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Brazil

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Central & South American
Countries; Countries

   SOS Children works in Brazil. For more information see SOS Children in
   Brazil
           República Federativa do Brasil
   Federative Republic of Brazil

   Flag of Brazil coat of arms of Brazil
   Flag           coat of arms
   Motto: Ordem e Progresso
   (Portuguese for "Order and Progress")
   Anthem: Brazilian National Anthem
   Location of Brazil
        Capital       Brasília
                      15°45′S 47°57′W
      Largest city    São Paulo
   Official languages Portuguese
   Government         Federal republic
    - President       Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
    - Vice President  José Alencar Gomes da Silva
      Independence    From Portugal
    - Declared        September 7, 1822
    - Recognised      August 29, 1825
    - Republic        November 15, 1889
                        Area
    - Total           8,514,877 km² ( 5th)
                      3,287,597 sq mi
    - Water (%)       0.65
                     Population
    - 2005 estimate   187,560,000 ( 5th)
    - 2000 census     169,799,170
    - Density         22/km² ( 182nd)
                      57/sq mi
       GDP ( PPP)     2005 estimate
    - Total           $1,577  trillion ( 9th)
    - Per capita      $8,584 ( 68th)
      HDI  (2004)     0.792 (medium) ( 69th)
        Currency      Real ( BRL)
       Time zone      ( UTC-2 to -5 (Official: -3))
      Internet TLD    .br
      Calling code    +55

   Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese:
   'Brasil' or República Federativa do Brasil, listen ), is the largest
   and most populous country in South America, and fifth largest in the
   world in both area and population. Spanning a vast area between central
   South America and the Atlantic Ocean, it is the easternmost country of
   America and it borders Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru,
   Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and the French department of
   French Guiana. In fact, it borders every South American nation except
   for Ecuador and Chile.

   Brazil is home to both extensive agricultural lands and rain forests.
   Exploring vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is South
   America's leading economic power and a regional leader. The country's
   name is generally believed to be derived from pau-brasil ( brazilwood),
   a tree highly valued by early colonists, though some credit the name to
   a mythical land mentioned in Europe during Middle Ages.

   Brazil was colonized by Portugal and it is the only Portuguese-speaking
   country in the Americas. Brazil is a multiracial country and its
   population is composed of European, Amerindian, African and Asian
   elements. Roman Catholicism in the country's main religion, with a
   number of adherents never seen in any other country.

History of Brazil

   Ancient map of Brazil issued by the Portuguese explorers in 1519.
   Enlarge
   Ancient map of Brazil issued by the Portuguese explorers in 1519.

   Brazil is thought to have been inhabited for at least 10,000 years by
   semi-nomadic populations before the first Portuguese explorers, led by
   Pedro Álvares Cabral, disembarked in 1500. Over the next three
   centuries, it was resettled by the Portuguese and exploited mainly for
   brazilwood (Pau-Brasil) at first, followed by sugarcane
   (Cana-de-Açúcar) agriculture, coffee beans and gold mining. The
   colony's source of manpower was initially composed of enslaved
   Amerindians, and after 1550, mainly African. In 1808, Queen Maria I of
   Portugal and her son and regent, the future João VI of Portugal,
   fleeing from the armies of Napoleon, relocated to Rio de Janeiro,
   Brazil, with the royal family, nobility and government. This is the
   only recorded trans-continental relocation of a royal family.

   Though they didnt return to Portugal in 1821, the interlude led to the
   opening of commercial ports to the United Kingdom — at the time
   isolated from most European ports by Napoleon — and to the elevation of
   Brazil to the status of a united kingdom under the Portuguese Crown.
   Upon João VI's departure, the remaining royal government in Rio moved
   to dissolve the Kingdom of Brazil and return it to the status of
   colony. This resulted in the small scale conflicts known as the
   Brazilian War of Independence. On 7 September 1822 Prince regent Dom
   Pedro I (later Pedro IV of Portugal) declared independence,
   establishing the independent Empire of Brazil. A treaty recognizing the
   Empire's independence was signed on 29 August 1825 with Britain and
   Portugal. As the crown remained in the hands of the House of Bragança,
   this was more the severance of the Portuguese empire in two, than an
   independence movement as seen elsewhere in the Americas.

