The Federative Republic of Brazil is a country found in South America, which takes up about 50% of its landmass and is the fifth largest country in the world. It borders Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname, French Guiana, and the Atlantic Ocean. Its population is 213 million people, with São Paulo being the most populated city holding 12.3 million inhabitants (Statista, 2020). Its capital is Brasília, which is located inland. Brazil is known for its spectacularly arranged carnivals, lively samba, Christ the Redeemer, music like bossa nova, football, Rio de Janeiro, Recife, and many other cities and places. Wetlands, savannas, plateaus, and low mountains form part of their landscapes, and the Amazon river and forest.
Let's start off with the Carnival, the main festivity of Brazil! This exuberant celebration takes place in the five days before Lent, the period preceding Easter that in the Christian Church presents a massive parade, where incredibly decorated floats and dancers dress in elaborate and flashy costumes, a show to remember. Top samba schools of Brazil perform to a huge audience of people, in person and on television! The Rio Carnival, The Recife and Olinda Carnivals, The Bahia Carnival, and The Sao Paulo Carnival are the ones that stand out!
Samba is a dance of Brazilian origin, consisting of forward and backward steps and tilting, rocking body movements, and danced to music in 4/4 time. As previously mentioned, there are various samba schools which compete in the annual carnivals of Brazil, but it can be done for fun or as a hobby too!
Football is the most popular sport in Brazil, and the national team has won five World Cups, earning them the position of the country with most of the tournament’s victories. Famous football stars of the country include Pelé, Zico, Kaká, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Romário, and Neymar. Around Brazil, you can see many people playing the sport, and children become familiar with it from a young age.
Rio de Janeiro, the former capital of the country, has a lot of activities to offer and places to visit! For example, Christ the Redeemer, the iconic statue of Brazil that everyone recognizes and one of the Seven Wonders of the World, high atop the Corcovado mountain and located in Tijuca National Park, Rio’s rainforest. If you would like to tan and sunbathe, then you can visit Copacabana and Ipanema beach, and maybe eat at one of the small open-air restaurants near the area. For passionate football fans, Maracanã Stadium might be your favourite destination here, opened in 1950 to host the First World Cup.
The Amazon Rainforest is the most extensive virgin forest and the Amazon River the largest river system in the world. The basin occupies 7 million square kilometers, the rainforest taking 5.5 million square kilometers of the aforementioned. Nine countries and lots of indigenous groups have parts of the territory, with two-thirds of it being part of Brazil. It is home to 2.5 million species of insects and other fauna and flora. However, some people illegally carry out deforestation in the area, resulting in the disruption of ecosystems. The animated movie Rio 2 perfectly portrays this. The river is home to the Amazon River Dolphin which is pink! Although it is very sad that their population is decreasing due to pollution and fishing. Curiously, it flowed to the west, but with the rise of the Andes mountain range it now flows to the east!
Lastly, let’s move to Recife, the fourth most populous city in Brazil and the capital of the state of Pernambuco, in the northeastern part of the country. A particular thing about this city is that it is crossed by waterways, sort of like Venice, and places are connected by bridges. The place has an interesting history, involving the Portuguese, French, and Dutch. Here, one can visit Boa Viagem Beach, view art exhibitions, Mirabilandia amusement park, museums, a botanical garden, among other attractions!
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