Introduction
Brazil is South America's giant, a dazzling land of pristine beaches, steamy jungles and manic metropolises. Music and dancing are as integral here as eating and sleeping, and you'll find as many regional styles as there are shades of people, from samba's sensual rhythms to Bahia's ax é -charged beats.
While it may not be the Eden of popular imagination, Brazil is still a country of staggering beauty. There are stretches of unexplored rainforest, islands with divine tropical beaches, and endless rivers. Then there are the people themselves, who delight visitors with their energy and joy.
Geography:
Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country, occupying almost half the South American continent and bordering every country on it except Chile and Ecuador. Much of Brazil is scarcely populated, although some regions with previously low population densities, such as the Amazon, are being rapidly settled, logged and depleted. Brazil can be divided into four major geographic regions. The long, narrow Atlantic seaboard has coastal ranges between the Rio Grande do Sul and Bahia, but is flatter north of Bahia. The large highlands - called the Planalto Brasileiro, or central plateau - which extend over most of Brazil's interior south of the Amazon Basin, are punctuated by several small mountain ranges and sliced by several large rivers. There are also two great depressions: the Paran á -Paraguai basin in the south, which is characterized by open forest, low woods and scrubland; and the huge, densely forested Amazon Basin in the north. The Amazon, 6275km (3890mi) long, is the world's largest river. It carries more water to the sea than any other river and the Amazon forest contains 30% of the world's remaining forest.
Destination Facts
Capital:Bras í lia
President: Lu í z In á cio 'Lula' da Silva
Government: federal republic
Time zone: GMT -2 GMT -3 GMT -4 GMT -5
Area: 8514877
Population: 201000000
People: European descent (53.7%), mulatto (mixed white and black - 38.5%), black (6.2%), other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian - 1.6%)
Languages: The official and most widely spoken language.Border areas and schools.
Roman Catholic (73.6%), Protestant (15.4%), Spiritualist (1.3%), Bantu/voodoo (0.3%), other (2%), none (7.4%)
Currency: Brazilian Real (R$)
GDP: Approx. R$967000000000
Major industries: Textiles, shoes, chemicals, timber, iron ore, cement, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery, coffee, soybeans, sugar, beef
Major Trading Partners: Argentina, China, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, USA
Country Dialing Code: 55
Getting There
The weather is worth considering when planning a trip to Brazil, as it can have a significant bearing on how you enjoy certain regions of the country. For example, the Amazon region is one of the world's rainiest places, making travel exceedingly difficult between January and May. Similarly, if you plan to go to the Pantanal, do so during the dry season. The rest of the year, roads are washed out and travel is a nightmare. The south has the most extreme temperatures and during the coldest winter months snow is even possible - but rare. During summer (December-February) many Brazilians are on vacation, making travel expensive and frequently booked out, and, from Rio to the south, the humidity can be oppressive. However, summer is also the most festive time of year, as Brazilians take to the beaches and streets. School holidays begin in mid-December and go through to Carnaval, usually held in late February. Brazil's low season corresponds to its winter. Rio temperatures hover around 23 ° C (73 ° F), with a mix of both rainy and superb days. With the exception of July, which is also a school-holiday month, this is the cheapest and least-crowded time to visit the country.
Getting there and away
There are frequent flights to Rio from all major cities in South America and from a number of major airports in the USA and Europe. Other gateway airports in Brazil include S ã o Paulo, Recife, Natal - popular with Northern European package tourists - Salvador, Fortaleza, Bel é m and Manaus. Brazilian airlines Varig, TAM, and Gol fly to many major cities in the world. There is a departure tax for international flights, but this is often included in the ticket cost. Brazil has land borders with every country in South America except Ecuador and Chile, so while some travelers may bus in from Uruguay, Argentina or Venezuela, others arrive via the trem da morte (death train) from Bolivia. By river, many travelers take a slow boat along the Amazon from Iquitos in Peru or into the Pantanal via the Rio Paraguay from Asunci ó n, Paraguay.
Getting around
Flying within Brazil isn't cheap, but the huge size of the country may make a couple of flights necessary. If you intend to take more than a couple of flights, a Brazil Airpass through the TAM or Gol airlines will probably save you money. The domestic departure tax is often included in the price of your ticket. Always reconfirm you flights, as schedules frequently change. Except in the Amazon Basin, buses are the primary form of long-distance transport for most Brazilians, and services are generally both excellent and punctual, with all major cities linked by frequent buses. Conversely, there are very few railway passenger services in Brazil. Enthusiasts should not despair, however, as some wonderful touristic railway routes remain in operation, including the Curitiba-Paranagu á run.Although river travel in Brazil has decreased due to the construction of a comprehensive road network, it is still possible to travel by boat between some of the cities on the Rio S ã o Francisco and along the Amazon, where road travel is generally not a practical option.Driving around Brazil is, ahem, an experience: it's anarchic and spectacularly dangerous, particularly at night, when livestock wander onto highways and potholes cannot be spotted. Though a convenient way to get to many parts of the country, driving should only be undertaken by those with tidy documents, adequate insurance and strong nerves for dealing with police. Brazil is not the ideal country for long cycling trips, though some do attempt it.