   The Brazilian Empire was formally a democracy in the British style,
   although in practice, the emperor-premier-parliament balance of power
   more closely resembled the autocratic Austrian Empire. Slavery was
   abolished in 1888, through the "Golden Law", created by Princess
   Isabel, and intensive European immigration created the basis for
   industrialization. Pedro I was succeeded by his son, Pedro II — who in
   old age was caught by a political dispute between the Army and the
   Cabinet, a crisis arising from the Paraguay War. In order to avoid a
   civil war between Army and Navy, Pedro II renounced the throne on 15
   November 1889, when a federal republic (officially, the Republic of the
   United States of Brazil) was established by Field Marshal Deodoro da
   Fonseca.

   In the late 14th and early 15th centuries, Brazil attracted well over 5
   million European, Arab and Japanese . That period also saw Brazil
   industrialise, further colonise, and develop its interior. Brazilian
   democracy was replaced by dictatorships three times — 1930–1934 and
   1937–1945 under Getúlio Vargas, and 1964–1985, under a succession of
   generals appointed by the military. Since 1985, Brazil has been
   internationally considered a democracy, specifically a presidential
   democracy; that status was affirmed in a 1993 plebiscite, in which
   voters were asked to choose between a presidential or parliamentary
   system; voters also decided not to restore the country's constitutional
   monarchy.

Government and politics

   President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
   Enlarge
   President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

   The capital of Brazil is Brasilia. According to the Constitution
   promulgated in 1988, Brazil is a federal presidential representative
   democratic republic, wherein the President is both head of state and
   head of government. One of the fundamental principles of the politics
   in the Republic is the multi-party system, as a guarantee of political
   freedom.
   The National Congress in Brasília, the capital of Brazil
   Enlarge
   The National Congress in Brasília, the capital of Brazil

   The administrative structure of the State is a federation; however,
   Brazil has included the municipalities as autonomous political entities
   making the federation tripartite: encompassing the Union, the States,
   and the municipalities. The legal system is based on Roman law.

   The Union's executive power is exercised by the government, headed by
   the president, who is elected for a four-year term, and is allowed to
   be re-elected for one other term. Legislative power is vested in the
   National Congress, which is bicameral. The deputies of the Chamber of
   Deputies are elected every four years in a system of proportional
   representation by states. The members of the Federal Senate are elected
   for an eight-year term. The Ordinary Law making process requires the
   participation of the executive, which has a right to veto on new
   legislation, and has an exclusive prerogative of initiative of
   legislation on certain matters. Additionally, if relevant and urgent
   circumstances justify it, the executive may issue a "Provisory
   Measure," which has the binding force of the Law and comes into force
   immediately. The "Provisory Measure" retains its full power for up to
   120 days, unless it is reverted by the Congress.

Administrative divisions

   Brazil is a federation consisting of 26 states (estados) and 1 federal
   district (distrito federal), making a total of 27 Federate Units.

   Atlantic
   Ocean
   Pacific
   Ocean
   North Region
   Northeast Region
   Centre-West Region
   Southeast Region
   South Region
   Acre
   Amazonas
   Pará
   Roraima
   Amapá
   Rondônia
   Tocantins
   Maranhão
   Bahia
   Piauí
   Ceará
   Rio Grande
   do Norte
   Paraíba
   Pernambuco
   Alagoas
   Sergipe
   Mato Grosso
   Mato Grosso
   do Sul
   Distrito
   Federal
   Goiás
   Minas Gerais
   São Paulo
   Rio de Janeiro
   Espírito Santo
   Paraná
   Santa Catarina
   Rio Grande
   do Sul
   Argentina
   Bolivia
   Chile
   Colombia
   French Guiana
   Guyana
   Paraguay
   Peru
   Suriname
   Uruguay
   Venezuela

   The Brazilian states enjoy a significant autonomy of government, law
   making, public security and taxation. The government of a state is
   headed by a Governor (governador), elected by popular vote, and also
   comprises its own legislative body (assembléia legislativa).

