Brazil is the first in the world. Federal Republic of Brazil. Amazon tours

Brazil ranks first among Latin American countries and fifth in the world in terms of population (207 million people in mid-2013). The population in the country is distributed unevenly: it is concentrated in the north and southeast, in the south. Approximately 1/2 of the total population is concentrated in a narrow zone of the Atlantic coast. The average density is 18 abs/km2. The least populated (density less than 1 individual/km2) is the western Amazonia, an area of ​​moist equatorial forests. More than 30% of the population lives in a strip of the Atlantic coast up to 100 km wide, and almost half of the inhabitants thus inhabit the strip, which is 7% of the entire territory. The population distribution in Brazil is very heterogeneous, with a significant concentration in coastal areas, especially in the South East and in the coastal strip of the North East. Another important population core is the Southern region. The least populated areas are in the Central-Western and Northern regions. The average population density in Brazil is 20 people per km2, in the southeast - more than 40, in the north - up to 1 person per km2. sq.

In recent years, the rate of population growth has slowed somewhat from its peak around 1960. The reasons for the decrease in the rate of population growth are associated with urbanization and industrialization, which led to a decrease in the birth rate (for example, through the use of contraceptives). Although the death rate has fallen sharply since 1940, the birth rate has fallen more. Now the annual population growth is approaching 1.13%.

Demographic features of Brazil. The reproduction of the country's population is characterized by high birth rates (16.83% o) and natural increase (1.06%). In Brazil, early marriages and large families (2.7 children per woman) are traditional. The main reason for the significant increase in the population was the decrease in mortality (6.15% o), first of all children (35.87% o). The female population predominates over the male. Brazil has a high proportion of young people (62% under the age of 29), older people - 6%. Life expectancy is 67.7 years for men, 75.8 years for women

Brazil is a highly urbanized country with over 85% of the population living in cities. However, regional contrasts are great: in the southeast, more than 75% of the inhabitants are concentrated in cities, while in the northeast - only 42%, and in the south - 50%.

The largest cities in Brazil (with suburbs) are Sao Paulo (15.4 million inhabitants), Rio de Janeiro (9.8 million), Belo Horizonte (2.1 million), Salvador (2.1 million), Fortaleza (1.5 million). The largest urban agglomeration in Latin America is the Brazilian megalopolis, formed by the confluence of the agglomerations of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

The annual growth of the urban population is 1.1%. The population in the country is distributed unevenly: it is concentrated in the north and southeast, in the south. Approximately 1/2 of the total population is concentrated in a narrow zone of the Atlantic coast. The average density is 18 abs/km2. The least populated (density less than 1 individual / km2) is the western Amazon, an area of ​​\u200b\u200bmoist equatorial forests.

Labor resources. The population of working age is 67% of the country's inhabitants (103.6 million people). In the dynamics of the sectoral structure of the economically active population, there is a tendency towards an increase in the share of the population employed in industry (14%). However, the proportion of the population employed in the service sector is growing at an even faster pace - more than 66% of the total number of employees. Traditionally, a lot of the labor force is employed in agriculture - 20%. The unemployed make up 7% of the economically active population.

Migrations. Brazil has a significant black population, descended from African slaves. They were brought into the country from the 16th to the 19th century. Over 3 million Africans were brought to Brazil during the existence of slavery. The slave trade was abolished only in 1850. Slaves were mainly imported from Angola, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Sao Tome and Principe. The African population of Brazil has largely mixed with the Portuguese, resulting in a mixed modern population.

Beginning in the 19th century, the Brazilian government encouraged European immigration to replace the human resource of former slaves. The first non-Portuguese immigrants settled in Brazil in 1824, were Germans. From 1869 the first Polish immigrants arrive. However, significant European immigration to Brazil did not begin until after 1875, with a significant increase in immigration from Italy, Portugal, and Spain. Between 1870 and 1953, Brazil attracted approximately 5.5 million immigrants - approximately 1.55 million Italians, 1.47 million Portuguese, 650,000 Spaniards, 210,000 Germans, 190,000 Japanese, 120,000 Poles and 650 thousand immigrants of other nationalities.

These numbers can be vastly underestimated because women and children were often not counted, many immigrants settled illegally, changing their last names to hide their origins, and the Brazilian accounting system was very imperfect. Brazil has become the home of the largest Italian diaspora outside of Italy, with 25 million Brazilians of Italian origin. Brazil is also home to the largest Lebanese community in the world, at around 8 million.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, Brazil has received a significant number of Asian immigrants: Koreans, Chinese, Taiwanese and Japanese. The Japanese are the most Asian minority in Brazil, and Brazilians of Japanese origin make up the entire Japanese population outside of Japan (1.5 million).

More than 90 million people in Brazil have their roots in massive waves of European immigration. The largest ethnic groups are Iberians, Italians and Germans. Smaller groups include Slavs (mainly Czechs, Poles, Ukrainians and Russians). Among the smallest ethnic groups are Lithuanians, Armenians, Finns, French, Greeks, Hungarians, Romanians, British, Irish and Jews. In addition to Europeans, the Brazilian population includes 79 million Africans and mulattos, 13 million Arabs, 1.6 million Asians and 700,000 American Indians.

Internal migration in Brazil is directed, firstly, from rural areas to large cities and agglomerations (although this process is gradually losing intensity), and secondly, from well-developed areas to the Amazon, the north and west of the country.

The population of Brazil comes from representatives of three large races - Mongoloids (Indians), Negroids (Africans) and Caucasians. Brazil is the only country in Latin America where Portuguese is the official language. The Indian tribes speak their own local languages.

National and religious composition of Brazil. Ethnic groups of mulattoes (55%), mestizos (38%) and the Negroid population (6%) have formed in the country. The indigenous Indian population was exterminated during the period of colonization, some were assimilated. Single Indian tribes live in isolation in hard-to-reach areas of the Amazon. National minorities are represented by Italians, Spaniards, Japanese, Ukrainians (50 thousand people), etc.

The majority of Brazilians are Catholics (80%). Catholics of African descent adhere to the cult of "Candi-ble" (based on religious syncretism, that is, a combination of beliefs in the ancient pagan gods of black Africa ("Orisha") with the veneration of Christian angels and saints) - By the number of Protestants (almost 3 million), Brazil settles first place in South America.

Ethnic composition of the population. The Brazilian nation was formed as a result of the mixing of native Indians, African blacks brought here as slaves, with European immigrants. The native Indian population was largely exterminated. The Indian tribes that survived live mostly in the deep regions of the Amazon basin and lead a primitive economy.

