| Brazil Capital:brasilia Country Code: br |
 巴西（The Federative Republic of Brazil，República Federativa do Brasil) 一．【巴西概况】 巴西作为葡萄牙的殖民地长达300年.巴西,葡萄牙语意为"红木".16世纪.殖民者登上巴西时,发现这里有一种名贵的树木,从中可提取欧洲难得的红色染料,遂将此木称为"红木"后演变成国名. 地理位置 巴西联邦共和国（The Federative Republic of Brazil; República Federativa do Brasil），面积8,547,403平方公里，位于南美洲东南部，同除智利和厄瓜多尔以外的所有南美洲国家接壤。北邻法属圭亚那、苏里南、圭亚那、委内瑞拉和哥伦比亚，西连秘鲁、玻利维亚，南接巴拉圭、阿根廷和乌拉圭，东濒大西洋。国土面积约占南美洲总面积的46%，仅次于俄罗斯、加拿大、中国和美国，为世界第五大国。全境地形分为亚马逊平原、巴拉圭盆地、巴西高原和圭亚那高原，其中亚马逊平原约占全国面积的1/3。有亚马逊、巴拉那和圣弗朗西斯科三大河系。亚马逊河全长6751公里，横贯巴西西北部，在巴流域面积达390万平方公里；巴拉那河系包括巴拉那河和巴拉圭河，流经西南部，多激流和瀑布，有丰富的水力资源；圣弗朗西斯科河系全长2900公里，流经干旱的东北部，是该地区主要的灌溉水源。海岸线长7400多公里，领海宽度为12海里，领海外专属经济区188海里。 其中，亚马孙平原是世界上最大的平原，亚马孙河是世界上最大的河流。 圣保罗是南半球最大的城市。 巴西是南美洲最大的国家。 气候特点 大部分地区属热带气候，南部部分地区为亚热带气候。亚马逊平原年平均气温25～27度，南部地区年平均气温16～19度。 人口 2000年人口1.69799亿，居拉美首位，世界第五位。城市人口占81.25%，农村人口占18.75%，平均寿命68.8岁，。白种人占54.38%，黑白混血种人占39.88%，黑种人占5.21%，黄种人占0.39%，印第安人约占0.14%。印第安人是巴西土著民族，共有35万人，分属227个族，讲175种不同的语言，生活在国家设立的561个印第安人保护区内。 人口东南多，西南少。 历史与语言 巴西曾受葡萄牙统治，以葡萄牙语为官方语言。然而，巴西的葡萄牙语深受印地安及非洲语言的影响，甚至有些地名、动植物名称，都是沿用非洲方言。所以，葡萄牙文字典在巴西不是很好用，因为葡萄牙语在巴西，已经和发源地有很大的差异。巴西人通常都听得懂基本的西班牙语，至于英文，就不太普遍了。 同北京时差： -11.00 国际电话码： 55 货币： 克鲁塞罗雷亚尔 国旗国花与国歌 国旗为绿色长方形中央为黄色菱形，菱形中央是咖啡色圆形。圆形为天球仪，白色绶带上书以葡萄牙文“秩序与进步”。天球仪上有白色五色星，象征国家的26个行政区。绿色和黄色是巴西的国色，绿色象征森林，黄色象征矿藏和资源。 国徽的中心图案是五角星。五角星中央有两个同心圆，小圆中央有五颗五角星，象征南十字星座。大圆周围有22颗五角星，象征各州和联邦区。外沿是咖啡叶和烟草叶构成的圆形。下方中央是一把剑。最下端是绶带，书以葡萄牙文“巴西联邦共和国1889年11月15日”。日期是共和国成立的日子。 国花为毛蟹爪兰。 国歌巴西独立后的第一首国歌，是由颇有音乐才华的佩德罗一世亲自创作的。在1822年9月7日宣告巴西独立的当天，他创作了《啊祖国，啊皇帝，啊人民》的歌曲，并亲自在当晚圣保罗的爱国集会上演唱，由合唱队伴唱，这首歌成为巴西的第一首国歌。