   Each state is divided into municipalities (municípios) with their own
   legislative council (câmara de vereadores) and a mayor (prefeito),
   which are autonomous and hierarchically independent from both federal
   and state government. A municipality may include other towns
   (distritos) besides the municipal seat; those, however, have no
   separate government.

   The judiciary is organised at the state and federal levels within
   districts called comarcas. One comarca may include several
   municipalities.

Geography

   The beaches of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, are
   famous worldwide.
   Enlarge
   The beaches of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, are
   famous worldwide.

   Brazil is characterized 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 the Brazilian population and its agricultural
   base. Along the Atlantic seacoast are also found several mountain
   ranges, reaching roughly 2,900 metres (9,500  ft) high.

   The highest peak is the Pico da Neblina(Myst's Peak) reckoning 3,014
   metres (9,735 ft) of altitude, in Guiana's highlands. Major rivers
   include the Amazon, the largest river in the world in flowing water
   volume, and the second-longest in the world; the Paraná and its major
   tributary, the Iguaçu River, where the impressive Iguaçu falls are
   located; the Negro, São Francisco, Xingu, Madeira and the Tapajós
   rivers.

   Located mainly within the tropics, Brazil's climate has little seasonal
   variation. In southern most Brazil, however, there is subtropical
   temperate weather, occasionally experiencing frost and snow in the
   higher regions. Precipitation is abundant in the humid Amazon Basin,
   but more arid landscapes are found as well, particularly in the
   northeast. A number of islands in the Atlantic Ocean are part of
   Brazil:
     * Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago
     * Rocas Atoll
     * Fernando de Noronha
     * Trindade and Martim Vaz

   João Pessoa, in Northeastern Brazil
   Enlarge
   João Pessoa, in Northeastern Brazil

   Mainland Brazil is commonly geographically divided into 5 distinctive
   regions: North, Northeast, Centre-West, Southeast and South.
     * The North constitutes 45.27% of the surface of Brazil and it is the
       region with the lowest number of inhabitants. It is a fairly
       unindustrialised and undeveloped region (with the exception of
       Manaus, which hosts a tax-free industrial zone). It accommodates
       most of the largest rainforest of the world and many indigenous
       tribes.

     * The Northeast has one third of Brazil's population. The region is
       culturally diverse, with roots from the Portuguese colonial period,
       Afro-Brazilian culture and some Brazilian Indian influence. It is
       also the poorest region of Brazil, and has long periods of dry
       climate. It is well-known for its beautiful coast.

     * The Central-West is the region where the Brazilian capital,
       Brasília, is located. despite that it has a low demographic density
       compared to the other regions, mostly because it is occupied by the
       Pantanal, the world’s largest marshlands area, and a small part of
       the Amazon rainforest, in its northwestern area. However, much of
       the region is overgrown by Cerrado, the largest savanna in the
       world. It is also the most important area for agriculture in the
       country. The most important cities are: Brasília, Goiânia, Campo
       Grande and Cuiabá

     * The Southeast is the richest and most densely populated region. It
       has more inhabitants than any other South American country, and
       hosts one of the largest megalopoles of the world, whereof the main
       cities are the country's two biggest ones; São Paulo and Rio de
       Janeiro.

   The region is very diverse, including the major business centre of São
   Paulo, the historical cities of Minas Gerais and its capital Belo
   Horizonte, the third largest national city, the world famous beaches of
   Rio de Janeiro, and the acclaimed coast of Espírito Santo.
     * The South is the wealthiest region (considering GDP per capita),
       with the best standard of living in the country. It is also the
       coldest region of Brazil, with occasional occurrences of frosts and
       snow in some of the higher altitude regions.