Analyzing the ethnic composition of the Brazilian population, it is necessary to distinguish between the "self-determination" data of the population, recorded by censuses, and the real ethnic composition of the population, which is very complex and can only be realistically determined using the latest technologies, in particular through the study of gene markers.

The population of Brazil is dominated by the descendants of Portuguese immigrants, from the first colonists (starting from the 16th century) to the recent immigrants (the nineteenth and 20th centuries). The first Portuguese settlements in Brazil appeared after 1532, when the city of San Vincente was founded and an active process of colonization began.

Until independence in 1822, the Portuguese were the only European people who actively settled in Brazil, so Brazilian culture is largely based on that of Portugal. Other countries in Europe had a minor presence during the colonial period. The Dutch and French tried to colonize Brazil during the 17th century, but their control over parts of Brazil only lasted a few decades. The Indian population of Brazil (3-5 million at the time of its discovery by Europeans) was largely exterminated or assimilated into the Portuguese population. From the beginning of colonization, marriages between Portuguese and Indians were common.

At the last census, 53.7% of the Brazilian population, or about 96 million people, called themselves "white". They live throughout the country, although they are more concentrated in the south and southeast of Brazil. Both the descendants of Europeans and the descendants of other peoples with white skin consider themselves white. There is also an ethnic group of Brazilians - white Brazilians or their descendants living in the territories bordering Brazil Paraguay.

By 1800, only 1 million Europeans, almost exclusively Portuguese, immigrated to Brazil. An immigration boom came later in the 19th and 20th centuries, when about 6 million Europeans came to Brazil.

Today, residents who define themselves as white make up the country's most ethnically racial group, formed over five centuries by predominantly European immigrants. Although in the middle of the 19th century the white population was of Portuguese origin, later immigration consisted of representatives of different countries. Thus, Brazilian whites are the descendants of many different peoples, primarily Romano (Portuguese, Italians, Spaniards), Germans (Germans) and Slavs (Poles, Ukrainian). In addition to Europeans, whites also include the descendants of Arab immigrants (Lebanese and Syrians). Although the majority of the population identifies themselves as white, genetic studies have shown that "white" is actually also a mixture of races, more than 86% of the population have blacks and Indians among their ancestors.

"Black" or Negroes call themselves 6.2% of the Brazilian population, or about 11 million people. Although they are also distributed throughout the country, their highest concentration is in the Northeast region. Negroes consider themselves all the descendants of African peoples transported to Brazil as slaves.

Slavery in Brazil existed for about 350 years, when about 3 million slaves were imported into Brazil according to official figures (smuggling covers about two million of this number). Recent studies show that 86% have more than 10% African-specific genetic markers. The small number of blacks in the census (6.2%) is the result of traditionally biased attitudes towards blacks and Indians in society, so many blacks try to identify themselves as "brown" or use the informal categories "mulattos" (mulatos) or "morenos" (morenos) which indicate mixed ancestry. However, in recent years the culture of the Brazilian blacks has become more and more popular and the self-consciousness of the blacks is growing.

The term "brown" (pardos) or "PARD" did not always have its modern meaning. It was first introduced during the 1872 census for the sole purpose of distinguishing free blacks (both full-blooded and mixed, of any color) from slaves (again of any origin and color). With the abolition of slavery, the term lost its original meaning, but continued to be used as a "residual" category for residents who did not include themselves in any of the categories proposed in the census. Browns make up 38.5% of the Brazilian population, or about 70 million people, and are distributed throughout the country. Brown is considered as all mixed residents (independently consider themselves as such) and all residents who do not belong to any of the other categories.

Although the IBGE lists all browns as descendants of Africans, many researchers disagree, arguing that up to 8% of the population is predominantly a mixture of whites with Indians, (known by the informal terms "Kaboklu" and "Mameluks"), and a small part are whites. with Asians (yellow). Uncertainty is also growing because a certain percentage of blacks classify themselves as brown and brown as white.

"Yellow" (amarelos) make up 0.5% of the Brazilian population, or about 1 million people. They are predominantly concentrated in the two states of Sao Paulo and Paraná. The descendants of most immigrants from Asia consider themselves yellow. Most Brazilian Yellows are descendants of Japanese who immigrated to Brazil between 1908 and 1960, mainly due to economic problems. Brazil now contains a larger Japanese population outside of Japan. Other groups include minor numbers of Chinese and Koreans.

Although millions of Brazilians are descendants of Indians, only 0.4% of the population (700 thousand people) consider themselves Indians. This is due to the intense mixing of representatives of different peoples, the loss of national identity of the Indians over the centuries, and through traditionally biased attitudes towards Indians and blacks, because of which many Indians try to identify themselves as "white" or "brown" (i.e. mixed ). Recent genetic studies have confirmed that millions of Brazilians are descendants of indigenous peoples, most of whom are unaware of their Indian origin. In recent years, for the first time in five centuries, there has been an increase in the Indian population of Brazil, however, many of them live in poor countries and are gradually losing their culture.

The regional features of the ethnic structure of the Brazilian population are as follows. The Southern region of Brazil is dominated by the European element - from the Portuguese colonists of the 17th and 18th centuries, to the great waves of immigration of Germans, Italians and Slavs throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The Southeast region is also dominated by the European element - predominantly Portuguese, Italian, Spanish and German immigrants from the 19th and 20th centuries. Although African and Indian elements are also noticeable here, in the state of São Paulo there is also Asian. The Northeast region is dominated by African and European elements (predominantly Portuguese), although there is also some Indian input. In the North and Central-Western regions, the Indian element dominates, although with a significant European and African contribution.

According to the Brazilian constitution of 1988, racism is a serious crime, this law is taken very seriously in Brazil.

language. Portuguese is the only official language of Brazil. German is spoken by almost the entire population and is in fact the only language used in schools, newspapers, radio, television and for all business and administrative purposes. In addition, Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas, making the language part of the Brazilian national identity. Brazilian Portuguese has evolved independently of European Portuguese, and has gone through fewer phonetic changes than the language spoken in Portugal. Therefore, it is often said that the speech of Camões, a 16th-century Portuguese poet, phonetically resembles modern Brazilian Portuguese, but not the language spoken in Portugal today, and should be read according to Brazilian rules. Brazilian Portuguese has also been influenced to some extent by Amerindian and African languages. In Brazil itself, the language is quite homogeneous, with speakers of different regional dialects easily understanding each other, but there are several notable phonological, lexical, and spelling differences between them.

Many Amerindian languages ​​still exist in indigenous communities, primarily in Northern Brazil. Although many of them have significant contact with the Portuguese language, today there is an incentive to learn their native languages. Some foreign languages ​​are used by descendants of immigrants, who are usually bilingual, in small rural towns in Southern Brazil. Chief among these are the Brazilian German dialects, such as Riograndeser Gunstrukisch, Pomeranian and Italian, based on the Italian Venetian dialect. In the city of São Paulo, Japanese is also spoken in migrant areas such as Liberdad.