佩德罗一世退位后，里约热内卢国立音乐学院的创办者，著名音乐家弗朗西斯科•达席尔瓦谱写出一首后来成为巴西国歌的歌曲。1909年著名诗人奥里索•杜克•埃斯特拉达重新填词，经专家委员会审查，1922年被定为巴西国歌。国歌《听伊皮兰加的呼声》回顾了1822年9月7日佩德罗一世在圣保罗郊外伊皮兰加河畔发出“不独立，毋宁死！”呼声的情景，歌颂祖国获得了独立，充满着巴西人民对祖国的爱恋之情。 政治与经济 1500年4月22日，葡萄牙航海家佩德罗•卡布拉尔抵达巴西。他将这片土地命名为“圣十字架”，并宣布归葡萄牙所有。由于葡殖民者的掠夺是从砍伐巴西红木开始的，“红木”（Brasil）一词逐渐代替了“圣十字架”，成为巴西国名，并沿用至今，其中文音译为“巴西”。16世纪30年代葡派远征队在巴建立殖民地，1549年任命总督。1807年拿破仑入侵葡萄牙，葡王室迁往巴西。1820年葡王室迁回里斯本，王子佩德罗留巴任摄政王。1822年9月7日宣布完全脱离葡萄牙独立，建立巴西帝国。1889年11月15日丰塞卡将军发动政变，推翻帝制，成立巴西合众国。1964年巴军人政变上台，1967年改国名为巴西联邦共和国。1985年3月军政府还政于民。1989年11月15日，巴举行了近30年来第一次全民直接选举，费尔南多•科洛尔当选总统。1992年12月29日，科洛尔总统因涉嫌受贿被迫宣布辞职，副总统伊塔马尔•佛朗哥即日接任总统。1994年10月3日，费尔南多•恩里克•卡多佐在全国大选中获胜，1995年1月1日就任巴西第38任总统。1998年10月4日，卡多佐再次当选。1999年1月1日，卡就任巴第39任总统，任期至2002年12月31日。 巴历史上曾有过几次大的移民浪潮，仅1884至1962年间迁居巴西的移民即达497万多人，主要来自葡萄牙、西班牙、意大利、德国、法国、波兰和阿拉伯国家。黄种人多来自日本、朝鲜和中国。巴有130万日本人，25万华人，主要集中在圣保罗和里约热内卢。 全国共分为26个州和1个联邦区（巴西利亚联邦区）。州之下设市，全国共有5507个市，15万人口以上的有79个，100万以上的有12个（1999年）。各州的名称如下：阿克里，阿拉戈亚斯，亚马逊，阿马帕，巴伊亚，塞阿腊，圣埃斯皮里托，戈亚斯，马腊尼昂，马托格罗索，南马托格罗索，米纳斯吉拉斯，巴拉，帕拉伊巴，巴拉那，伯南布哥，皮奥伊，北里约格朗德，南里约格朗德，里约热内卢， 朗多尼亚， 罗赖马， 圣卡塔林纳，圣保罗，塞尔希培，托坎廷斯。 巴西拥有拉美最为完善的产业体系，经济实力居拉美首位。历史上巴曾经一度是单一农业经济国家，蔗糖、咖啡等为其主要经济作物。20世纪初，巴西开始工业化进程。从五十年代起，巴西推行“进口替代”经济模式，并依靠大量举借外债获得了经济腾飞，其中1967－1974年经济年均增长速度达到10.1%，创造了“巴西奇迹”，并初步建立起了较为完整的工业体系。其后近20年的时间里，巴一直为外债和通货膨胀所困扰，经济发展陷于停顿。1994年7月巴西推出“雷亚尔计划”，成功控制了恶性通膨，使经济出现了稳定增长。但财政和经常项目双赤字问题却日益严重，对外资依赖急剧加深。在东南亚和俄罗斯金融危机冲击下，巴被迫于1999年初宣布采取浮动汇率制。雷亚尔兑美元大幅贬值。由于巴政府执行了严厉的财政调整措施，增收节支，巴经济迅速走上恢复之路，2000年经济增长达4.46%，通膨也基本得到了控制。2001年，受全球经济不景气、阿根廷经济危机和国内电力危机影响，巴经济增幅下降至2－2.5%左右。 与中国的经济交往 中国与巴西早在一百多年前就开始了交往，建在里约热内卢蒂茹卡国家公园的中国亭是对于１８１２年来此传艺的中国茶农永久的纪念。