Visa:
Brazil has a reciprocal visa system, so if your home country requires Brazilian nationals to secure a visa, then you will need one to enter Brazil. At the time of writing, American, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens need visas, but citizens of the UK, Ireland, and most other EU countries as well as South Africa do not. To apply for a visa, you will normally need to present a passport valid for at least six months beyond your intended arrival date, plus a passport photo, a round-trip or onward ticket (or a photocopy of it or a statement from a travel agent saying that you have a ticket). If you decide to return to Brazil, your visa is valid for five years. The fee for visas is also reciprocal. Visa regulations change from time to time; get the latest info from the Brazilian embassy or consulate in your home country.
Customs:
Travelers entering Brazil are allowed to bring in one personal computer, one radio, a typewriter, video and still camera, and similar objects. Plants and seeds must be declared on arrival. Apart from clothes, books, periodicals and other personal articles for domestic or professional use, or consumption, goods that have cost more than 500.00 (150.00 if you are arriving by land, river or lake) are subject to 50% import duty.Items that are prohibited include meat and cheese products from various countries.
Duty Free:
Travelers are permitted to bring a maximum of 2L of alcoholic beverages into the country, as well as 400 cigarettes, 250g (8.75oz) of tobacco and 25 cigars, as well as up to 500.00 worth of goods bought duty-free in Brazil.
Weather
Being such a vast country, Brazil's climatic patterns vary between regions. In Rio, the humidity can be high in summer, with temperatures hovering around 28° C (82° F). Rainfall is another factor, with October to January the wettest months. In winter Rio temperatures are mild, around 23° C (73° F). On the northeast coast, from Bahia to Maranhão, temperatures are a bit warmer year-round than in Rio - with days reaching 31° C (88° F) - but due to a wonderful tropical breeze and less humidity, it's rarely stifling. The rainy season runs from about mid-December to July, though even then you'll encounter gorgeous days. The Amazon region (the north) is one of the world's rainiest places and rainfall occurs most frequently from December to May, making travel at this time exceedingly difficult. The rest of the year the region still receives plenty of rain, though showers tend to last only an hour or two. The Pantanal also has rainy/dry seasons, and if you plan to visit, do so during the dry season (mid-April to late September). The rest of the year, the wetlands receive tremendous rainfall, washing out roads and making traveling a nightmare. The South has the most extreme temperature changes, and during the coldest winter months (June to August), Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná and São Paulo have temperatures between 13° C (55.4° F) and 18° C (64.4° F). In some towns, the rare snowfall is even possible. As elsewhere along the coast, summer is quite hot, and you'll have lots of company on the beach.
Places of Interest
Enough beauty, color and natural wonder to dazzle even the most jaded eyeballs. To fully experience the myriad sights Brazil has to offer would take a lifetime. Astounding coastline, lush jungles, surreal wildlife and vast swamplands are only a few of its natural attractions. Add to this stunning colonial architecture and some excellent galleries, and you've just begun!
Brazil is South America's giant, a dazzling land of pristine beaches, steamy jungles and manic metropolises. Music and dancing are as integral here as eating and sleeping, and you'll find as many regional styles as there are shades of people, from samba's sensual rhythms to Bahia's ax é -charged beats.
Events
Although there are many festivals taking place all year round in Brazil, the country's most famous event is Carnaval, which lasts for five days from the Friday to the Tuesday immediately preceding Ash Wednesday. It is celebrated all over Brazil and though there are more authentic versions than the glitzy tourist drawcard held in Rio (notably Olinda and Salvador), Rio's is unforgettable nonetheless. Colorful, outrageous, hedonistic - words do little justice to the bacchanalian spectacle that lends it so much notoriety. Cariocas (Rio residents) celebrate Carnaval in every form and fashion. Nightclubs and bars throw special costumed events, while formal balls draw an elegantly dressed (or costumed) crowd. Parks and plazas (Largo do Machado, Arcos da Lapa, Pra ç a General Os ó rio) often host free live concerts on Carnaval weekend. The common denominators among them all are music, dancing and celebration.The parade through the Samb ó dromo is the culmination of Carnaval, on the Sunday and Monday nights. It's a spectacle that features thousands of costumed dancers, elaborate floats and exuberant fans cheering on their favorite schools.
