Rio De Janeiro.

Lua em São Paulo. Photograph © by Luiz Henrique Assunção

Brazil is the largest and most populous country in South America; and is the fifth largest country 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 borders every other South American country except Ecuador and Chile.

Brazil was discovered by Portugal and is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas. It is a multiracial country with a population composed of European, Amerindian, African and Asian elements. The country's Roman Catholic population is the largest of any country in the world.

Brazil is a federation of 26 states (estados), one federal district (Distrito Federal) and, also, the municipalities. Brazilian topography is diverse, including hills, mountains, plains, highlands, and scrublands. Much of Brazil lies between 200 metres (660 ft) and 800 metres (2,600 ft) in elevation.

Brazil is a country of contrasts. When hearnig the word Brazil, it is natural to think of the great Amazon forest, fantastic beaches, great soccer players andCarnival time. Brazil has much more to offer - including warm people, great cities, high technology, an awesome mixture of cultures and races - and much more!

Portuguese, Spanish and English are the three most widely spoken languages in Brazil. There is nothing in the whole wide world to compare to Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Brasilia, the capital city of Brazil is by comparison a planned city known by its great architecture.

The South American continent is home to the largest tropical rainforest in the world - The Amazon Rain Forest. The river begins high in the Andes, where hundreds of tiny streams trickle down rocks to complete a journey of more than 4,080 miles, flowing down the gentle slope of Brazil's interior to the Atlantic Ocean.