１９７４年８月１５日两国建交以来，政治、经济、贸易、文化、科技合作顺利发展。两国高层互访频繁。江泽民主席于１９９３年１１月和２００１年４月访问过巴西。１９９５年１２月，巴西总统卡多佐对中国进行国事访问。２００４年５月，卢拉总统对中国进行国事访问，双方签署联合公报。２００４年１１月，胡锦涛主席对巴西进行国事访问。两国政府为建立长期、稳定、互利的战略伙伴关系作出了不懈努力。１９９９年中巴联合研制的第一颗地球资源卫星发射成功。２００４年７月，中巴合作生产的支线飞机首次进入我国国内航空市场。目前，巴西是中国在拉美最大的贸易伙伴，中国是巴西的第二大进口来源国和第二大出口市场。２００７年中国和巴西双边贸易额达到２３３．６７亿美元。１９８６年１１月２４日，北京同里约热内卢结为姊妹城。 巴西与中国贸易总额继续保持高速增长 汉语进入巴西出租车 国旗： 呈长方形，长与宽之比为１０∶７。旗地为绿色，中间是一个黄色菱形，其四个顶点与旗边的距离均相等。菱形中间是一个蓝色天球仪，其上有一条拱形白带。绿、黄色是巴西的国色。绿色象征该国广阔的丛林，黄色代表丰富的矿藏和资源。天球仪上的拱形白带将球面分为上下两部分，下半部象征南半球星空，其上大小不同的白色五角星代表巴西的２６个州和一个联邦区。白带上用葡萄牙文写着“秩序和进步”。 国徽： 图案中间突出一颗大五角星，象征国家的独立和团结。大五角星内的蓝色圆面上有五个小五角星，代表南十字星座；圆环中有２２个小五角星，代表巴西各州和联邦区。大五角星周围环绕着用咖啡叶和烟草叶编织的花环，背后竖立一把剑，剑柄在五角星下端。绶带上用葡萄牙文写着“巴西联邦共和国”，“１８８９年１１月１５日”（共和国成立日）。 重要节日： 独立日：９月７日（１８２２年）；国庆日：９月７日（１８２２年）；印第安人日：４月１９日；吉卜赛人日：５月２４日。 国家政要： 总统卢拉·达席尔瓦 (Lula da Silva) ，２００２年１０月当选，２００３年１月１日任职；２００６年１０月再次当选 ，２００７年１月１日正式宣誓就职 。 自然地理：８５１．４２万平方公里（资料来源《巴西四月年鉴》），是拉丁美洲面积最大的国家。位于南美洲东南部。北邻法属圭亚那、苏里南、圭亚那、委内瑞拉和哥伦比亚，西邻秘鲁、玻利维亚、南接巴拉圭、阿根廷和乌拉圭，东濒大西洋。海岸线长７４００多公里，领海宽度１２海里，领海外专属经济区１８８海里。国土８０％位于热带地区，最南端属亚热带气候。北部亚马孙平原属赤道气候，年平均气温２７－２９℃。中部高原属热带草原气候，分旱、雨季。南部地区平均气温１６－１９℃。 人口：１. ８１６亿（２００４年），占世界人口的２．８％，居拉美首位。其中白种人占５４. ０３％，黑白混血种人占３９. ９４％，黑种人占５. ３９％，黄种人占０.４６%，印第安人约占０. １６％。葡萄牙语为官方语言。７１％的居民信奉天主教。 巴西“印第安人日” 首都： 巴西利亚（Brasilia） ，人口２０５．１万人（２０００年），融汇了世界古今建筑艺术的精华，有“世界建筑博览会”之称。城市建造在人工湖旁，以三权广场为核心，形状像一架头朝东方的巨型飞机。１９８７年，联合国教科文组织宣布将巴西利亚城列为“人类文化财富”。 行政区划：全国共分为２６个州和１个联邦区（巴西利亚联邦区），州下设市，全国共有５５６２个市。各州名称如下：阿克里、阿拉戈斯、亚马孙、阿马帕、巴伊亚、塞阿拉、圣埃斯皮里图、戈亚斯、马拉尼昂、马托格罗索、南马托格罗索、米纳斯吉拉斯、帕拉、帕拉伊巴、巴拉那、伯南布哥、皮奥伊、北里奥格兰德、南里奥格兰德、里约热内卢、朗多尼亚、罗赖马、圣卡塔琳、圣保罗、塞尔希培、托坎廷斯。 