English is part of the official school curriculum, but very few Brazilians are fluent in it. Spanish is also taught in schools (as the language of the countries surrounding Brazil) and is understood to a certain extent by Polish speakers themselves due to the great similarities between the two languages.

Religions. According to the census of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the religious and confessional composition of the population is as follows:

73.6% of the population are Catholics (about 126 million).

15.4% are Protestants (about 25 million).

7.4% of the population identify themselves as atheists or agnostics.

1.3% are spiritualists.

1.8% are adherents of other religions. Including Mormons (900 thousand), Jehovah's Witnesses (600 thousand), Buddhists (215 thousand), seismo-no-iya (151 thousand), Jews (230 thousand) and Muslims (27 thousand).

0.3% - adherents of traditional African religions such as Candomblé, Macubi and Umbanda.

Some practice a mixture of different religions, such as Catholicism, Candomblé and Indian religions.

Brazil has the largest number of Roman Catholics in the world. However, the number of Protestants is now growing. Counting them together with Catholics, Brazil has the second largest number of Christians in the world after the United States. By 1970 the majority of Brazilian Protestants belonged to "traditional churches", mostly Lutherans, Presbyterians and Baptists, but during the last decades the number of Pentecostals and representatives of other concessions has increased significantly.

Islam in Brazil was traditionally practiced by some African slaves. Today, the Muslim population in Brazil consists mainly of Arab immigrants, although a number of non-Arabs also convert to Islam.

There are approximately 120 thousand members of the Jewish community (0.065% of the total population), their communities are located mainly in the large cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, smaller communities in Brasilia, Curitiba, Porto Alegre.

I made a sample of 2500 hikes from 20 travel clubs. It turned out that...

Summer accounts for 66% of trips for the entire year. No wonder summer is the best time to backpack. First, warm and dry; secondly, there is an opportunity to take a vacation for a trip.

autumn there are few trips, because school, studies, work begin, and the weather deteriorates.

in winter ski tours or accommodation at recreation centers prevail, combined with radial outings without heavy backpacks and equipment. Winter accounts for 6% of all trips.

spring sitting at home is unbearable, so we get equipment and plan trips. The weather in the Crimea, Cyprus and the Caucasus is already above zero, which allows you to make simple transitions without fear of freezing at night in a sleeping bag. March is 5% of the total statistics.

In April– a sudden pause (3%) as tourists save up time and money for the May holidays. The end of April is a sharp start to the season of hiking in the Crimea, the Caucasus, the Sayans, Altai, with the capture of the May Day holidays. Those who want warmth go along the Turkish Lycian path or make a transition along the Cypriot Troodos mountains. Also at the end of April, there are many offers where you can go with children. Everyone is waiting for the end of April - both adults and children. Life is picking up pace.

May is distinguished by a fourfold increase in the number of trekking trips - 13% of the total statistics. Campsites are opening, and tourist bases are ready to accommodate tourists. May campaigns are supplemented by campaigns that begin in the last days of April in order to capture the holidays.

The top five most visited regions are as follows:

– First place. Caucasus - 29%. Elbrus and Kazbek attract hikers with their beauty.

– Second place. Crimea - 15%. The proximity of the sea and the mild climate make this peninsula unique and as if created for week-long outings.

– Third place. Northwest - 11%. Residents of the Leningrad region and Karelia are lucky with nature: there are more rivers and lakes than in the Central District. In the suburbs, there is nowhere to go especially.

– Fourth and fifth places. Altai, Baikal and Siberia - 7% each. It's expensive to get there from Moscow and St. Petersburg, but it's worth it. Beautiful nature, and not as many tourists as in other places.

Geography: The largest state in South America, occupying almost half of the continent, an area of ​​​​8.5 million square meters. km. In the north it borders with Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, in the south - with Uruguay, in the west with Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru, in the northwest - with Colombia. In the north and east it is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Big cities: Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Recife, Porto Alegre, Manaus.

Major seaports: Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Rio Grande, Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Tubaran, San Sebastian.

Time: The country is located in four time zones. Time is 5-8 hours behind Moscow time. Officially, the time is calculated according to Brasilia (7 hours behind Moscow time).

Natural and climatic conditions: On the vast territory of Brazil, two main natural areas stand out: the equatorial forest plains of the Amazon in the north and the mosaic of tropical landscapes of the Brazilian Plateau in the remaining 2/3 of the country.

In the humid equatorial forests of the Amazonian lowland (Amazonian selva), over 4,000 species of trees grow (every fourth tree in the world grows in the Amazon basin). These forests are considered the lungs of the planet. Their accelerated logging is a legitimate concern for environmentalists around the world. The forests are rich in fauna: broad-nosed monkeys, sloth, anteater, opossum, jaguar, puma, ocelot, baker pigs, tapir, capybara. Numerous snakes, reptiles, birds. The Amazonian lowland lies in the region of the equatorial and subequatorial climate. The temperature is 24 - 28 °C all year round, precipitation is from 3000 to 3500 mm per year, in the subequatorial climatic zone there is a relatively dry period - from August to October.

The Amazon River provides about 15% of the total annual flow of all rivers in the world. Together with its tributaries, it forms a gigantic water system over 25,000 km long. The main channel of the Amazon is navigable for 4300 km, and ocean-going vessels rise for 1690 km from the mouth to Manaus.

To the east, the selva is gradually replaced by stony woodlands (caatinga). Prickly and burning semi-shrubs and all kinds of cacti are characteristic, dry-loving shrubs and trees, columnar cacti and tree-like euphorbia rise above them. Bottle trees are a landmark in Caatinga. During the winter–spring dry period, less than 10 mm of precipitation falls here per month at average temperatures of 26–28 °C. In autumn, heavy showers bring 300 mm or more in one month, with an annual precipitation of 700–1000 mm. Precipitation is extremely uneven not only throughout the year, but also from year to year. Of the 100 years, 50 are distinguished by either extreme drought or catastrophic floods, when rivers flood fields and buildings and demolish an already thin layer of soil. The main river of the Caatinga is the San Francisco. In the very center of the Brazilian Plateau is the kingdom of shrubby and small-wooded savannahs and woodlands (campos serrados). Here is the main region of pastoral cattle breeding of the country.

