Brazil occupies half of South America and boasts both natural marvels and vibrant cultures, from its Amazon rainforests to iconic beaches like Copacabana. Brazil truly is a land of abundance!
Brasilia, Brazil’s capital city was constructed during the 1950s to promote development of its interior. One interesting fact about Brazil is that Queimada Grande island contains over 10,000 snakes!
1. Brazil is the largest country in South America
Brazil is one of South America’s premier travel destinations, from its world-famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema to the Amazon rainforest, this vast nation has something for everyone. Additionally, it ranks fifth globally by landmass size!
Peru shares borders with every South American nation except Chile and Ecuador. Its expansive frontiers stretch deep into the Amazon rainforest and Pantanal wetlands – reflecting Peru’s position at the center of South America and colonial-era expeditions connecting it to its neighbors.
When most people think of Brazil, the Amazon rainforest usually comes to mind. This captivating environment is home to exotic wildlife and indigenous tribes as well as being an essential contributor in combatting climate change by producing oxygen. Unfortunately, however, deforestation threatens this ecosystem, so Brazil has set aside large areas as protected sites and reserves.
Brazilians are famous for their warmth and hospitality, which can be found throughout their entire country. Their friendly nature draws so many visitors back time after time – the Brazilians always welcome visitors with open arms while sharing their rich culture with them.
Brazil is famed for its natural attractions, but also boasts an expansive cultural legacy. Samba dance has its origins here as does Tom Jobim’s masterpiece “The Girl from Ipanema.” Additionally, Brazil stands alone among South American countries in having Portuguese as its official language.
Make sure to allow ample time when visiting Brazil to explore its varied culture. From Sao Paulo’s urban sprawl to the lush forest landscapes of Amazonia, Brazil has something to offer everyone. Be sure to try its delectable food, drink delicious coffee and listen to samba music as much as possible while there. You won’t regret it!
2. Brazil is the world’s second-most sexually active country
Brazilians are well-known for their attractive curves and sensuality, so it should come as no surprise that they’re sexually satisfied. A recent NapLab study ranked 45 countries according to factors like average age of losing virginity, number of sexual partners per individual and social attitudes surrounding premarital sex; Brazil placed second overall with an average age to lose virginity of 17 and an overall sexual activity rate of 95.7 percent.
The study also revealed that on average, Brazilians have had sexual relations with nine individuals on average, followed by Turkey with 10.8 people sleeping with each individual and then France followed by five Asian nations.
Brazil’s culture embraces sensuality through music and dance performances as well as provocative clothing worn during Rio Carnival – an annual festival that culminates in Ash Wednesday observances. Soccer is also an integral part of Brazilian life – winning five FIFA World Cup championships over time! Additionally, So Paulo is home to Capoeira (a martial arts/dance combination that originated there).
People often think of Brazil when they think of Amazon Rainforest. Covering over 60% of the country, this majestic oasis hosts exotic wildlife, indigenous tribes and exquisite flora and fauna – including many endangered species that make their home there. Unfortunately, deforestation remains a serious threat to its preservation.
Brazil boasts one of the highest diversitys of animal species among any nation in the world, boasting 600 mammal species, 1,500 fish species, more than 1,600 bird species and 100,000 types of insects. Jungles provide habitats for most of these animals while many unique ones reside in Pantanal, a vast area with swampy lagoons and islands.
Brazil facts and statistics give an indication of its hope and promise; yet poverty continues to be an issue in Brazil. Child sponsorship through Compassion helps address this by meeting physical and spiritual needs of children living in poverty.
3. Brazil is the world’s largest exporter of coffee
Brazil is home to centuries-old history and culture, so it comes as no surprise that they are the world’s top producer and exporter of coffee – they export nearly 8 billion dollars worth of green coffee annually! Vietnam, Germany and Indonesia come close.
Brazil’s history is intimately interwoven with coffee production and trade. Since colonial times, raw products like sugar, gold and coffee were central components of Brazilian economy; their production had significant social and labor consequences as European landowners profited enormously from African, indigenous, mixed race labor (both before slavery ended and post abolition).
Brazilian fazenda estates were established by Portuguese and Portuguese-American planters to produce highly prized arabica coffee, first created on fazendas by Brazilian planters during the early 20th century. Production reached record highs and Brazil became one of the leading coffee producing nations until 1929’s Great Depression reduced demand significantly resulting in collapse of coffee market and destruction of many farms.
Over the decades that followed, many Brazilians suffered as a result of coffee’s volatile price fluctuations and its unstable profits. Recently however, a small but committed crop of quality-focused growers emerged in Brazil; these producers made conscious efforts to procure high-quality beans while building long-term relationships with roasters.
Producers in Brazil have become masters at crafting unique coffees through their diverse terroir and processing techniques, producing specialty cups that stand out in every cup that passes under your nose. Thanks to them, Brazil’s coffee industry has become one of the world’s most dynamic and innovative.
At home, Brazil produces not only coffee but also beef and poultry at an enormous scale, its telecommunications industries being highly competitive as well. Furthermore, Brazil boasts rich biodiversity which includes unique species like giant anacondas and the Afro-Brazilian capybara; lush jungles shelter 600 mammal species and over 1,500 bird and fish species while in the central part of its territory sits the Pantanal region which boasts one of the world’s largest wetland regions filled with unique wildlife such as otters and caimans among others.
4. Brazil is the world’s largest exporter of sugarcane
Sugarcane is an extremely versatile crop that yields two key products: sugar and bioethanol. Bioethanol has quickly emerged as an alternative energy source, and is expected to play an increasingly critical role in global energy balance.
Brazil devotes approximately 10 million hectares of land to cultivating sugarcane. Most of this production occurs in the south-central region in states such as Sao Paulo, Goias and Minas Gerais; however there is also significant sugarcane production occurring in Pernambuco and Paraiba states in the northeast of the country.
Sugarcane was traditionally burned for energy production. Recently however, stalks, leaves and fibers from Brazilian sugarcane production have been utilized to create ethanol as an alternative fuel source for automobiles – increasing profitability significantly and thus making its production even more cost-effective.
Ethanol production occurs at several refineries throughout Brazil and accounts for 15% of their renewable energy supply. When oil prices were high during the 1970s, Brazilian government encouraged farmers to produce ethanol by providing subsidies, loans and tax breaks to distillers.
Although Amazonian conditions aren’t ideal for large-scale sugarcane cultivation, Pinto believes selective breeding and changes to environmental conditions could make this possible in the future. He hopes the forest reaches a “tipping point,” where climate shifts from tropical to savanna-like climate zones, thus becoming suitable for this form of cultivation.
Brazil is one of the world’s largest producers of both sugar and ethanol, but still faces challenges when it comes to alleviating poverty and inequality. Compassion International is working to change this, and you can be part of its work by sponsoring a child in Brazil today! Your sponsorship will meet physical, emotional and spiritual needs of your sponsored child while opening up life-changing opportunities. For more information on becoming a sponsor visit our sponsor page!