简史：古代巴西为印地安人居住地。１５００年４月２２日葡萄牙航海家卡布拉尔到达巴西。１６世纪沦为葡萄牙殖民地。１８０７年拿破仑入侵葡萄牙，葡王室逃到巴西后，巴西实际上成了葡的帝国中心。１８２１年葡王室迁回里斯本，王子佩德罗留巴西任摄政王。１８２２年９月７日获得独立，建立巴西帝国。１８８８年５月废除奴隶制度。１８８９年１１月１５日丰塞卡将军发动政变废除帝制，成立共和国。１８９１年２月２４日通过第一部共和国宪法，定国名为巴西合众国。１９６０年将首都由里约热内卢迁往巴西利亚。１９６４年３月３１日，军人政变上台，实行独裁统治，１９６７年改国名为巴西联邦共和国 政治：１９８８年１０月５日颁布的新宪法规定，总统由直接选举产生，取消总统直接颁布法令的权力。总统是国家元首和政府首脑兼武装部队总司令。１９９４年和１９９７年议会通过宪法修正案，分别规定将总统任期缩短为四年，总统和各州、市长均可连选连任。国民议会由参议院和众议院组成，行使立法权，为国家最高权力机构。主要职能是制定一切联邦法律；确定和平时期武装力量编制及兵力；制定全国和地区性的发展计划；宣布大赦令；授权总统宣布战争或和平；批准总统和副总统出访；批准或撤消总统签署的临时性法令、联邦干预或戒严令；审查总统及政府行政开支；批准总统签署国际条约；决定临时迁都等。内阁为政府行政机构，内阁成员由总统任命。 经济： 巴西经济实力居拉美首位。1992年巴西国内生产总值4305亿美元。1994年7月1日废除原货币名称克鲁赛罗雷亚尔(废除时1美元兑2750克鲁赛罗雷亚尔)，同时命名新货币名称为雷亚尔（1美元兑1雷亚尔）。1995年2月3日汇率1美元兑0.8394雷亚尔。 巴西矿产资源丰富，已探明铁矿砂储量650亿吨，产量和出口量居世界第二位。铀矿、铝矾土、锰矿储量居世界第三位。此外还有较丰富的铬矿、镍矿和黄金矿。煤矿储量230亿吨，但品位低。石油储量约36亿桶，另有相当于15亿桶石油的油页岩，天然气储量1330亿立方米。水力资源丰富。森林覆盖率为52.2％。工业居拉美之首。70年代建成了比较完整的工业体系，主要工业部门有钢铁、汽车、造船、石油、水泥、化工、冶金、电力、纺织、建筑等。核电、通讯、电子、飞机制造、军工等已跨入世界先进国家的行列。 咖啡、蔗糖、柑橘生产居世界第一位，可可、大豆为第二位，玉米居第三。粮食基本自给，但需进口一小部分小麦。畜牧业发达。 主要旅游点有里约热内卢、圣保罗、萨尔瓦多的教堂和古老建筑、巴西利亚、伊瓜苏瀑布、伊泰普水电站、马瑙斯自由港、黑金城、巴拉那石林等。 巴西公路运输占全国运输总量的70％，铁路占17％，水路不足10％。公路总长150万千米，铁路总长3.03万千米。主要港口有维多利亚、桑多斯、里约热内卢等。全国有3家航空公司。 主要贸易对象为美国、欧共体、日本、中东及拉美邻国。主要进口石油、化工原料、光学仪器、小麦等。出口钢材、交通运输设备、铁矿砂、纸浆、皮鞋、咖啡、糖、大豆、橙汁等。 文化教育： 中小学实行两级制，第一级小学、初中共8年，第二级高中(包括技校、中专)3年。大学一般4～5年。高等院校有圣保罗大学、里约热内卢联邦大学、圣保罗天主教大学、巴西利亚大学等。主要报纸有：《圣保罗之叶报》、《环球报》、《圣保罗州报》和《巴西日报》。主要杂志有《标题》、《请看》、《这就是先生》和《视界》等周刊。有电视台7家。政府管理的有两家国家电视台和教育电视台。 对外关系： 巴西奉行独立自主、人民自决、尊重主权、不干涉原则、和平解决冲突和友好共处的对外政策。