To the west, south of 17-18 ° south latitude, the vast plains of the upper Parana - the Parana Plateau - stretch. Here are the optimal conditions for growing coffee: the average temperature of the coldest month is not lower than 14 ° C, precipitation is about 1500 mm per year, and the dry period necessary for drying the beans is well expressed, but not too sharp. Humus-rich lilac-red soils (“terra-rosha”) are especially favorable for the coffee bush. South of 24 ° south latitude, extensive lava plateaus come directly to the surface. Ledges of hardened lava make all the left tributaries of the Parana "jump" down, as if on steps, forming numerous rapids and waterfalls. The Iguazu Falls are especially famous.

A very special natural region of Brazil - Pantanal (translated from Portuguese as "marshland") - is located in the upper reaches of the Paraguay River, almost in the center of South America. This is a vast tectonic basin, lying only 50–70 m above sea level. From the north, east and southeast, it is sharply limited by the cliffs of the Brazilian Plateau. For many months, the Pantanal turns into a kind of lake-swamp. And in winter drought, it is a patchy landscape of never-drying semi-grown swamps, lakes and barely distinguishable wandering riverbeds, salt marshes, sandbars and grassy areas. Birds abound here: storks, herons, ibises, cormorants, ducks, roseate spoonbill. Many come here for the winter from the northern hemisphere. Under the forest - 38% of the country's territory. St. 20 nat. parks (Araguaia, Jau, Iguazu, Pico da Neblina, Tapajos, Xingu, etc.); nature reserves, sanctuaries.

Political system: Presidential federal republic. A federation of 26 states and a federal (capital) district. The head of state and government is the president. The legislature is the bicameral National Congress. Consists of the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.

Administrative-territorial division: Brazil is divided into 26 states and 1 federal (capital) district.

Population: St. 95% of us. - Brazilians, a nation that was formed as a result of the mixing of Portuguese and other European settlers with natives - Indians (Tupi-Guarani, etc.) and exported in the 16-19 centuries. from Africa by Negro slaves (Yoruba, Bantu, Ewe, etc.). The ethnic composition is 54% white, 38.5% mulatto and 6% black. Indians (over 1 million) inhabit mainly the hinterland of the river basin. Amazon. Average. population density 21.4 people/km2. In the northeast, southeast and south of the country (40% of the territory) lives St. 90% of the population, including approx. 50% of the population lives on a narrow strip of the Atlantic coast, constituting 8% of the country's territory. Urban population 78% (1995).

Over half of the country's population is young people under the age of 20. People over 50 make up only 10%.

Language: The official language is Portuguese, French, German, Italian are used.

Religion: The majority of the population is Catholic, but many people of African descent practice Makumba.

Economy: Space power. The largest economic potential country in South America. In terms of GDP, it is among the top ten countries in the world. GNP per capita. $3,640 (1995) Share in GDP (1995,%): industry 23 (including manufacturing 22), villages. economy 12.2, trade, finance and services 43.3. In the mining industry, a significant place is occupied by the extraction of iron (180 million tons in 1996, one of the leading places in the world; the states of Minas Gerais, Carajas, Para) and manganese (about 2 million tons in 1995, the states of Amapa, Para, Minas -Zherais) ores; all St. 90% of the mining of these ores in Latin America, approx. 80% - exported. Bauxites are mined (about 10 million tons per year), tin (piece Rondonia; one of the leading places in the world), copper, lead, zinc, and nickel. Brazil is a major supplier of strategic raw materials to the world market: niobium and beryllium ores (more than 1/2 of world production), tantalum, zirconium, mica, and crystalline quartz. The extraction of radioactive minerals (containing uranium and thorium), monazite sands, gold (about 80 tons per year), diamonds, and other precious and semiprecious stones (aquamarines, topazes, sapphires, etc.) is growing. The extraction of oil (38.7 million tons in 1996) and coal (over 5 million tons per year) does not meet the needs of the country, therefore, a policy is being pursued to replace oil with alternative fuels, Ch. arr. ethyl alcohol (90% of the country's entire vehicle fleet operates on it). Hydropower is developed (a total of 18 hydroelectric power stations operate, including the Brazilian-Paraguayan Itaipu hydroelectric power station, one of the largest in the world). In terms of iron smelting (24 million tons in 1996) and steel (25.2 million tons), Brazil is among the top ten countries in the world. The main centers of ferrous metallurgy - gg. Volta Redonda, Tubaran, Sabara, Juan Monlevadi, Belo Horizonte. In non-ferrous metallurgy, the smelting of aluminum (in the southeast of the country and in the state of Para), copper, nickel, tin, and cobalt (chiefly in the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais). The leading branches of the manufacturing industry are mechanical engineering, chemical and petrochemical, food and flavoring, light, pulp and paper and building materials industries. The most developed transport engineering, incl. automotive industry (about 2/3 of all production in Latin America; car factories are mainly concentrated in a small area between Sao Paulo and the port of Santos), shipbuilding (the main shipyards are in Guanabara Bay) and aircraft manufacturing (production of passenger aircraft, Santos Jose dos Campos). The machine tool industry, electrical engineering and electronics (production of computers, microcircuits, semiconductors, etc.; the main center is Campinas) industry are also developed. The production of computer equipment and its components is developing very dynamically. Brazil is a major arms manufacturer and exporter. A diverse chemical and petrochemical industry (production of chemical fibers, synthetic rubber, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, dyes, etc.; the states of São Paulo, Bahia, Rio Grande do Sul). In the building materials industry, the production of cement stands out in particular (the states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo). The pulp and paper industry develops on the basis of the eucalyptus crop (in the southeast and in the state of Paraná) and the fast-growing softwood of the Amazon. The production of paper and cardboard (the largest newsprint mill is in Monte Alegre, the state of Parana), chipboard and fibreboard, veneer of valuable tree species, etc. Textile stands out among light industries (2/3 of its products are cotton fabrics, mainly export; the production of fabrics from artificial fibers is developing) and leather and footwear. In the food industry, traditional industries stand out - sugar, meat, oil, tobacco. Brazil ranks 1st in the world in the production and export of concentrated and frozen orange juice and 2nd in the world in the export of processed poultry meat.

Agriculture is an important sector of the country's economy, has a pronounced export orientation (gives about 2/5 of the value of exports). 6.0% of the country's territory is used, meadows and pastures occupy 21.9%, under forest 57.7% (Brazil ranks 1st in the world in terms of valuable wood reserves). Large landed estates predominate (about 1.5% of landowners-latifundists own about 1/2 of the cultivated land; over 80% of those employed in agriculture have no land). The leading industry is crop production (provides approx. 60% of the value of agricultural products). Brazil is the world's largest producer and exporter of coffee and sugar cane, and one of the world's leading producers and exporters of cocoa beans, soybeans, oranges and bananas; significant production and export of cotton. The main food crops (occupy about 1/2 of all cultivated areas): corn, rice, brown beans, cassava. They also cultivate wheat, barley, oats, and tobacco. Developed fruit and vegetable growing. Animal husbandry is predominantly pasture, meat direction. Developed horse breeding. Sea and river fisheries. In the forests - collection of latex from wild rubber plants, carnauba wax, Brazil nuts, palm fruits, Paraguayan tea (yerba mate), coniferous wood (mainly araucaria).