   The region has been heavily settled by European immigrants, mainly of
   Italian, German, Portuguese and Slavic genealogy, and shows clear
   influences from these cultures.The most important cities are: Porto
   Alegre, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Blumenau, Novo Hamburgo, Londrina,
   Caxias do Sul and Joinville.

Economy

   Sao Paulo is the largest Brazilian city and the financial capital of
   the country
   Enlarge
   Sao Paulo is the largest Brazilian city and the financial capital of
   the country

   Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining,
   manufacturing, and service sectors, as well as a large labor pool,
   Brazil's GDP (PPP) outweighs that of any other Latin American country,
   being the core economy of Mercosur. The country has been expanding its
   presence in world markets. Major export products include aircraft,
   coffee, vehicles, soybean, iron ore, orange juice, steel, textiles,
   footwear, corned beef and electrical equipment.

   According to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, Brazil
   has the ninth largest economy in the world at Purchasing Power Parity
   and eleventh largest at market exchange rates. Brazil has a diversified
   middle income economy with wide variations in development levels. Most
   large industry is agglomerated in the South and South-East. The
   North-East is the poorest region of Brazil, but it is beginning to
   attract new investment. Brazil has the most advanced industrial sector
   in Latin America. Amounting to one-third of GDP, Brazil's diverse
   industries range from automobiles, steel and petrochemicals to
   computers, aircraft, and consumer durables. With the increased economic
   stability provided by the Plano Real, Brazilian and multinational
   businesses have invested heavily in new equipment and technology, a
   large proportion of which has been purchased from North American
   enterprises. Brazil has a diverse and sophisticated services industry
   as well. During the early 1990s, the banking sector amounted to as much
   as 16% of GDP. Although undergoing a major overhaul, Brazilian
   financial services industry provides local businesses with a wide range
   of products and is attracting numerous new entrants, including U.S.
   financial firms. The São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro stock exchanges are
   undergoing a consolidation.
   Curitiba, in Southern Brazil
   Enlarge
   Curitiba, in Southern Brazil

   Brazilian cities vary significantly in the ease of doing business,
   according to the new Doing Business in Brazil report released by The
   World Bank Group. Brazilian cities perform better when it comes to the
   cost of registering property. But despite identical regulations across
   Brazil, there is a wide variation in the time it takes to transfer
   property.

   According to international standards, Brazil has the 9th biggest
   economy in the world (see: List of countries by GDP). The country is
   one of the few in the world to make products of high technology like
   planes (see: Embraer). Being one of the core countries in the G20,
   Brazil has lately been expanding its influence in global economic
   negotiations. Although Brazil's economy is progressive and regionally
   important, the problems of widespread state bureaucracy, corruption,
   poverty and illiteracy are still major barriers to further its
   development.

Environment

   The toucan is a typical animal of the Brazilian rain forests
   Enlarge
   The toucan is a typical animal of the Brazilian rain forests

   Due to the relatively explosive economic and demographic rise of the
   country in the last century, Brazil's ability to protect its
   environmental habitats has increasingly come under threat. Extensive
   logging in the nation's forests, particularly the Amazon, both official
   and unofficial, destroys areas the size of a small country each year,
   and potentially a diverse variety of interesting plants and animals.

   With abundant fauna and flora, Brazil is home to many thousands of
   species, most of them still undiscovered. By 2020, it is estimated that
   at least 50% of the species resident in Brazil will be eradicated.

   As several of these specimens possess special characteristics, or are
   built in an interesting way, some of their capabilities may be copied
   for use in technology (see bionics). The revenues derived from such
   plans may still hold the key to preserve the country's animal and plant
   species.

Demographics

   Indigenous people of Brazil
   Enlarge
   Indigenous people of Brazil

   Brazil's population is very diverse, comprising many races and ethnic
   groups. In general, Brazilians are descendants of 4 migration sources:
     * The Amerindians, natives of Brazil, descendants of human groups
       that migrated from Siberia, crossing the Bering Strait,
       approximately in 9.000 b.C

     * The Portuguese colonists, who arrived to explore the country since
       its discovery, in 1500, until its independence, in 1822.

