Geography

Brazil is located in the central-eastern part of South America. It makes up nearly one-half of South America and is the 5^th largest country in the world. To the north and west, it is bordered by all of the South American countries, except Chile and Ecuador. To the northeast, east, and southeast, lies the South Atlantic Ocean. Brazil has 7,400 kilometers of Atlantic coastline and many beautiful beaches.

Brazil is characterized by the beautiful Amazon Rainforest in the north and a more open terrain of hills and low mountains to the south, which is also home to most of the Brazilian population and its agriculture. Along the Atlantic seacoast are also found several mountain ranges, reaching roughly 2,900 meters high.

The highest peak in Brazil is the 3,014 meter Pico da Neblina. Major rivers include the Amazon; the Paraná and its major tributary, the Iguaçu River, where the Iguaçu falls are located; the Negro, São Francisco, Xingu, Madeira and the Tapajós rivers.

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

Geographically, Brazil can be divided into five regions: North, Northeast, Central-West, Southeast and South.

• The North is almost entirely covered by the Amazon Rainforest, the largest rainforest in the world. It is the region with the lowest number of population, though with many indigenous tribes. The only cities of any interest are Manaus, starting point of many tours into the Amazon and Belém, the biggest metropolitan area of the region. Furthermore it is quite undeveloped with very little industry. Heavy rainfall and high temperatures characterize the climate in the north.

• The Northeast or Sertao region 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. The region is made up of rocky plateaus and scrub vegetation. It is well-known for its beautiful coast. The climate is semi-arid and the weather is much harsher than in the Amazon region. Dry spells can last for 3 to 4 years. When the rains come, it can last for weeks, causing serious flooding.

• The Central-West includes towns and cities as well as vast plains where cattle-raising predominates. The region is called the Mato Grosso for its thick scrub forest. Much of the region is covered by Cerrado, the largest savanna in the world. The most important cities of this region are: Brasília (the capital), Goiânia, Campo Grande and Cuiabá.

• The Southeast is the richest region and is the most densely populated. In the east it is bordered by the Serra do Mar mountain range. It is the region with the country's two biggest cities; São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The region is very diverse with a subtropical climate. Coffee, cotton, sugar cane, soybeans and wheat are grown here.

• The South has the best standard of living in the country and is the coldest region of Brazil, with even some occassional frost and snow in some of the higher areas. This region is known for its many European immigrants, mainly of Italian, German, Portuguese and Slavic descent and shows clear influences from these cultures. The most important cities of this region are: Curitiba, Florianópolis, Blumenau and Joinville.