Main attractions: A country of exotic nature, almost 8 thousand km. picturesque beaches, cheerful population, ancient Indian traditions and colorful colonial architecture, besides being one of the most developed countries of the continent, Brazil attracts the attention of millions of tourists. There are almost all the conditions for the most diverse types of recreation, but the most attention, of course, is attracted by the famous Amazon rainforest and the pampas of the south, Iguazu Falls and mountainous areas, sung in numerous novels, as well as, undoubtedly, the noisy and eternally dancing Rio with its famous Carnival.

Rio de Janeiro ("January River") is the former capital and most visited city in Brazil. Noisy, cosmopolitan and always bustling Rio strikes with a combination of ultra-modern architecture and the poverty of "favelas", luxurious beaches and hotels with an amazing temperament of local residents and phlegmatic law enforcement officers, an abundance of greenery on the streets and a huge number of exotic flowers planted wherever possible.

The visiting card of the city is a huge statue of Christ the Savior (armspan - 30 m) on Mount Corcovado (part of the Tijuca National Park, covering an area of ​​​​more than 3 thousand hectares), as if stretching out its arms over the city in a guarding gesture. At the entrance to the bay of Guanabara, another symbol of the city rises - the rock of Pau de Azucar ("Sugarloaf", 395 m) with a cable car going to its top. The old city is filled with buildings in a colorful colonial style - the Customs House, the docks, the Arsenal, the Stock Exchange, the Largo de Boticario Square, the National Academy of Arts, the City Hall, the cobbled streets of the Santa Teresa quarter, the Arces de Lapa aqueduct (1732), the palace-museum of Emperor João VI (XVIII century) in Quinta Boa Vista, the imperial palace on the XV November Square (now the cultural center is located here), the Tiradentes Palace (now the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro is located here) and others picturesque old buildings.

Most of Rio's museums are also located here - the Museum of Modern Art, the Carmen Miranda Museum, the Museum of Folk Art and the Museum of the Second World War in Flamengo Park, the Museum of the History of the City in the former residence of the Marquis of San Vincente, the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of the Indians, the Historical and Art Museums , National Museum in the former imperial palace of Quinta Boa Vista, Museum of the Republic in the building of the old presidential palace, Museum of Stones, Museum of Xacara do Seu in a picturesque building with turrets, National Library, Botanical Museum and Library on the territory of the Botanical Garden, cultural center Banco do Brasil and others, as well as almost all the theaters of the city. In the so-called "New City" the Mint, the old prison, the Main Station and the House of Invalids are interesting.

Numerous colonial churches and monasteries of the city attract attention - Sao Bento (1617-1693), Sao Antonio (XVIII century), the monastery of the Capuchin order (formerly the imperial residence), the Church of Our Lady of Lampedos (1929), the Church of Glory Lord's (1714) with the Museum of Religious Art, the Church of St. Lucy (1732) with a unique natural fountain, the water of which is considered healing, the archbishop's cathedral (1808) on the XV November Square, in which coronation ceremonies took place, a monastery and the Carmelite Church (XVI century) nearby, the Baroque Church of the Franciscan Order (XVIII century), the Church of the Passion of the Lord, the Church of Santa Cruz do Militares (XVIII-XIX centuries), etc.

The real glory of the city was brought by its famous beaches - Copacabana, Ipanema and Lebnon, each of which is the real center of resort and social life, as well as the lesser-known Botafogu, Leme, Arpoador, Vidigal, Pepino San Conrado, Barra di Tijuca, Recreu dos Bandeirantes, Grumari and others, most of which are in no way inferior to the famous Copacabana (the total length of the beaches is more than 90 km.).

It is interesting to visit the Botanical Garden (1808) with its famous palm alley, which contains more than 7,000 plants from all over the world, the Zoo, one of the largest stadiums in the world - "Maracana" (1950), the famous Rio Bridge, a modern business center, or explore the extraordinarily beautiful Guanabara Bay from the height of the surrounding hills, take a ride on the old Bondinhos trams and mini-trains of the late 19th century, connecting the most popular points of the city. Well, the nightlife of Rio de Janeiro is a separate story. Hundreds and thousands of nightclubs and bars, numerous shows, discos and restaurants located right at the edge of the beaches, charrascarios barbecues and small eateries (despite their size, most of them have their own shows) are located in literally every house on the coast. And, of course, samba schools and the famous Carnival, for which the city is preparing all year round.

In the vicinity of Rio, a huge number of interesting places are concentrated. It is worth visiting the summer residence of Emperor Pedro I and the Imperial Museum in Petropolis (65 km from Rio de Janeiro), colonial-style inns and a large resort center in Buzius (170 km north of Rio de Janeiro), the beautiful ocean coast and about 200 islands in the Angra dos Reyes area, a magnificent coastline and many colorful recreation centers in the monument city of Paraty (286 km south of Rio de Janeiro), the city of Diamantina (included in the UNESCO Cultural Heritage of Humanity list), as well as magnificent slopes of the surrounding mountains, overgrown with outlandish vegetation, which hide many interesting places.

The capital of the state and an independent federal district - Brasilia, is one of the most unusual cities on the continent. Located at an altitude of 1172 meters above sea level, the city was built almost "from scratch" in 4 years. Architects Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer designed the city in the form of a bird, in the "body" of which there is an area of ​​​​administrative and public buildings, in the "wings" - residential areas, and in the "nose" - the Three Powers Square, around which the residence of the president - the Aurora Palace is located , domed buildings of the National Assembly and Senate, palaces of the Supreme Court and Congress. Buildings of ministries of original architecture stretch in two rows from the square, and behind them - the pyramidal Cathedral and the National Theater, whose architecture is generally difficult to attribute to any style. The building of the National Research Council follows the shape of the Temple of Ramses II. An ultra-modern transport artery runs along the axis of the capital, a characteristic feature of which is the almost complete absence of intersections.

The architecture of residential areas is no less original - huge windows, the original layout of the buildings themselves, peculiarly planned green spaces and huge open spaces. And the rather dry and hot climate of the plateau on which the city is built gives this whole futuristic landscape a special "transparency". Due to the dam, which blocked the channels of four rivers, even an artificial lake was created! Even the addresses here are not ordinary, but are alphanumeric abbreviations.