Brazil is South America's giant, a dazzling land of pristine beaches, steamy jungles and manic metropolises. Music and dancing are as integral here as eating and sleeping, and you'll find as many regional styles as there are shades of people, from samba's sensual rhythms to Bahia's ax é -charged beats.
While it may not be the Eden of popular imagination, Brazil is still a country of staggering beauty. There are stretches of unexplored rainforest, islands with divine tropical beaches, and endless rivers. Then there are the people themselves, who delight visitors with their energy and joy.
Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country, occupying almost half the South American continent and bordering every country on it except Chile and Ecuador. Much of Brazil is scarcely populated, although some regions with previously low population densities, such as the Amazon, are being rapidly settled, logged and depleted. Brazil can be divided into four major geographic regions. The long, narrow Atlantic seaboard has coastal ranges between the Rio Grande do Sul and Bahia, but is flatter north of Bahia. The large highlands - called the Planalto Brasileiro, or central plateau - which extend over most of Brazil's interior south of the Amazon Basin, are punctuated by several small mountain ranges and sliced by several large rivers. There are also two great depressions: the Paran á -Paraguai basin in the south, which is characterized by open forest, low woods and scrubland; and the huge, densely forested Amazon Basin in the north. The Amazon, 6275km (3890mi) long, is the world's largest river. It carries more water to the sea than any other river and the Amazon forest contains 30% of the world's remaining forest.
Capital:Bras í lia
President: Lu í z In á cio 'Lula' da Silva
Government: federal republic
Time zone: GMT -2 GMT -3 GMT -4 GMT -5
Area: 8514877
Population: 201000000
People: European descent (53.7%), mulatto (mixed white and black - 38.5%), black (6.2%), other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian - 1.6%)
Languages: The official and most widely spoken language.Border areas and schools.
Roman Catholic (73.6%), Protestant (15.4%), Spiritualist (1.3%), Bantu/voodoo (0.3%), other (2%), none (7.4%)
Currency: Brazilian Real (R$)
GDP: Approx. R$967000000000
Major industries: Textiles, shoes, chemicals, timber, iron ore, cement, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery, coffee, soybeans, sugar, beef
Major Trading Partners: Argentina, China, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, USA
Country Dialing Code: 55
Getting There
The weather is worth considering when planning a trip to Brazil, as it can have a significant bearing on how you enjoy certain regions of the country. For example, the Amazon region is one of the world's rainiest places, making travel exceedingly difficult between January and May. Similarly, if you plan to go to the Pantanal, do so during the dry season. The rest of the year, roads are washed out and travel is a nightmare. The south has the most extreme temperatures and during the coldest winter months snow is even possible - but rare. During summer (December-February) many Brazilians are on vacation, making travel expensive and frequently booked out, and, from Rio to the south, the humidity can be oppressive. However, summer is also the most festive time of year, as Brazilians take to the beaches and streets. School holidays begin in mid-December and go through to Carnaval, usually held in late February. Brazil's low season corresponds to its winter. Rio temperatures hover around 23 ° C (73 ° F), with a mix of both rainy and superb days. With the exception of July, which is also a school-holiday month, this is the cheapest and least-crowded time to visit the country.
Getting there and away
There are frequent flights to Rio from all major cities in South America and from a number of major airports in the USA and Europe. Other gateway airports in Brazil include S ã o Paulo, Recife, Natal - popular with Northern European package tourists - Salvador, Fortaleza, Bel é m and Manaus. Brazilian airlines Varig, TAM, and Gol fly to many major cities in the world. There is a departure tax for international flights, but this is often included in the ticket cost. Brazil has land borders with every country in South America except Ecuador and Chile, so while some travelers may bus in from Uruguay, Argentina or Venezuela, others arrive via the trem da morte (death train) from Bolivia. By river, many travelers take a slow boat along the Amazon from Iquitos in Peru or into the Pantanal via the Rio Paraguay from Asunci ó n, Paraguay.
Getting around
Flying within Brazil isn't cheap, but the huge size of the country may make a couple of flights necessary. If you intend to take more than a couple of flights, a Brazil Airpass through the TAM or Gol airlines will probably save you money. The domestic departure tax is often included in the price of your ticket. Always reconfirm you flights, as schedules frequently change. Except in the Amazon Basin, buses are the primary form of long-distance transport for most Brazilians, and services are generally both excellent and punctual, with all major cities linked by frequent buses. Conversely, there are very few railway passenger services in Brazil. Enthusiasts should not despair, however, as some wonderful touristic railway routes remain in operation, including the Curitiba-Paranagu á run.Although river travel in Brazil has decreased due to the construction of a comprehensive road network, it is still possible to travel by boat between some of the cities on the Rio S ã o Francisco and along the Amazon, where road travel is generally not a practical option.Driving around Brazil is, ahem, an experience: it's anarchic and spectacularly dangerous, particularly at night, when livestock wander onto highways and potholes cannot be spotted. Though a convenient way to get to many parts of the country, driving should only be undertaken by those with tidy documents, adequate insurance and strong nerves for dealing with police. Brazil is not the ideal country for long cycling trips, though some do attempt it.
