Brazil Travel Resource

Geography

Area: 8,511,965 sq.Km. Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and is by far the largest country in South America, bordered by every country except Chile and Ecuador. Almost half of Brazil's territory is covered by the basin of the Amazon River and its tributaries, a region that is one of the world's largest rainforest ecologies.

Climate and Weather

Seasons are opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere; winter is June-September and summer November-March. On average, the temperature during summer ranges from 25 to 40°C (75~100°F).
Warm tropical weather extends north from Rio de Janeiro throughout most of the year. South of Rio – São Paulo, Santa Catarina, Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul states – the climate is generally of warm summers and cold winters, with occasional snowfall in the far south.

Population

Brazil's population comes from many racial and ethnic groups. The last National Research for Sample of Domiciles (PNAD) census revealed the following: 49.7% of the population are White, about 93 million; 42.6% are Pardo (brown), about 79 million; 6.9% are Black, about 13 million; 0.5% are Asian, about 1 million; and 0.4% are Amerindian, about 519,000.

Transportation

Brazil's airlines are Varig and Tam. Both Varig and Tam are the only Brazil airlines that offer airpasses that allow visitors to fly around the country relatively easily domestically. As is the case in other South American countries, Brazilian's love to travel on buses, which are a primary means of cheap transportation around the country. Consequently, buses in Brazil usually comes with an excellent and reliable service. Also, unlike other modes of transportation, buses in Brazil can transport you from all the major cities and towns, including right into the heart of the Amazon jungle. South America, and Brazil in particular, offer some of the most picturesque train journeys available anywhere in the world, so you may want to try the trains in Brazil after all - especially the Curitiba-Paranagua line, which is delightful! There are a number of car hire agencies operating in Brazil, so if you want to rent a car here it is feasible. Those who enjoy a little more adventurous form of transportation might want to consider taking one of the boat ferries through some of the most spectacular, dense, vegetation in Brazil aboard a boat/ferry.

Top Attractions

1. Corcovado.
2. Sugar Loaf.
3. Botanical Gardens.
4. Ipanema.
5. Copacabana.
6. Angra dos Reis.
7. Buzios Peninsula.
8. The Meeting of the Waters.
9. Lake Janauari Ecological Park.
10. Adolpho Ducke Botanical Garden.

Best Travel Time

Brazil is one of the most popular tourist destinations, attracting tourists with different interests, with something to offer for everyone. Depending on the area of interests and purpose, the ideal time to visit Brazil could vary.
Tourists interested in the Carnival would do best to visit in February, which is during their summer. There are multitudes of tourists and youngsters at this time. Tourists who would prefer to avoid the hordes of toursits and holidayers would do well to visit any time between March to April. This is also the best time of the year if you have budget restrictions, because airline tickets are much lower at this time of the year, and the beaches are as beautiful and as much fun as at any other time of the year. For tourists with a fascination for history the best time to visit would be June – August, during their winter to avoid the scorching heat.

Food and Drink

National specialties:
•Feijoada (thick stew of black beans, chunks of beef, pork, sausage, chops, pigs’ ears and tails on white rice, boiled green vegetables and orange slices).
• Moqueca (delicious fish stew from Bahia)
• Vatapá (shrimps, fish oil, coconut milk, bread and rice).
• Caruru (shrimps, okra, onions and peppers).
• Churrasco (mixed grilled meat served with manioc flour).   

National drinks:
• Beer is particularly good and draught beer is called chopp. Brahma and Nova Schin are popular brands.
• The local firewater is cachaça, a spirit derived from sugar cane popular with locals. It is often mixed with sugar, crushed ice and limes to make caipirinha, a refreshing if intoxicating cocktail, and the Brazilian national drink.
• Southern Brazilian wine is of a high quality.
• Sucos (fruit juices) are freshly made at juice bars, and Guaraná is a popular fizzy drink made with energy-giving extract from an Amazonian plant.
• Coffee is available everywhere and is exceptionally good.

Local Products/Shopping

In Rio and São Paulo, major shops and markets stay open quite late in the evening. Rio and Salvador specialize in antiques and jewelry. Special purchases include gems (particularly emeralds) and jewelry (particularly silver). Fashions and permissible antiques, crystal and pottery are a specialty of São Paulo. Belém, the city of the Amazon valley, specializes in jungle items, but visitors should be careful not to purchase objects that have been plundered from the jungle, contributing to the general destruction. Travelers should also be aware there may be restrictions on import to their home country of goods made from skins of protected species.

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