Among the sights of the new capital are the Botanical Garden, the zoo, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the black tower of the Central Bank, the Kubizek memorial, the "blue church" of Don Bosco (San Juan Bosco), the City Park with pools filled with mineral water, one of the largest shopping centers in South America - Conjunto Nacional, the Ministerial Complex - a number of buildings of ultra-modern architecture, the Arched Palace with hanging gardens (the country's Foreign Ministry is located here), the Meteor statue and other unusual structures.

The capital of the state of Minas Gerais - Belo Horizonte, is the first city in the country, which was created "from scratch", thus paving the way for the modern capital. This is the fourth largest city in Brazil, one of the largest industrial and commercial centers of the country. The historical museum of Abilio Bareto, the Palace of Liberty, the Casino, the Brazilian religious center of Congonhas do Campo, 80 km away, are of interest here. from the city with the famous "cross road" of 78 statues, the church of Our Lady of O and the Museum of Gold in Sabara (25 km. from Belo Horizonte), the city-museum of San João del Rey, the village-museum of Tiradentes, etc.

No less interesting is Ouro Preto ("Black Gold") - the capital of gold diggers, miners and treasure seekers, currently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The churches of St. Francis (1766-1794), the Conception of the Mother of God (1727) with the tomb and museum of the great architect Aleijadinho, Our Lady of Pilar (1711), Carmo (1766), Santa Ifigenia attract attention here. dos Pretos (1733), Merces de Sima, City Hall (19th century), Municipal Theatre, Itacolomi, Cachoeira do Falcao, Tripuy and Estrada Real parks with a whole cascade of reservoirs and waterfalls, as well as numerous museums - Mineralogy, Resistance, etc.

Sao Paulo is the largest industrial center of the country, and of all Latin America. The third largest metropolis in the world leaves a dual impression of itself - on the one hand, the city is quite gray and cannot boast of any special beauties. On the other hand, such a mixture of everything and everything surrounded by urban landscapes, perhaps, you will not find anywhere else in America. "Latin American Chicago", as it is often called, is built up with steel and glass skyscrapers, factories, offices, rather old residential areas and is inhabited by almost 13 million inhabitants. Here is a colossal mixture of races and peoples, cultures and religions, customs and mores from all over the world.

Of interest are the Museum of Modern Art (one of the largest in the world), the famous Pacaembu stadium, the Museum of Painting, the State Art Gallery, the Impiranha Museum, the Museum of Brazilian History in Independence Park, the Jacques Ardes Gallery, the Nossa Dama Brazil Church, the Ibirapuera Park with an area of ​​more than thousands of hectares, the Japanese Quarter and the Tea Bridge, the Zoo with a unique collection of tropical birds, the reptile sanctuary and at the same time the unique Butanta Medical Research Center, the "green areas" of Alameda Santos and Morumbi, etc.

Not far from the city are the resort areas of Ubatuba and Ilya-Bela.

Salvador, which was the capital of Brazil until 1763, is famous for the wealth of churches and the beauty of its historical buildings, crazy festivals, special romance and rich history. The sights of the city include the historic quarter of Pelourinho, the old port of Barra (Vila Velha), the Afro-Brazilian Museum, the Carlos Costa Pinto Museum, the Museum of the Carmelite Order, the Medical Memorial, the Abelardo Rodriguez Museum, the Museum of Archeology and Ethnology, the Museum of Numismatics, the Terreiro Cathedral di Jesus (1657), Cathedral of St. Peter (XVIII century), Baroque Church of Rosario (XVIII century), Church of the Dominican Order (XVIII century), Church of Do Carmo (1700), Church of Señor do Bonfin (XVIII century), Church of the Order of the Carmelites (XVI century), Church of St. Francis (1703) with a huge old globe, Church of Santissimo Sacramento (XVIII century), Archbishop's Palace (1715) with a monument to the first archbishop of Brazil, Don Pedro Fernandez Sardinha, the church of Santa Casa de Misericordia (XVII century), the monastery and church of St. Teresa (1697), the church of Nossa Señora Graça (XVI century, the oldest church in Brazil ), Jorge Amado House, Goethe Art Institute, Fort San Pedro, City Square and City Hall (former headquarters of the colonial troops), Rio Branco Palace (1919), Palace of Justice, Da Sé Square (1933), the Modelo Market, the Lacerda funicular (1930), numerous capoeira schools (the country's national martial art), the Belvedere Yacht Club, etc.

In the vicinity of the city, the island of Itaparina, the small town of Caschueira (120 km west of Salvador) are of interest - the center of the Baroque in Brazil with many churches, the beaches in the Flamengo and Itapau region (in Salvador itself, the beaches are quite narrow and littered), as well as numerous artisan communes in Ilha di Mare, Jequie and Rio de Contas.

At 835 km. north of Salvador lies Recife - the capital of the state of Pernambuco, which is often compared to Venice. 7 km. from Recife is the city of Olinda - one of the best preserved colonial cities in Brazil, famous for its "old quarter", which is under the protection of UNESCO. Natal (300 km north of Recife) is famous for its beaches stretching for 100 km, as well as the "Fortress of the Magi" at the mouth of the river. Potengi and Zhenipabou resort. 85 km. south of Natal are the fishing villages of Pipa and Ponta Negra, which over the years have become one of the best resorts in the country. Around Fortaleza (the capital of the state of Ceara, 800 km north of Recife) stretches a whole series of magnificent dunes and beaches - Iracema, Diarus, Meireles, Macuripe, Future, Morro Branco, Praia das Fontes, Coqueiros, Kumbuku, Taiba, Fleisheras, etc. .

Belen - the gateway to the Amazon, just behind the bridges over the river. Guam impenetrable forests of the delta begin. Founded in the 16th century, it has preserved traces of history in its many old houses of absolutely incredible architecture (mostly dilapidated). Of interest are the building of the General Staff, the Baroque Cathedral of Se (1748), the Ver-U-Peso market (the largest in the country), the Basilica of Di-Nazare (1908, a famous center of pilgrimage), the Castelo fortress (XVI century), the city the cathedral (1748), the Igreia de Merces church (1640), numerous museums in the Emilio Goeldi park, etc.

In the vicinity of the city there are many first-class beaches - Oteiro, Farol, Urubira, Aribamba, Sao Francisco, Bahia di Sol, as well as many river and sea islands, the most famous of which are Maraju (fully occupied by an ecological reserve), Oteiro and Mosqueiro. San Luis, located 800 km. from Belen, famous for its Lion Palace and the ghost town of Alcantara.

