivia and Paraguay. Here birds are the most frequently seen wildlife, however you will also have the chance to see giant river otters, anacondas, iguanas, jaguars, cougars, crocodiles, deer and anteaters. Brasília is located in the Centre West, the modern capital of Brazil and a World Heritage Site. It was built in only 3 years, from 1957-1960 by millions of peasants working around the clock.
|
Culture
Brazilian culture has a mixture of Portuguese, who gave the country its most common religion and language, the country's native Indians, the considerable African population, and other settlers from Europe, the Middle East and Asia.Brazilian music is shaped by musical influences from three continents. The most famous styles are The samba, which is a mixture of Spanish bolero with the rhythms of African music, bossa nova, was influenced by North American jazz, Tropicalismo is a mix of musical influences and is a more electric samba and the lambada, which is influenced by Caribbean rhythms. Brazil is a Catholic country, however it also has hints of Indian animism, African cults, Afro-Catholic syncretism and Kardecism. Portuguese, is the language that is spoken by all Brazilians. The main dishes that you will come across in Brazil are arroz (white rice), feijão (black beans) and farinha (manioc flour), which are usually combined with steak, chicken or fish.
|