     * The African slaves brought to the country from 1530 until the end
       of the slave traffic, in 1850.

     * The diverse groups of immigrants from Europe, Asia and the Middle
       East that arrived to Brazil in the late 19th and early 20th
       centuries.

   It is belived that the Americas were settled by three migratory waves
   from Northern Asia. The Brazilian Indians are, probably, descendants of
   the first wave of migrants, that arrived to the region in 9.000 b.C.
   The main Native Brazilian groups were the Tupi- Guarani, the Jê, the
   Arawaks and the Caraibas.

   The European immigration to Brazil started in the 16th century, the
   vast majority of them coming from Portugal. In the first two centuries
   of colonization, 100.000 Portugueses arrived in Brazil, 500 colonists
   per year. In the 18th century, 600.000 Portuguese arrived, 10.000 per
   year. The first region to be settled by the Portuguese was Northeastern
   Brazil. Soon, the colonists settled in the Southeastern region. The
   interior of Brazil was settled only in the 18th century. The Portuguese
   were the only ethnic group that spread themselves in the whole
   territory of Brazil.
   Afro-Brazilians with typical clothes in Salvador, Bahia
   Enlarge
   Afro-Brazilians with typical clothes in Salvador, Bahia

   The original Amerindian population of Brazil (between 3-5 million) has
   in large part been exterminated or assimilated into the Portuguese
   population. The Mamelucos (or Caboclos, mixed-race between Whites and
   Indians) have always been present in many parts of Brazil.

   Another important ethnic group arrived at Brazil as slaves. The
   Africans started to be brought to Brazil in the 1530's, to supply the
   man power lack. At first, most slaves were brought from Guinea.
   Starting in the 18th century, most of them were from Angola and
   Mozambique, although in Bahia most slaves were from Nigeria. Until the
   slave traffic, in 1850, from 3 to 5 million slaves were brought to
   Brazil--37% of all slave traffic between Africa and the Americas.

   The large influx of immigrants to Brazil occured in the late 19th and
   early 20th centuries. Between 1870 and 1930, more than 5 million
   immigrants entered Brazil. These immigrants were divided in two groups:
   a part of them was sent to Southern Brazil to work as small farmers.
   However, the biggest part of the immigrants was sent to Southeastern
   Brazil to work in the coffee plantations. The immigrants sent to
   Southern Brazil were mainly Germans (starting in 1824, mainly from
   Rhineland-Palatinate, Pomerania, Hamburg, Westfalia, etc) and Italians
   (starting in 1875, mainly from the Veneto and Lombardia). In the South,
   the immigrants estabilished rural communities that, still today, have a
   strong cultural connection with their homeland. In Southeastern Brazil
   most of the immigrants were Italians (mainly from the Veneto, Campania,
   Calabria and Lombardia), Portuguese (mainly from Beira Alta, Minho and
   Alto Trás-os-Montes), Spaniards (mainly from Galicia and Andalusia),
   Japanese (mainly from Honshu and Okinawa) and Arabs (from Lebanon and
   Syria).
   Image:Soberanas festadauva.jpg
   Southern Brazilians during a local party, dressed in traditional
   Italian outfit

   According to the Memorial do Imigrante, between 1870 and 1953, Brazil
   attracted nearly 5,5 million immigrants, approximately 1,550,000
   Italians, 1,470,000 Portuguese, 650,000 Spaniards, 210,000 Germans,
   190,000 Japanese, 120,000 Poles and 650,000 of many other
   nationalities.

   Brazil's population is mostly concentrated along the coast, with a
   lower population density in the interior. The population of the
   southern states is mainly of European descent, while the majority of
   the inhabitants of the north and northeast are of mixed ancestry
   (Amerindians, Africans and Europeans)

   According to the Brazil constitution of 1988, racism is an unbailable
   crime and must be met with imprisonment. This is taken very seriously.