Visa:
Brazil has a reciprocal visa system, so if your home country requires Brazilian nationals to secure a visa, then you will need one to enter Brazil. At the time of writing, American, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens need visas, but citizens of the UK, Ireland, and most other EU countries as well as South Africa do not. To apply for a visa, you will normally need to present a passport valid for at least six months beyond your intended arrival date, plus a passport photo, a round-trip or onward ticket (or a photocopy of it or a statement from a travel agent saying that you have a ticket). If you decide to return to Brazil, your visa is valid for five years. The fee for visas is also reciprocal. Visa regulations change from time to time; get the latest info from the Brazilian embassy or consulate in your home country.
Customs:
Travelers entering Brazil are allowed to bring in one personal computer, one radio, a typewriter, video and still camera, and similar objects. Plants and seeds must be declared on arrival. Apart from clothes, books, periodicals and other personal articles for domestic or professional use, or consumption, goods that have cost more than 500.00 (150.00 if you are arriving by land, river or lake) are subject to 50% import duty.Items that are prohibited include meat and cheese products from various countries.
Duty Free:
Travelers are permitted to bring a maximum of 2L of alcoholic beverages into the country, as well as 400 cigarettes, 250g (8.75oz) of tobacco and 25 cigars, as well as up to 500.00 worth of goods bought duty-free in Brazil.
Weather
Being such a vast country, Brazil's climatic patterns vary between regions. In Rio, the humidity can be high in summer, with temperatures hovering around 28° C (82° F). Rainfall is another factor, with October to January the wettest months. In winter Rio temperatures are mild, around 23° C (73° F). On the northeast coast, from Bahia to Maranhão, temperatures are a bit warmer year-round than in Rio - with days reaching 31° C (88° F) - but due to a wonderful tropical breeze and less humidity, it's rarely stifling. The rainy season runs from about mid-December to July, though even then you'll encounter gorgeous days. The Amazon region (the north) is one of the world's rainiest places and rainfall occurs most frequently from December to May, making travel at this time exceedingly difficult. The rest of the year the region still receives plenty of rain, though showers tend to last only an hour or two. The Pantanal also has rainy/dry seasons, and if you plan to visit, do so during the dry season (mid-April to late September). The rest of the year, the wetlands receive tremendous rainfall, washing out roads and making traveling a nightmare. The South has the most extreme temperature changes, and during the coldest winter months (June to August), Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná and São Paulo have temperatures between 13° C (55.4° F) and 18° C (64.4° F). In some towns, the rare snowfall is even possible. As elsewhere along the coast, summer is quite hot, and you'll have lots of company on the beach.
Places of Interest
Enough beauty, color and natural wonder to dazzle even the most jaded eyeballs. To fully experience the myriad sights Brazil has to offer would take a lifetime. Astounding coastline, lush jungles, surreal wildlife and vast swamplands are only a few of its natural attractions. Add to this stunning colonial architecture and some excellent galleries, and you've just begun!
Brazil is South America's giant, a dazzling land of pristine beaches, steamy jungles and manic metropolises. Music and dancing are as integral here as eating and sleeping, and you'll find as many regional styles as there are shades of people, from samba's sensual rhythms to Bahia's ax é -charged beats.
Events
Although there are many festivals taking place all year round in Brazil, the country's most famous event is Carnaval, which lasts for five days from the Friday to the Tuesday immediately preceding Ash Wednesday. It is celebrated all over Brazil and though there are more authentic versions than the glitzy tourist drawcard held in Rio (notably Olinda and Salvador), Rio's is unforgettable nonetheless. Colorful, outrageous, hedonistic - words do little justice to the bacchanalian spectacle that lends it so much notoriety. Cariocas (Rio residents) celebrate Carnaval in every form and fashion. Nightclubs and bars throw special costumed events, while formal balls draw an elegantly dressed (or costumed) crowd. Parks and plazas (Largo do Machado, Arcos da Lapa, Pra ç a General Os ó rio) often host free live concerts on Carnaval weekend. The common denominators among them all are music, dancing and celebration.The parade through the Samb ó dromo is the culmination of Carnaval, on the Sunday and Monday nights. It's a spectacle that features thousands of costumed dancers, elaborate floats and exuberant fans cheering on their favorite schools.
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