Brazil

If you think of Brazil, you think of the Samba, Carneval, world famous football stars, and also of the threat to the tropical forests and the original inhabitants. Brasil is a country of contrast: massive cities and endless nature, poverty and wealth, tropical forrests and dry plains, barock cities and primitive huts, material wealth and spiritual values ... the list could go on. The rhythm of life in Brazil is contagious and leaving this wonderful atmosphere will not be easy!

Brazil is the only country that speaks Portugese on the continent of America. It has a population of approx. 190 million people. Its surface area of approx. 8,5 million square kilometers makes it the fifth biggest country in the world. From the north to the south of Brazil is approx. the same distance as between the North Cape and Gibraltar. The distance from the west to the east is similiar to the distance between the Bretagne and the Ural! Brazil is dominated by rainforest in the Amazon to the north, and hills and mountains in the south. Whilst the farming area is in the Savanna of the mid west, the majority of the population live close to the Atlantic coast in the big cities.

You must be familiar with the Brasilian national drink Caipirinha. There is a lot more to discover as far as food goes in Brazil: The variety of dishes available is reflected in the size of the country and in the different cultures that have made Brazil their home. African, Portugese and Indian spices play an important role in the preparation of many dishes.
It is almost impossible to describe the food in a country that is bigger than Europe. Every city has its own specialities and distinct favourites. However, similiar basic ingredients are used in almost every region. For instance meat, fish, black beans, rice, corn, maniok, chilli, hot pepper sauce, coconut milk and palm oil. We recommend you give it a try!

The Brazilian culture has not only influenced by the Portugese, but also by the original inhabitants, the African people and different European and Asian people.
Absolutely fascinating is the variety of music and dance in Brazil, you won't escape that rhythm quickly!
The Carneval is the most important event of the year in many parts of the country. The people dance and celebrate for days and nights...
The joy of life and the energy that the people have in Brazil is amazing!

Brazil has the largest diversity of animal and plant species on earth. You can find approx. 50 000 different species of plant life in the Amazon, and only half of them are named and classified. There are 2'500 different types of trees, some of them over 60 meters high.
The Amazon is also known for its Parakeets, Humming birds, and Tukane. There are approx. 1'500 known insect and butterfly species. The biggest animals in the rainforest are the Tapir, the wild pigs, the Jaguars and the Pumas. Other animals that live in the rainforest include wild cats, monkeys, sloth, armadillo and anteaters. There are many different sorts of fish in this region, including the aggressive piranha.

For up to date information see: www.eda.admin.ch.

Brazil was discovered on 22. April 1500 by the Portugese, und officially declared a Portugese colony. In 1807 the Portugese Parlament and the royal family, including their entourage, fled Portugal to escape the threat of Napoléon Bonaparte. As a consequence the Government was relocated to Brazil. After the return of the Government to Portugal in 1821 the reign of Brazils Dom Pedro I., was handed over to the the son of the Portugese King João VI. On 9. January 1822, he refused to follow a decision made by the Portugese Parliament, that took away the power he had over Brazil and was supposed to return the country to colonial rule. On 7. September 1822 he declared the independence of Brazil and on 12 Oktober he made himself the first King. The country remained a Monarchy until 15 November 1889 when Dom Pedro II., the son and successor of Dom Pedro I., lost his power and Marschall Deodoro da Fonseca declaimed a republic. The history of Brazil is very moving, both as a country and in a political sense. The Republic of Brazil today has 26 states, the capital being Brazilia.

Brazil

With 186 million inhabitants, Brazil is the largest and most populated country in Latin America, and the fifth largest in the world. Spanning a vast area between central South America and the Atlantic Ocean, it is the eastern most country of the Americas. Named after brazilwood, a tree highly valued by early colonists, Brazil is home to both extensive agricultural lands and rainforests. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. As a former colony of Portugal, Portuguese is its official language.

History

Brazil is thought to have been inhabited for at least 10,000 years by semi-nomadic people when the first Portuguese explorers, led by Pedro Álvares Cabral, disembarked in the 1500's. Over the next three centuries, it was resettled by the Portuguese and exploited initially for brazilwood, and later for sugarcane and gold. Slavery was very popular until it was abolished in 1888, and intensive European immigration created the basis for industrialization.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Brazil attracted over 5 million European and Japanese immigrants. Industrialisation, accompanied further development, the population grew and the country expanded. 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. The modern Brazil is considered to be a democracy since 1985.

Climate

Brazil is fine to visit at any time of the year. It has 3 climatic zones: a tropical north, a subtropical middle section, and seasonable changes in the south. These seasons are contrary to ours, but they are much less distinctive.

Culture

Brazilian Culture is very diverse. The main religion is Roman Catholic. In fact, Brazil is the largest country in the world, where the main religion is Roman Catholic. Many other beliefs have been incorporated into the Brazilian catholic belief system such as Spiritism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Ayahuasca, and Judaism.
The population of Brazil and the United States, has flourished through immigration. Each immigrant bringing with him his own culture. The Brazilian culture was not only influenced by the portuguese, but more so from the natives (Indios), Africans, Europeans and Asians. Although the Americans pride themselves on their cultural diversity and their generally peaceful coexistence, the Brazilian idea of culture is one of mixed unity.

Languages

Portuguese is the official language, and it is spoken by the entire population. It is virtually the only language used in schools, newspapers, on the radio and on TV, and for all business and administrative purposes. Brazil is the only Portuguese speaking nation in the Americas, giving it a national culture distinct from its Spanish speaking neighbors.
The language spoken in Brazil is slightly different from that spoken in Portugal and other Portuguese speaking countries. Brazilian Portuguese is more archaic than European Portuguese, and has some phonological and orthographic differences, although they can understand one another.
Spanish is understood in various degrees by most people, since it is very similar to Portuguese and is spoken on the border of Brazil and Spanish speaking countries. English is part of the official high school curriculum, but very few people achieve any usable degree of fluency.
Many minority languages are spoken daily throughout Brazil. Half of these languages are spoken by the indigenous people, mainly in Northern Brazil.
Still others are spoken by communities of descendants of immigrants, who are for the most part bilingual, in rural areas of Southern Brazil. These communities speak dialects of Italian, German, Polish or Japanese languages.

Visa information

(valid for Swiss citizens only)
You do not need a visa to enter Brazil, only a valid passport (valid for at least 6 months). Upon arrival the return ticket can be asked for. A stay of 90 days is possible with a one time extension for an additional 90 days, which has to be requested at a Brazilian police office(policia federal). The whole stay should not exceed 180 days within a period of 12 months.

Health

The risk of getting Malaria varies according to the area you are in, and vaccination is recommended.
Other recommended vaccinations are for yellow fever, tetanus, hepatitis A, and diphtheria.
The doctor or the Tropical Institute can give you information about existing illnesses and if you are sufficiently vaccinated or not.