by Dan Evon

Created on: September 17, 2009

Nearly half the land area of South America is occupied by Brazil, and at over three million square miles Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world in both size, and population. The vast land encompasses the largest rain forest, The Amazon Rain Forest, the largest river, The Amazon River, and the largest waterfall, The Brazilian Big Falls. Texas has nothing on Brazil.

SIZE

It is hard to imagine the size of Brazil. Almost half of Europe could fit with inside Brazil's rain forest. The Brazilian rain forest also makes up more then a quarter of the worlds rain forests. Brazil also borders every country in South America besides two; Chile and Ecuador. San Paulo is Brazil's largest city, and the third largest in the world with a population of 18 million people.

SPORTS

Brazil has been known for their soccer prowess for many years. Brazil is home to the most famous soccer player of all time, Pele, and is the only country to have one the World Cup five times. Brazil is also the only nation to have participated in every World Cup.

COFFEE

Brazil has become known for its coffee. It is often said that the best coffee in the world comes from Brazil. To drink coffee like a Brazillian, ditch your big coffee mug and try a cafezinho. A cafezinho is an espresso shot combined with an ample amount of sugar, and milk.

PARTY

If anyone knows how to throw a party it is the Brazilians. Their annual Carnaval is a world renown festival held every year four days before Ash Wednesday. Rio de Janeiro holds the most famous Carnaval, but the festival is celebrated throughout the country.

POLITICS

Brazil has gone through many political changes. It has, at one point or another, been an empire, a republic, under military rule, a colony, and currently it is a democratic nation. Brazil also was a leader in women's rights, giving women the right to vote before both France and Switzerland. Their federal constitution is fairly new, being created just over twenty years ago, in 1988.

RELIGION

Brazil has the second largest Christian population in the world. The statue of Jesus that overlooks Rio de Janeiro called Christ The Redeemer, which stands at 130 feet talls is considered to be one of the 7 wonders of the modern world.

INTERESTING EXTRAS

Their are still indigenous Indians that live throughout the rain forest. Some speculate that their are still tribes that have yet to be discovered, and have never been in contact with the modern world.

Over 7 feet of rain falls annually in the Amazon Rain Forest.

The Brazilian nut was not named after Brazil. The country, was actually named after the nut.

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