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Country Fact File : Brazil
Volunteer with Humpback Whales in Brazil
For hundreds of years, Brazil has symbolized the great escape into a primordial, tropical paradise, igniting the Western imagination like no other South American country. From the mad passion of Carnival to the immensity of the dark Amazon, it is a country of mythic proportions. There are stretches of unexplored rainforest, islands with pristine tropical beaches, and endless rivers. And there are the people themselves, who delight the visitor with their energy and joy. Roughly the size of the USA (excluding Alaska), Brazil is a vast country encompassing nearly half of South America, and bordering most of the continent's other nations - Ecuador and Chile are the exceptions. After 40 years of internal migration and population growth, Brazil is also an urban country; more than two out of every three Brazilians live in a city. São Paulo is the world's second most populous city.
| Location | Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean |
| Area | 8,511,965 sq km |
| Border Countries | Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela |
| Climate | Mostly tropical, but temperate in south |
| Terrain | Mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt |
| Highest Point | Pico da Neblina 3,014 m |
| Natural Hazards | Recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south |
| Environmental Issues | Deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills |
| Population | 182,032,604 (2003 est) |
| Ethnic Groups | white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish) 55%, mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 1% |
| Religions | Roman Catholic (nominal) 80% |
| Languages | Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French |
| Type of Government | Federative Republic |
| Capital | Brasilia |
| Independence Day | 7 September 1822 (from Portugal) |
| Chief of State/ Head of Government |
President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government |
| Currency | real (BRL) |
| Time | Varies: GMT -4 in Rio |
Did you know?
Brazil has 10 of the world’s 20 greatest rivers
The Amazon is the world’s longest and largest (in terms of volume) river
The Amazonian rainforest covers over a billion acres
25% of the earths remaining primary forest is in the Amazon basin
Useful Numbers & Web Addresses
International dialing code: +55
Police tel: 110
Ambulance tel: 118
British Embassy: Setor de Embaixadas Sul, Quadra 801, Conjunto K, 70408-900, Brasilia – DF. Tel: (55) (61) 225 2710
Embassy in UK: 32 Green Street, Mayfair, London W1Y 4AT. Tel: 020 7499 0877
UK site (change)
USA site
AUS site
IRE site
EU siteDuration and Costs
| Duration | Cost |
|---|---|
| 2 Weeks | £995 |
| 3 Weeks | £1395 |
| 4 Weeks | £1795 |
| Group Size |
|---|
| Maximum 4 + project staff. |
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