The capital of the state of Amazonia is Manaus, located on the banks of the great river (its width, together with the channels, reaches several tens of kilometers here), with an average flow of 3400 km. from Brasilia. The population of the city is 80% Indians, and all the surrounding settlements are also inhabited by them, which gives the city a peculiar charm.

In Manaus, the Museum of Indians, the City Theater (1896), the colossal Palacio Negro Palace, the Church of San Sebastian, the Museum of Man, the Museum of Numismatics, the Teatro Amazonas Opera House (1896), numerous floating markets, as well as many magnificent houses decorated with blue ceramics - "azulejos" (for the most part are in disrepair). 12 km. from Manaus, a unique natural phenomenon is observed - the confluence of the Solimoes and Rio Negro rivers, whose waters do not mix at all with each other, but flow side by side in multi-colored ribbons for hundreds of kilometers. But the main reason why people come to Manaus is the "Great Amazon".

Amazonia is a mysterious region that makes up a third of the territory of all of Brazil. Amazonia is called the "lungs of the planet", because almost 50% of all oxygen on our planet is produced in the Amazonian tropical rainforests. Flora grows here, only 30% studied by scientists, 25% of all pharmaceutical substances in the world are extracted from plants of the Amazonian forest, 1800 different species of birds live here (7.5 times more than in Europe), 250 varieties of mammals and 1500 different fish species , many of which have not yet been classified. About two hundred Indian tribes live in this area, many of which have not been in contact with "civilization" for years. The Amazon River and its tributaries contain about 20% of the world's fresh water.

Here you can take part in piranha fishing, take a boat trip to Rio Negro or Parum, hunt alligators, spend several hours (or days) on the islands of the delta or in the thick of the forest, learn how to survive in the selva from local residents, ride on motorized canoe along the numerous branches of the river, visit the unique archipelago of Anavillanas or get acquainted with the customs and life of the locals.

Historical outline: Brazil was discovered in 1500 by the Portuguese navigator Pedro Alvares Cabral. In 1533, the Portuguese colonization of Brazil began, the coast of which was divided into 15 captaincies. In 1549, the Portuguese possessions in Brazil were directly subordinated to the King of Portugal. The viceroy of the Portuguese king was the captain-general, whose residence was in El Salvador. In 1574, a decree was passed prohibiting the conversion of local Indians into slaves. This led to the massive importation of Negro slaves from Africa. In 1640, the first viceroy of Brazil, the Marquis de Montalvan, was appointed. 1763 - Rio de Janeiro becomes the capital of Brazil. The Portuguese king João VI fled to Brazil from Napoleon. After his father's return to Portugal in 1821, his son Pedro remained in Brazil as regent, and on September 7, 1822, he declared independence from the mother country and declared himself emperor of the Brazilian Empire under the name Pedro I. He was succeeded by his son, Pedro II, who ruled until 1889, when a republic was proclaimed. The year before, in 1888, slavery had been abolished in Brazil. In the late years of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, Brazil attracted more than 5 million European and Japanese immigrants.

In 1930-1934 and in 1937-1945 the Vargas dictatorships. In 1964, a military coup took place in the country, as a result of which Marshal Castelo Branco came to power. It was the third dictatorial regime in the history of Brazil. It lasted until 1985. In 1999, the country was gripped by a financial crisis.

2006, May 11-16 - a wave of violence in the industrial city of São Paulo. Clashes between criminal gangs and the police led to the death of 150 people, including 40 police officers. The rebels (the First Metropolitan Team) set fire to buses, attacked banks and police stations, staged a shootout at metro stations.

National domain: .BR

Entry rules: The usual term for processing documents at the embassy is 4 - 7 working days. You need a passport, 1 application form with a photo and an invitation (tourist, private or official), a copy of the air ticket. Traveling with children on a business invitation is difficult. Regardless of the type of invitation, the embassy issues a multivisa for a specific period. Consular fee for tourist and private visas - $50, for business - $60. When leaving for Sheremetyevo-2, you must present a yellow fever vaccination certificate. Russian citizens who have received temporary visas at the Brazilian Embassy in Moscow are subject to mandatory registration with the federal police within 30 days with the payment of a fee. Movement around the country for Russian citizens is not limited. Pre-vaccination against hepatitis A and B, malaria is recommended. You cannot drink tap water. Insurance is required. Be sure to bring sunscreen with you. The airport tax is approximately 18 USD and must be paid before departure.

Customs regulations: The import of foreign currency is not limited (declared), national - is limited. The export of imported foreign currency is allowed, minus expenses in the country, national - under the license of the Central Bank of Brazil. Imported video, film, audio equipment of non-Brazilian production is taxed. It is allowed to import duty-free one of the following items: radio, player, video camera, business notebook with computer memory. The import and export of drugs, firearms, ammunition, medicines, radioactive materials is prohibited. An attempt to export any wild animals from the country, without the appropriate permission from numerous authorities, approvals and quarantines, is considered a crime in Brazil. Indian tribes are allowed to make traditional jewelry from the feathers of exotic birds of the Amazon, jaguar claws, armadillo shells, etc., however, the Indians can only sell them "on the side" under special state licenses and only to cultural institutions, for example, ethnographic museums.

The most dynamically developing country in Latin America, which is part of the BRICS, is Brazil, where the white population is 53%, mulattos - 39%, blacks - 6.2%.

Since the second half of the 60s, an authoritarian military regime has been established in the country. As a result of putting things in order, a favorable investment climate has emerged for domestic and foreign companies. State intervention in the economy with the growth of foreign investment led to economic growth in GDP in 1968 - 1974. up to 10% (“Brazilian Miracle”). The course was taken to turn Brazil into a great industrial power by the year 2000. However, the oil crisis of the 70s led to a drop in economic growth and an increase in external debt, which only by 2010 was reduced to $ 311 billion. In 1985, power passed to civilian politicians who began to liberalize the economy through mass privatization.

Geopolitical and geo-economic power. Brazil is the largest state in Latin America in terms of area (8.5 million sq. km) and population (201 million, 2011). It ranks 5th in the world in terms of area and population, 9th in terms of GDP (according to purchasing power parity, $ 2.2 trillion, 2010), the country with the largest Catholic population in the world. It is the largest economy in the regional grouping. The rainforests of the Amazon Basin produce approximately 50% of the oxygen on earth. Thanks to the Amazon and other rivers, Brazil ranks first on the planet in terms of fresh water reserves. The second place belongs to Russia with the Siberian rivers and Baikal. In 2012 Brazil hosted the next UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). The conference was dedicated to the twentieth anniversary of the Earth Summit held here and was dedicated to the development of the "green economy".

