Terrain

Brazil can be divided into three major geographical regions: the Guyanese highlands, the Amazon Basin, and the Brazilian highlands. Rising steeply to the north are the Guyanese highlands, which are scarcely developed and contain the country's highest mountain, Pico da Neblina (3,014 m). The Amazon Basin, which occupies more than one third of the country's surface area, is the world's largest continuous tropical lowland area. Due to the dense rainforest, which is impenetrable in some places, the area has hardly been touched at all.

The Brazilian highlands cover a total area of some 5 million km²; more than half of the country's total area. In the east this plateau reaches altitudes of up to 2,890 m. The mountain range is lower in the west, forming terraces, and is rarely higher than 150 m. In the south-east it drops away steeply and merges into the coastal plain, which stretches parallel to the Atlantic Ocean.

Climate

Brazil’s climate is mainly tropical in the northern parts of the country. To the south it is increasingly subtropical. In the Amazon Basin, annual average temperatures range between 27 and 32°C and remain almost constant throughout the course of the day and the year. A tropical climate also prevails in the largest area of the coastal plain, north of 25° south, but winds coming from the ocean result in moderate temperatures.

Fauna/Flora

The richness and diversity of Brazil's flora is astounding, especially in the Amazon Basin. Thousands of different plant species grow in it, including begonias, laurel, myrtle, orchids, and palms. The large-scale production plantations of Indian rubber are of major economic importance. The coastal region is mainly covered with mangroves, cocoa trees, palms, and Brazil nut trees. In the barren areas of the highlands, cacti and other thorny plants can be found.

The puma, jaguar, ocelot, fox, and the near-extinct bush dog are among the larger animals present there, as well as the tapir, the anteater, the sloth, the opossum and the armadillo. These animals tend to live in the south of the country. Various primate species live in the jungle. Numerous species of rare birds, alligators and snakes, such as the jararaca, and diverse boa species are also found in Brasil.

History/Politics

In 1500, Pedro Alvares Cabral set sail from Lisbon, bound for India, but he ended up on the Brazilian coast, and shortly afterwards, King João III of Portugal sent the first settlers to Brazil. Brazil's main source of income during the 17th century became the slave trade: first in indigenous peoples and then in Africans. In 1807 the Portuguese Prince Regent moved to Brasil with his court and Rio de Janeiro became the capital of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarve, and thus, Brazil became the only New World colony to serve as the seat of a European monarch. In 1822 Brazil gained its independence and became an autonomous empire.

In 1889, the empire ceased to exist after a military coup, and was replaced by a republic, and over the 40 years that followed, a series of civil and military presidents ruled under the control of the armed forces. In 1930, after several civilian governments, the military again seized power and named Getúlio Vargas president, who held office until 1954. Juscelino Kubitschek's presidency followed, during which the new capital Brasilia was built. By the early 1960s, the economy was severely affected by inflation, though in the mid-1980s, Brazil experienced an "economic miracle", supported largely by loans from international banks. This boom, however, gradually came to an end, and the military handed over its power to a civilian government. In November 1989, Brazilians had their first chance to freely elect a president in almost 30 years.

Fernando Collor de Mello was elected, but in 1992, the man who had promised to fight corruption was himself indicted on charges of corruption. In 1994 Fernando Cardoso was elected president. During his period of office he reduced inflation significantly, but this was offset by the loss of two million jobs between 1989 and 1996 and ongoing problems with agrarian reform. Cardoso was nevertheless re-elected in 1998. In 2002, Luis Inácio da Silva (Lula) was elected president, and was sworn in one year later.

Economy

Brazil is the world's largest producer of coffee and oranges. Internationally, it is the second largest in the production of soy beans and cocoa, third in cattle farming and fourth in pig-breeding. Brazil is also a major producer of sugar, from which ethyl alcohol is made on a large scale, and used as fuel for more than 1.5 million Brazilian vehicles.

Brazil's various branches of industry produce motor vehicles and vehicle parts, textiles, steel and other metals, cement, and chemicals. Among the country's raw materials are crude oil, timber, gold, nickel, tin, iron ore and other minerals. In 2003, unemployment was at 11.4% and inflation at 11%.

Culture

Out of all popular music styles, Samba has become the symbol of national identity. It is commonly associated with the Brazilian carnival, which begins at midnight on the Friday before Ash Wednesday and lasts five days. Among the numerous regional styles, the best-known are those performed by the superb percussion ensembles of Rio de Janeiro's samba schools.

Samba music is also the basis for several fashionable dances which have become popular worldwide, such as the bossa nova and, over the last few years, the lambada. It originated in Brazil and Bolivia and spread to Europe and North America. The music of Brazil's indigenous population relies mainly on wind instruments, such as reed pipes and panpipes.