Ethnicity and Race

   The 2000 IBGE census found Brazil to be made up of:
     * White 53.7%
     * Multiracial 38.5%
     * Black 6.2%
     * Asian 0.5%
     * unspecified 0.7%

Languages

   Portuguese is the only official language of Brazil. It is spoken by the
   entire population and is virtually the only language used in schools,
   newspapers, radio, TV and for all business and administrative purposes.
   Moreover, Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking nation in the
   Americas, making the language an important part of Brazilian national
   identity. Portuguese as spoken in Brazil has developed independently of
   the European mother tongue, and it has undergone less phonetic changes
   than the language spoken in Portugal, thus it is often said that the
   "language of Camões", who lived in the 16th Century, sounded closer to
   modern Brazilian Portuguese, than to the language spoken in Portugal
   today, and that his work is poetically more perfect when read the
   Brazilian way. Brazilian Portuguese has notable influences from
   Amerindian and African languages and several Italian assimilations.
   Generally, native speakers of each variant can understand one another,
   but there are several significant phonological, lexical and
   orthographic differences. (See also Brazilian Portuguese.)

Minority languages

   Many Amerindian languages are spoken daily in indigenous communities,
   primarily in Northern Brazil. Although many of these communities have
   significant contact with Portuguese, today there are incentives for
   teaching native languages.

   Other languages are spoken by descendants of immigrants, who are
   usually bilingual, in small rural communities in Southern Brazil. The
   most important are the Brazilian German dialects, such as Riograndenser
   Hunsrückisch and the Pomeranian language, and also the Talian, based on
   the Italian Venetian language. In the city of São Paulo, Japanese can
   be heard in the immigrant neighbourhoods, like Liberdade.

   English is of the official high school curriculum, but comparatively
   few Brazilians are truly fluent in the language. Spanish is understood
   to varying degrees by some Portuguese speakers, especially on borders
   with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Societal issues

Poverty

   Entrenched between some of the richer areas of Rio de Janeiro, the
   favela of Vidigal is a testimony of the high economic inequality of
   Brazil
   Enlarge
   Entrenched between some of the richer areas of Rio de Janeiro, the
   favela of Vidigal is a testimony of the high economic inequality of
   Brazil

   Despite being a large country with extensive resources and a huge
   economy, Brazil currently has more than 22 million people living in
   state of extreme poverty. Including those living in state of relative
   poverty, this number can rise to more than 53 million people (around
   30% of the country's population) living with an income insufficient for
   their basic needs. This is a critical issue, and is in part attributed
   to the country's economic inequality, considered one of the world's
   highest according to the Gini coefficient index.

   Poverty in Brazil is most visually represented by the various favelas,
   a great number of slums in the country's metropolitan areas and in
   upcountry remote regions with low rates of economic and social
   development.
   Poor people in Recife
   Enlarge
   Poor people in Recife

   There is also great differences in wealth and welfare between regions.
   While the Northeast region has chronic problems due to the semi-arid
   climate in the inner regions, as its periodic droughts affect millions
   of people, there are many cities in the south and southeast region with
   first world-like socioeconomic standards .

   The most recent attempt to mitigate these problems is being tried by
   current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has proposed a
   hunger-eradication program ( Fome Zero) and raised the budget for a
   handful of wealth distribution programs that were previously
   established, but there is much discussion over the effectiveness of
   these approaches.

   In addition, roughly 16 million people in Brazil are officially
   considered illiterate .

Government issues

   In the last 12 years, Brazil's tax rate increased gradually from around
   28% of the country's GDP to more than 37% . In spite of this, not
   enough improvement (in some cases, none at all) was seen in the public
   services offered by either the federal or most of the state and
   municipal governments to make this increase considered fair by the
   population . There are believed to be two major causes for this:
     * High interest rates paid by the government on its debts .
     * Widespread corruption .

          In recent years, constant scandals involving members of the
          Executive, Legislative and Judiciary branches of government
          accused of participating in schemes of bribery, embezzlement,
          money laundering, anonymous banking, illegal campaign financing
          and slush fund operations have come to surface.