The motto of the military-industrial complex is "Brazil should not be colonized by technological dependence." In 2006, Brazil became the ninth country in the world with full nuclear technology. A program is being implemented to create a nuclear submarine, and in 2010 a project for a nuclear power plant for nuclear submarines is expected to be implemented. A program of high-precision weapons has been implemented, including air-to-air missiles. The Embraer aircraft manufacturing company produces military aircraft. The AT-27 light attack aircraft was purchased by the French and British Air Forces. The Brazilian launcher of the Astros multiple launch rocket system is in service with the Saudi Arabian army. Prototypes of a combat heavy tank have been created. The Cascavel armored personnel carrier and the Urutu amphibious armored personnel carrier are supplied to many countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa. The production of small arms is successfully developing.

Brazil is an exporter of high-tech goods. In the production of metals, automotive, petrochemistry, pharmaceuticals, it is among the ten world leaders. Brazil is the world's third largest manufacturer of aircraft and the world leader in the production of regional aircraft. It exports aviation equipment, other vehicles, electrical equipment, iron ore, steel, etc.

In foreign economic relations, Brazil focuses on the European Union, Japan and China. Brazil actively trades with China, but there are problems in the foreign economic relations of the two countries. The Celestial Empire traditionally considers Latin American countries as a source of raw materials, while Brazil seeks to act on foreign markets as a supplier of industrial products.

The former Soviet man, accustomed to the achievements of domestic aviation, hardly perceives the competition of Brazil, which for many by inertia is associated with carnivals in Rio de Janeiro. As the tsunami of mindless democracy swept through Eastern Europe, Russia's machinery and equipment supplies were reduced to 1% of the total value of exports, which are based on mineral fertilizers. In turn, Brazil became a major exporter of tractors to Russia.

Against the backdrop of the degradation of the Russian aviation industry, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer has become one of the leaders in the global market for passenger regional aircraft. The company successfully competes with the Canadian Bombardier and has become the third largest supplier of passenger airliners in the world after Boeing and Airbus. Embraer employs 20,000 people. Annual sales revenue exceeds $4-5 billion, and net profit - $300-400 million. The company's order book is $20 billion. It is planned to create a C-390 transport aircraft with a payload of 25 tons. With the implementation of this project, the Ukrainian "Ruslan" will lose its leadership in terms of carrying capacity. The success of Brazil became possible thanks to the "efforts" of Russia and Ukraine, which destroyed to a large extent cooperation in the field of aircraft construction. And each invented his own "bicycle" - the Russian "Superjet" and the Ukrainian An-148/158.

Brazil is the world's first producer of iron ore, the second - manganese and tantalum. Included in the top five for the extraction of bauxite, tin, lithium and magnesium. The Itaipu hydroelectric power station, the second largest in the world, operates here. Brazil actively produces biofuels (from sugar cane), which has saved $50 billion on fuel imports over a quarter of a century. In terms of ethanol exports ($2.4 billion), Brazil ranks first in the world.

Brazil is the seventh largest food exporter in the world. It is the largest producer of cane sugar and oranges in the world, growing 35% of the world's coffee crop. The world's largest number of cattle (210 million heads). It is the third largest producer of broilers in the world and the second largest exporter.

The Brazilian moderate socially oriented economic development model based on the middle class and the development of a capacious domestic market is finding more and more supporters on the continent. Examples include Peru and Venezuela, which has followed a pro-American course in the past.
And the Brazilian carnival continues.

Brazil is a land of endless jungle. The descendants of Europeans, Indians and slaves once imported from Africa mixed here. The result is a distinctive Brazilian culture, completely unlike any other. The Brazilians themselves call themselves "brasileros", which means "lumberjacks" in Portuguese - this is the self-name of the inhabitants of this country. What else can you say about Brazil? Perhaps, here in places it is quite dangerous, but it is still insanely interesting.

1. Brazil is the largest South American state in terms of area and population. It is also the only country on the continent where Portuguese is spoken rather than Spanish.
2. Brazil is the country with the largest number of Catholics among the local population.
3. According to one version, the state was named Brazil in honor of the mythical island - the Irish believe that it is located somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean.
4. Brazil ranks first in the world in terms of the number of species of primates and freshwater fish living in its territory. In addition, it holds the second position in the number of amphibian species, the third in the number of bird species, and the fifth in the diversity of reptiles.
5. In 2013, the Brazilian authorities allowed to officially register marriages between spouses of the same sex. Three years earlier, a similar law had been passed in Argentina (see).
6. Brazil is the world's largest producer of sugar cane fuel that can be used in place of petroleum products.
7. Brazil is the world's leading sugar and orange grower, and the world's largest exporter of soybeans. Brazil also harvests a third of all coffee beans in the world (see).
8. The conscript may refuse to serve in the Brazilian army if he successfully passes the medical assistance test.
9. Brazil participated in the world football championships, and won them more often than any other country on the planet (5 times out of 20). 74% of Brazilians are passionate about football to one degree or another, which makes this game a truly nationwide sport.
10. The capital of the state, Brasilia, looks like a passenger plane from a height, although its architect Lucio Costa claimed that he designed the city like a huge butterfly. Brasilia was built specifically to become the capital - it took about 60,000 builders 3.5 years to do this.
11. All rooms of the Cathedral of Brasilia are located underground - only the dome of stained glass and concrete is visible above the surface.
12. In the Brazilian capital, residential buildings higher than 6 floors are not being built. The general plan of the city assigns to each erected building a certain space above the ground, which is forbidden to exceed.
13. In Brazil, the letter "T" is often found on the doors of public toilets - it indicates cubicles for transsexuals, of which there are a great many in the country.
14. In the presence of Brazilians, you should not use the “OK” gesture (thumb and forefinger folded in a circle), as it is offensive - this is how the locals make it clear that they consider their interlocutor to be a nonentity, “zero” and an empty place.
15. The gesture, known in Russia as "figa", is considered protective in Brazil. Locals believe that it protects from the evil eye.
16. In Rio de Janeiro, from 10 pm to 5 am, motorists are allowed to drive through a red light so that they do not have time to rob them while stopping at an intersection.
17. Brazilian children donate lost baby teeth to school teachers, who give them to dentists to make dentures for teenagers.
18. The full name of a Brazilian is his own name, his mother's surname and his father's surname. When married, Brazilian women become owners of a double surname - their own and their spouse.
19. In Brazil, two of the 7 modern wonders of the world are located at once - the statue of Christ, towering over Rio de Janeiro, and the Amazon River (see).
20. Literally translated from Portuguese, "Rio de Janeiro" means "January River".
21. The anthem of Brazil contains so many complex words and sentences that not all locals are able to understand its meaning.
22. Brazil has the second largest number of operating airports in the world.