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The seasons are the exact opposite of those in Europe and the United States, except in the Northern region of the country. Brazil contains a number of climatic zones from the Amazon region where the temperature averages 27ºc, to the dry Northeast where temperatures can exceed 40ºc, to the south near Uruguay where average temperatures are 17-19ºc. Extreme temperatures are rare, however they do occasionally occur and in winter some cities in the far south of the country experience freezing temperatures, with frost and snow. In Rio de Janeiro, during the height of summer, the temperatures may reach 40ºc or higher which often coincide with carnival.
Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and is framed by 2 of the world’s largest river systems: the Amazon in the north, and the Paraná River in the south.
The Amazon basin covers some 60% of Brazil’s surface, and holds 20% of the world’s fresh water supply. It has the world’s largest rain forest but also includes savannah and wetlands.
Like the Amazon, the Paraná flows through several adjoining countries and drains the world’s largest swampland, the Pantanal. The Brazilian Highlands form the rest of the country with vast amounts of plains, savannahs and cerrado covered lands. The country also has one of the longest coastlines in the world with almost 9,000km of Brazil touching the sea.
Holders of European Union passports do not require a visa to visit Brazil however a passport with at least 90 days validity is required. For touristic stays, a maximum stay of 90 days is usually granted. Some nationalities such as Americans, Australians and Canadians are required to obtain a visa before entering Brazil.
On arrival, all tourists must complete a cartão de entrada/saida (entry/exit card). Immigration officials keep half, and you should keep the other part carefully during your stay in Brazil, because you will need to hand in the remaining part of the form to immigration officials on your departure.
By law you must carry a passport with you at all times, but it is probably easier to take a photocopy of your passport when out and about, and leave the passport itself securely locked up at the hotel.
The official currency of Brazil is the Real reais in plural) and is used as a mixture of notes and coins. It is wise to take out some reais before you leave home however ATMs are widely available in every town and most airports. It is advisable to let your bank know that you are flying to Brazil so that they don’t freeze your account for suspected fraud. To see the latest exchange rates go to: www.oanda.com
Traveller’s cheques are not widely accepted although certain places do accept them but it is better to use a cash passport for security. If you choose to carry out cash with you then head to a Casa de Cambio which generally offer better rates than banks and can be found at most major airports and cities.
If you are visiting Rio de Janeiro or Salvador during carnival it is advised to withdraw cash at the beginning of carnival as ATMs often run out during this period and are not restocked until after carnival has finished.
The language of Brazil is Portuguese but sounds quite different to the language spoken in Portugal. Spanish is also widely spoken or understood but it is a good idea to try and learn some Portuguese before travelling to Brazil as English is not widely spoken outside of top hotels and major tourist attractions.
Typical Brazilian food
The staple food of Brazil consists of feijao, or black beans, farinha, which is similar to flour, and arroz, or white rice. These three ingredients are typically cooked or served with protein such as fish, red meat, or poultry and will form an everyday meal for many Brazilian families.
The national dish of Brazil is called feijoada which is a hearty meat stew made from pork and black beans. Traditional side dishes served with feijoada are kale, ground manioc, orange salad, and arroz. For vegetarians a number of restaurants do serve a vegetarian version of feijoada but be cautious as although it may be advertised as meat free it may still contain pieces of fat.
Between different regions the food can vary greatly, for example, in the northern interior there is a heavy Amazonian Indian influence while in the northeast it is an African one. The main dish is also region based; in the Amazon fish is the staple while in the south meat, and lots of it, is the norm.
Like any major country, Brazil has a huge choice of places to eat in the cities with some amazing gourmet offerings for those in search of quality. In the smaller towns the choice will of course be more limited but all towns and cities tend to offer the restaurant choices listed below.
Lanchonete – these are like snack bars where people pop by for lunch, often propping up a stool by a counter and where you can buy things like sandwiches, hamburgers, pastries and other ready-made.
Restaurantes – these are where you go for sit-down meals where you can order anything from quick snacks to buffets to expensive set menus. One of the easiest places to go to eat is a kilo restaurant, especially if your Portuguese isn’t very good, as you simply take a plate, fill it up from a buffet and then pay based on the weight of the food you eat. It’s a simple way to eat if you worry about the language.
At churrascarias you can experience a real meat feast and eat all the BBQ meat you want. Churrascarias also offer good options for vegetarians as usually have a good salad and sushi bar. In many Churrascarias they operate a system called rodizio, whereby the waiter will come round and keep offering you food until you can eat no more which is lots of fun but guaranteed to put weight on you!
Breakfast, known as cafe da manha is usually eaten between 6 and 8.30 a.m. The food at a typical Brazilian hotel breakfast will include coffee, juice, bread, cheese, cereal, eggs and fruit although it is also common to see bacon and eggs, pao de queijo (cheese balls) and even cake.
Lunch is the main meal of the day in Brazil and is usually eaten between 11.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m.
Dinner will be similar to the food eaten at lunch and can take place anytime from 7 p.m. onwards and if you are visiting any of the big cities in Brazil, like Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo, you find that many people will only dine after 10 p.m.
1500 The Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral lands in Brazil.
1572 The King of Portugal creates the Viceroyalty of Brazil in Salvador (Bahia).
1763 Rio de Janeiro proclaimed Brazil’s sole capital.
1789 First independence movement (Minas Gerais)
1807 Napoleon invades Portugal. The Portuguese Regent (later King Dom Joao VI) takes refuge in Brazil.
1821 King Joao VI returns to Portugal leaving his son Pedro as Regent of Brazil.
1822 Pedro declares the independence of Brazil and is proclaimed Emperor.
1831 Dom Pedro I returns to Portugal, leaving Brazil to be governed by a regency.
1840 Pedro II crowned Emperor at the age of 14.
1888 Abolition of slavery.
1889 Brazil is proclaimed a Republic.
1944-45 Brazilian troops fight alongside Allies in World War II.
1960 Brasilia becomes the new capital.
1964 Military coup topples democratic regime.
1985 Democracy is estored. Jose Sarney becomes President.
1988 New constitution proclaimed.
1994 New currency, the real, introduced at parity with the US dollar.
1994 Fernando Henrique Cardoso elected President, and re-elected in 1998.
2002 Luis Inacio Lula da Silva elected President.
2006 Luis Inacio Lula da Silva re-elected as President.
2010 Dilma Vana Rouseff elected as the first female president
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