Brazil
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Country Profile
Photography (*)
Botafogo Bay - Rio de Janeiro |
Ipanema Beach - Rio de Janeiro |
Boat by the Beach - Porto Seguro |
Calm Village - Itambé |
Old Lady - Itambé |
Trancoso Beach - Porto Seguro |
Praia do Forte |
Christ the Redeemer - Rio de Janeiro |
Pelourinho - Salvador |
History
Brazil has been inhabited for at least 8,000 years, where it is believed that the first Indians, as they were called by the Portuguese, were part of the hunters that arrived to the Americas from Asia, across the Bering Strait. However, some archaeologists think that these hunters have a more ancient origin from Africa or Australia.
Brazil was first discovered by Portugal, when Pedro Álvares Cabral arrived in the year 1500. It was colonized and stayed under Portuguese control until it became a sovereign nation in 1822.
Rio de Janeiro was the head of the Portuguese empire which spread from Europe, Africa and Asia. In 1808, the King of Portugal fled Napoleon's troops, and the whole government was established in Rio de Janeiro to rule the empire. The King remained there the rest of his life.
In 1889, Pedro II became the country's president through military ascension. The name of the country became the Republic of the United States of Brazil, which was a constitutional democracy.
Getúlio Dorneles Vargas took power of Brazil in 1930 as a dictorial ruler. He remained in power, with a brief democratic period, until his suicide in 1954.
In 1967 the country's name became the Federative Republic of Brazil, where the military maintained power until 1985.
Most agree that Brazil's most severe problem today is the highly unequal distribution of wealth. In the 1990s, one in four Brazilians survived with less than one dollar a day. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was elected in 2002 in hope of balancing these socio-economic problems.
Geography
Brazil is the largest country in South America. It borders on the Atlantic Ocean on the east side, and also borders on all of the South American countries, except for Ecuador and Chile. The Amazon River drains the entire Northern half of the South American continent.
São Paulo is the largest Brazilian city and the financial capital of the country. It is also one of the largest metropolitan centers in the world. Rio de Janeiro is the second largest city of Brazil.
The twenty-six states and the federal district part of Brazil's federation, each have a significant autonomy of government, laws, public security and taxation.
Most of the Brazilian population is concentrated along the coastline in large urban centers, with lower population density in the inner continental land.
Most of the Brazilian climate is tropical, as the country is crossed by the Equator line.
Brazil's ecosystems sustain some of the world's greatest biodiversity, with abundant fauna and flora, making it home to many thousands of species, most of them still undiscovered. Excessive deforestation in the Amazon destroys areas the size of a small country each year. It is estimated that at least 50% of the species resident in Brazil will become extinct by the year 2020.
Culture
Portuguese is the official language of Brazil. Over the centuries it has developed independently, undergoing fewer phonetic changes than the language spoken in Portugal.
Brazil's population is very diverse, consisting of Indians, Portuguese colonists and immigrants from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
The Portuguese colonists and other immigrants brought the Roman Catholic faith, as well as many traditions and customs. Dances like samba and capoeira are African influenced.
Football is the most popular sport in Brazil, and due to the quality of its players, the country has won the World Cup many times. Brazil is known for having created some sports like beach soccer and foot volley.
Interesting Facts
- The Amazon River is the largest river in the world in flowing water, and the second-longest in the world after the Nile.
- It is believed that Brazil has the highest number of both terrestrial vertebrates and invertebrates of any country in the world.
- Brazil has the largest Roman Catholic population in the world.
- Racism is a serious crime, according to the Brazilian Constitution of 1988, and must be met with imprisonment.
- Brazil got its name from the brazil nut, not the other way around.
- The rainforests comprise the 3rd largest area of forest on Earth.
See Also
Australia
Brazil
Canada
Chile & Easter Island
China
References
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (www.wikipedia.org).
BBC News - Country Profile: Brazil (news.bbc.co.uk).
Brazil facts on National Geographic (www3.nationalgeographic.com).
World Flag Database (www.flags.net).
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All photographs have been taken by Dr Anto Youssef. For specific informations concerning any picture, please write by email (a new window will open). |