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About Brazil(一) Brazil is the largest country in Latin America. It spreads across almost half (47.3%) of South America, and occupies a total area of 8,547,403.5 km. It is the fifth largest country in the world after Canada, the Russian Federation, China and the United States. Except for a small number of islands, Brazil is a single and continuous landmass. The Equator crosses through the Northern region, near Macapa, and the Tropic of Capricorn cuts through the South of the country, near São Paulo.
About Brazil (二) Brazil’s east to west extension (4,319.4 km) is almost equivalent to the distance from north to south (4,394.7 km). The country borders French Guiana, Suriname, Guiana, Venezuela and Colombia to the north; Uruguay and Argentina to the south; Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru to the west. Ecuador and Chile are the only two countries on the South American continent that do not border Brazil. The Atlantic Ocean extends along the country’s entire eastern coast, providing 7,367 km of coastline.
Brazil’s Climate The climate is predominantly tropical with some variation according to the region. The average annual temperature in the north is 28º C and 22º C in the south. Brazil’s Time Zones Because of its continental dimensions Brazil has 4 time zones. The official time is Brasília time and it corresponds to 3 hours less than GMT. From September to February the clocks are put forward one hour in most Brazilian States..
Brazil’s Language The official language is Portuguese; the accent and the intonation, however, are very different from what one hears in Portugal and other former Portuguese colonies. Some people say that Brazilians speak “Brazilian”, just like Americans can say they speak “American”, and not English. And there are also many Brazilians who are descendants of immigrants and who speak German and Italian, especially in towns in southern Brazil.
Brazil’s Races The mixture of races has made Brazil a culturally rich. This miscegenation began with the Indian, the African and the Portuguese, but soon after, immigrants from around the world began to arrive: Europeans , Asians, Jews and Arabs. Brazil is one of the last places on Earth where no one is a foreigner, where one can change one’s destiny without losing one’s identity and where each and every Brazilian has the entire world in his or her blood.
Brazil’s Democracy Brazil has been a Republic since 1889. Throughout this entire period, the country actually experienced little more than thirty years of democracy (1946-1964 and from 1985 to the present). Brazilian democracy was won back after 21 years of a military dictatorship The strength of the Congress is actually so great that not even the military dictatorship of the 1960s could do without it. There have been national elections in Brazil since 1823. And these elections have been open to voters in a manner almost unheard of even for European democracy standards.
Brazil’s Food Brazilian cuisine, like Brazil itself, varies greatly by region. The natural crops available in each region add to their singularity. Brazilian cooking has many similarities with that of its South American neighbors. The food of Brazil spans a unique mix of cultures and cuisines. The original population contributed popular ingredients like cassava and guaraná. African slaves influenced the cuisine of the coastal states, especially Bahía. A Portuguese heritage is reflected in various dishes around the country..
Brazil’s Carnival A festival that takes place annually in Brazil. People from all around the world flock to the streets of Rio de Janiero to share in the celebration with locals known as Cariocas. Starting the Friday before Ash Wednesday, seven weeks before Easter Sunday, Rio de Janerio hosts many festivities that occur throughout the city complete with music, parades, dancing , and renowned Carnival balls.
Christ the Redeemer Christ the Redeemer is a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; considered the largest Art Deco statue in the world as well as the second largest statue of Jesus Christ. It is 39.6 meters tall, including its 9.5 meters pedestal, and 30 meters wide. It weighs 635 tons and is located at the peak of the 700-metre Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city. A symbol Of Christianity, the statue has become an icon of Rio and Brazil.
Brazil’s Sport Sports in Brazil are those that are widely practiced and popular in the country, as well as others which originated there or have some cultural significance. The Brazilian people are very involved in sports. Football is the most popular sport in Brazil. One of the most influential Brazilian football players is Pele, widely considered as the best football player of all time. P.S.Information from: http://www.braziltour.com/sobrebrasil/sobrebrasil.html