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Brazil is characterised by the extensive low-lying Amazon Rainforest in the north, and a more open terrain of hills and (low) mountains to the south, home to most of Brazil's population and its agricultural base. Along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean are also found several mountain ranges, amongst which the highest peak is the Pico da Neblina at 3,014 m. Major rivers include the Amazon, the largest river in the world by volume, the Paraná with its impressive Iguaçu falls, the Rio Negro, São Francisco, Xingu, Madeira and the Tapajós rivers.
Situated along the equator, Brazil's climate is predominantly tropical, with little seasonal variation, though the subtropical south is more temperate and can occasionally experience frost and snow. Precipitation is abundant in the humid Amazon Basin, though more arid landscapes are found as well, in particular in the northeast.
Languages
Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking nation in the Americas, giving it a distinct national culture separate from its Spanish-speaking neighbors.
Portuguese is the only language with full official status in Brazil; it is virtually the only language used in schools, newspapers, radio and TV, and for all business and administrative purposes.
However, many minority languages are spoken daily throughout the vast national territory of Brazil. Some of these minority languages are spoken by indigenous peoples. Others yet are spoken by people who are for the most part bilingual (i.e. speakers of both Portuguese and German or Italian and Portuguese or Japanese and Portuguese, etc.).
Other languages such as German, Italian, Polish and Japanese are spoken in southern Brazil. There are whole regions in southern Brazil where people speak both Portuguese and one or more of these languages. For example, it is reported that more than 90% of the residents of the small city of Presidente Lucena, located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, speak Riograndenser Hunsrückisch, a Brazilian form of the Hunsrückisch German dialect.
The English-language daily Brazil Herald is directed mostly to tourists, foreign executives and expatriates.
Most major foreign newspapers can be obtained in larger Brazilian cities (Frankfurter-Algemeine; Le Monde; The New York Times; etc.)
Portuguese is the first language of almost 99% of the population but Brazil is a very rich cultural and linguistic mosaic. There are many bilingual people in the country. The few who cannot speak the national language are the more precious for it and to be recognized and appreciated for their unique status.
Sub-Cultures
People in the Northern states tend to be spread out. The Amazon River allows hundreds of small communities to live independent of the outside world, depending only for medicine and some food supply from traders. Indian culture is very hierarchical. Tribes still exist living solely off the river and its surrounding natural resources. Their religions usually are nature-related, relying heavily on ancestral worship. The exception to this might be the cities of Manaus and Belém which both are centers for a more westernized learning and industry and tends to appear more included within the mainstream brazilian culture.
In what is called the Northeastern states people in the countryside areas usually live in a feudal relationship with their land owners. Droughts are very common and the whole countryside Northeast is called sertão, a short version for the portuguese word "desertão" which means "big desert". This is the less developed region of Brazil and is often blamed by the rest of Brazilians for the country's ugly social indexes. Altough that poverty, this region is strongly influential in brazilian culture. Several brazilian painters, sculptors, and writters was born in this region. Caetano Veloso was born in Bahia and is among the greatest popular musicians Brazil has ever produced. Continually active since the 1960s, Veloso is considered one of the founding fathers of MPB (musica popular brasileira).
In the Southeastern part of Brazil is found most of the culture that is known world-wide. Among these there is a sculptor known by the name of Aleijadinho (little cripple). Aleijadinho was a brilliant baroque sculptor who was maimed in hands and feet. He is famous for his carvings found in the Church of St. Francisco in Ouro Preto. He is also known for his statues known as the Twelve Prophets. Antonio Carlos Jobim, the composer of "Girl from Ipanema", is probably one of the better known artists coming from this section of Brazil. Another famous composer is Heitor Villa-Lobos. Villa-Lobos is most famous for his orchestral works such his Choro series. Samba was created in Bahia but just started being a definitive feature of Brazilian culture when it had hit the shores of Rio de Janeiro.
The South is highly influenced by european later immigration, which took place by the 19th-20th centuries. The Germanic and Italian influences are clearly felt, especially in terms of appearance. There is even an annual Oktoberfest held in the city of Blumenau. Brazilian top model Gisele Bundchen came from this region. The gaucho subculture is also very appeasing in this region.
The West Central part of the country is primarily grasslands and flooded lands. The countries surrounding it are very influential in affecting its culture, notably Paraguay. The extensive cattle economy also makes this region the motherland of Brazilian cowboys.
Daily Life
In Brazil, a person might come to your house and not leave for hours. If you have previous commitments it is understood you will break these and entertain your guests until they decide to leave. Meetings and social gatherings, other than in business settings, tend to be scheduled at times that are subject to change. Usually this means a Brazilian will rarely be on time. There is a folkloric exception for the people from Minas Gerais. They are acknowledged to come to a meeting in the day before.
Brazilians are also very mixed in their ethnicity. A person with slightly lighter skin might be considered white. Most Brazilians have a mixture of Indian, African, and European in their blood lines. Brazilians are also a very loud people. Instead of focusing on ethnicity, Brazilians tend to classify people in terms of social class. The very wealthy tend to seclude themselves. The middle class aspires to be part of the wealthier class. The poor concern themselves with family and getting through the day.
When thinking of a Brazilian, you might envision the Italian family in their large gatherings where literally dozens of conversations are taking place.
It is interesting to note that most Brazilians drink coffee for breakfast everday. In fact, the word for "breakfast" means "coffee in the morning" (café da manhã) in Portuguese. Coffee was possibly consumed in earlier days because this biggest production starts in Brazil, in the politics of Café com leite (reference to Brazil's domination by the "coffee oligarchs"), when the product is included in the culture.
Brazillian Cuisine (South East)
The Southeast is the industrial heart of Brazil, and is home to several distinctive cooking styles for which Brazil is probably best-known.
In Minas Gerais the regional dishes include a lot of maize, pork, beans, and local soft ripened cheeses. Around Rio and São Paulo, feijoada completa (a simmered bean and meat dish of Bahian origin), is popular especially as a Wednesday or Saturday luncheon. Also consumed frequently is arroz-feijao, or rice and beans. Traditionally, black beans are prepared in Rio, red or white beans in São Paulo, and either black or red in Minas Gerais. Another typical food in São Paulo is the Virado à Paulista, that consists of rice, tutu de feijão (beans with manioc flour), stewed cabbage and pork meat.
In São Paulo, the influence of European and North African immigrants is noticed in the region's cuisine. The majority arrived from Italy, along with many from Portugal, Spain and Japan, plus other European and Arab nations. So, there it's possible to find all kind of cuisines.
São Paulo
São Paulo (meaning St. Paul in Portuguese) is the capital of São Paulo state in southeastern Brazil. It is located 250 miles (400 km) from Rio de Janeiro, and 640 miles (1030 km) from Brasília. About 20 million people live in the Greater São Paulo metropolitan region, which is currently ranked as the fifth-largest in the world and the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.
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