The Federative Republic of Brazil is the
largest country in South America. Following is an overview of
fun loving Brazil for travelers.
Overview of Brazil for Travelers
Indigenous peoples have populated for a
long, but undetermined, period. European influence began with
Pedro Alvares Cabral when he claimed Brazil as a Portuguese
colony in 1500. In a little known development, Brazil actually
became the location of the Portuguese government in 1808 when
Napoleon chased the royal family out of Portugal. While in
Brazil, the family ruled from Rio de Janeiro until 1821 when it
returned to Europe. This move was motivated by a declaration of
independence by Brazil, led by Dom Pedro.
As with many South American countries,
Brazil has seen its ups and downs from a political perspective.
In 1989, it finally completed a transition to a popularly
elected government when Collor de Mello won the popular vote.
Less than three years later, he was forced to resign under the
cloud of corruption charges.
In 2002, Luiz Inacio da Silva rose to the
position of president. Lula, as he is known, represents a major
change in Brazilian politics. He is the first leader from the
working class.
Brazil covers just under 3.3 million
square miles of South America. The climate in Brazil is mostly
tropical, particularly in light of the Amazon River basin.
The people of Brazil are called
“Brazilians.” The population is 186 million people and growing
at a rate of .1 percent a year. 74 percent of Brazilians
consider themselves Roman Catholics. The official language is
Portuguese and the literacy rate is 86 percent. Average life
expectancy is 71.3 years.
Brazil is one of the world's leading
producers of hydroelectric power. Over 75 percent of its
electrical power is generated via dam projects.
If you are considering to travel Brazil,
you should keep in mind that crime can be a problem in certain
areas. Use common sense and you will have no problem. Travel to Brazil is
a blast, very cheap and gets a big thumbs up as a travel
destination.