Culture

   Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art
   Enlarge
   Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art
   The Niterói Contemporary Art Museum is another impressive example of
   the Brazilian architecture.
   Enlarge
   The Niterói Contemporary Art Museum is another impressive example of
   the Brazilian architecture.
   Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro
   Enlarge
   Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro
   The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro is the most famous
   landmark in Brazil.
   Enlarge
   The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro is the most famous
   landmark in Brazil.

   The core culture of Brazil is rooted in the culture of Portugal. The
   Portuguese colonists and immigrants brought the Roman Catholic faith,
   the Portuguese language and many traditions and customs that still
   influence the modern-day Brazilian culture.

   As a multiracial country, its culture also absorbed other influences.
   The Amerindian peoples influenced Brazil's language and cuisine and the
   Africans, brought as slaves, largely influenced Brazil's music, dance,
   cuisine and language. Italian, German and other European immigrants
   came in large numbers and their influences are felt closer to the
   Southeast and South of Brazil.
     * Brazilian Carnival
     * Religion in Brazil
     * Cuisine of Brazil
     * List of Brazilians
     * Literature of Brazil
     * Music of Brazil
     * Cinema of Brazil
     * Sports in Brazil
     * Holidays in Brazil
     * Brazil Skyscrapers

Religion

   The Cathedral of São João Batista in Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do
   Sul.
   Enlarge
   The Cathedral of São João Batista in Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do
   Sul.

   According to the IBGE census
     * 74% of Brazilians are Catholics. Brazil possesses the largest
       Catholic population in the world.
     * Followers of Protestantism are rising in number, currently at
       15.4%.
     * 7.4% of the population consider themselves agnostics, atheists or
       without a religion.
     * Spiritism constitutes 1.3% of the population (about 2.3 million).
     * 1.8% are members of other religions. Some of these are Latter-day
       Saints (900,000 followers), Jehovah's Witnesses (600,000) Buddhism
       (215,000), Seicho-No-Ie (151,000), Judaism (230,000), and Islam
       (27,000) .
     * 0.3% are followers of African traditional religions such as
       Candomblé, Macumba, and Umbanda.
     * Some practice a mixture of different religions, such as
       Catholicism, Candomblé, and indigenous American religion combined.

Sports

   Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro
   Enlarge
   Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro

   The most popular sport in Brazil is football (soccer), and the country
   is renowned for the quality of its players, including Pelé, Garrincha,
   Jairzinho, Rivelino, Carlos Alberto, Zico, Sócrates, Romário, Ronaldo,
   Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Juninho, Adriano, Diego, Robinho, Ronaldinho
   and The Golden Boy of Brazilian Football Kaká. The Brazilian national
   football team (Seleção), has been victorious in the World Cup
   tournament a record five times. São Paulo is the current national
   champion for the First Division.

   Brazil has also achieved success in other international sports, mainly
   volleyball, basketball, tennis, gymnastics and auto racing.
     * Beach soccer, created in the beaches of Rio de Janeiro.
     * Bossaball, a mix of volleyball, football and capoeira, played on
       inflatables and trampolines.
     * Footvolley, a mix of football and volleyball, also played in sand.
     * Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a variation of Japanese judo.
     * Vale tudo, a fight sport.
     * Capoeira, a martial art of African heritage.
     * Biribol, an aquatic variation of Volleyball
     * Futsal, or Futebol de Salão, the official version of indoor
       soccer.nn

Science and technology

   Some of Brazil's most important technology nodes are located in São
   José dos Campos, Campinas, São Carlos, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, Porto
   Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Recife and São Paulo.

   Brazilian Information Technology is considered one of the most advanced
   in the world. Catering for the internal market, Brazilian IT is
   recognised as a leader in financial services, defense, CRM,
   eGovernment, and healthcare.

   The government of Brazil is attempting a switch to free software and
   operating systems in place of proprietary software with little success
   so far.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