确定对外关系的重点为美国、西欧、日本和拉美国家等。 巴西与中国于1974年8月15日建交，此后，两国在政治、经贸、科技、文化等领域的交流不断发展。 巴西把发展与美国的关系放在优先位置，双方政治、贸易关系密切。美国是巴西主要的贸易对象、最大的债权国和投资国，投资额占外国在巴西总投资额的1／3。1991年两国贸易总额近百亿美元。但两国在核能、环保、外债、贸易等领域存在分歧与摩擦。 巴西同西欧国家有着传统的密切关系。西欧是巴西主要的出口市场和资金、技术的来源地。西欧各国在巴西的投资额约占同期外国在巴西投资的50％。1991年巴西向欧洲共同体出口额为97.7亿美元。 日本是巴西发展与亚太地区国家关系的重点，是巴西在亚洲的最大贸易对象和原材料市场。日本在巴西直接投资占全部外国投资的9.7％，仅次于美国和德国。 中东地区是巴西石油主要来源和重要贸易市场，1991年贸易额达28亿美元。 主要城市概况： 二、圣保罗概况（São Paulo） 圣保罗建市于1554年，是巴西也是南美最大的城市，圣保罗州首府，位于该州东南部。海拔760米，面积超过1500平方千米，是巴黎的三倍，人口超一千六百万。圣保罗市气候宜人，一年之中气候、温度变化不太大，而早晚温差 较大，有“一年之中无四季，一日之中有四季”之说。巴西季节与国内相反，每年12 月至次年2 月是圣保罗的夏季，多雨，不过最高温度也就是在30 度左右；每年6-8 月是圣保罗的冬天，平均气温也在16-20 度上下； 圣保罗是全国最大的工业中心，金融中心，文化中心。在这里集中了全国工业生产门类的一半左右，工业产值也约占全国产值的一半，全国500家最大公司有3/5的总部设立在这里。圣保罗拥有3000家金融机构，1300多家银行，桑托斯是世界上最大咖啡输出港。这里同时拥有包括著名的圣保罗大学、医科大学在内的数十所高等院校、6家电视台和270多家报刊社和藏书几百万册的国家图书馆。圣保罗每年创造的财富高于世界上1/4的国家年国民生产总值。 圣保罗是一座现代化的城市，400多年来以令人眼花缭乱的速度不断变化和更新。众多立交桥，多条地铁线路，环城高速公路以及直升飞机公司都使得交通十分便利。圣保罗的商业区主要集中在保利斯塔大街(Paulista)和共和广场（Praça de República）一带。主要出售一些手工艺品，宝石，古董。在东方街（Liberdade）随处可见中文招牌，中餐馆和出售中国商品的商店。 圣保罗主要旅游景点： 1．天主教大教堂 （Catedral Metropolitana）: 南美洲最大教堂，落成于1954年，高耸的哥特式建筑，气势宏伟，周围是步行广场，购物区之一。 2．伊比拉普埃拉公园（Ibirapuera Park）: 位于圣保罗南郊，占地160万平方米，内有人工湖，群雕，众多博物馆，是世界上有名的大公园之一。 3．东方街（Liberdade）: 众多日本中国朝鲜侨民居住的地方，里面具有鲜明的东方文化氛围，有众多中国人经营的餐馆，商店，旅行社。 三、巴西利亚概况 （Brasília） 巴西利亚地处巴西高原中部，气候分为干湿两季，湿季从9月至4月，干季从每年5月至8月。干湿两季分别明显，早晚温差也较大，年平均气温19度。人口210万。 巴西利亚是本世纪50年代末在巴西内地戈亚斯州境内海拔1000多米的高原上兴建的。1960年，首都正式由旧都里约热内卢迁移至此。 城市按照巴西著名建筑师卢西奥科斯培的“飞机型总体规划图”建设。通过拦河筑坝，建成一个人工湖，而整个城市宛若一架昂首待飞的巨型喷气式飞机，寓意巴西正迎着朝阳展翅飞翔。 “机头”为三权广场，即议会、法院和总统府的所在地；机身是一条8公里长、250宽的东西向主干大道，其中“前仓”政府各部广场，两侧排列这各部办公楼，“后舱”是文教区、体育城、国家剧院、电视塔等建筑；“机尾”是为首都服务的工业区；“机翼”是沿人工湖展开的立交道和居民住宅街区。三权广场是巴西首都的核心。其议会大厦由两座并肩而立的28层大楼组成，有一过道相连，呈“H"形，是葡萄牙文“人”的第一个字母，寓意“一切为了人”的立法宗旨。 大楼两侧的平台上有两只巨碗型的奇特建筑，右边众议院大楼侧是个仰天的“大碗”，象征“广纳民意”；左边参议院大楼侧是个倒扣的“大碗”，象征“集中民意”。“碗”下侧是两院会议大厅，以及餐厅、商店、车库等附属建筑。 巴西利亚主要旅游景点： 1） 三权广场：巴西标志性建筑之一，也是巴西旅游必到景点之一。 广场周围环绕众议会，参议会，国家大法院，总统府，外交部，国家民族独立纪念馆，劳动者纪念碑等众多建筑。每两周一次的升降国旗仪式也常常吸引众多游客。 2） 总统纪念堂：位于“飞机”中部，JK总统塑像面向议会大楼，纪念堂内陈列了总统纪念灵柩，和巴西利亚建设时期留下的各种历史文物。 3） 巴西利亚大教堂：该教堂为双曲线形的透明建筑，内顶悬挂巨型天使塑像。在此国家元首经常举行一些重大活动，教皇佩德罗二世访问巴西时曾在这里宣讲。 四 、里约热内卢办事处概况 （Rio de Janeiro） 位于巴西国土的东南部,在向北伸入的瓜纳巴拉湾西岸,有长达14公里的跨湾公路大桥与东岸的尼泰罗伊市相连.1502年1月,葡萄牙殖民者来到海湾,误以为这里是一条大河的入海口,随口起名"一月的河",译音便是"里约热内卢". 半个世纪后奠基的城市就以此为名.经过400多年的发展,里约热内卢已经成为仅次于圣保罗的特大城市和工商业、金融中心，与桑托斯港并列的最大外贸港口，并且集中了巴西最著名的博物馆，拥有拉丁美洲最大的图书馆、世界最大的足球场，以及全国最大的公园、植物园等。 耸立在瓜纳巴拉湾南口的两座状如面包的山峰（奥库卡山）是里约热内卢的标志。乘电缆车登上海拔395米的山顶，举目远眺，美丽的里约热内卢城尽收眼底：瓜纳巴拉湾波光粼粼，白帆点点；湾畔绵延的海滩上银沙耀目，游人如蚁，太阳伞如朵朵鲜花盛开；宽阔的海滨大道一直伸向看不见的尽头，来往汽车穿梭不绝，面海而立的现代化楼群密密麻麻...... 世界上许多信奉基督教的国家都有狂欢节，但论规模之大，参加者之众，内容之丰富，气氛之热烈，要首推巴西，而在巴西各大城市中，又数里约热内卢为最。每年的二月中下旬，巴西举国欢腾三天三夜。届时，里约热内卢的大街小巷张灯结彩，彩旗飞扬，到处披了节日的盛装。人们倾城出动，潮水般涌上街头，男女老少个个浓妆艳抹，尽情地扭动腰肢，挥动双手，大跳特跳桑巴舞.仿佛要把一年来积压在心头的忧虑和辛劳全部发泄出去。各种音乐、舞蹈、戏剧演出和比赛此起彼伏。盛大的化妆游行巴节日欢庆活动推向高潮，大型彩车簇拥着选举产生的“国王”、“王后”领先开路，浩浩荡荡的队伍中，魔鬼、天使、美女、妖仙、武士、达官、贵人、黑奴等各种奇形怪状的打扮令人眼花缭乱，目不暇接；观众为自己喜爱的人物喝彩叫好，投去鲜花和彩带。一年一度的狂欢节，淋漓尽致的表现出巴西人热情奔放的民族性格。 里约热内卢主要旅游景点： 1） 耶稣山(科尔多瓦山)，因山顶建有高38米、重1200吨的耶稣雕像而得名，它已成为巴西国家的象征。 2） 里约海滩：从北至南先后绵延数十公里的海滩，已经成为世界各地旅游者向往的目的地之一，其中又以COPACAPANA和IPANEMA最为著名。 五、巴西打电话规则： 由于巴西是本地长途分开运营，所以要自己选择长途电话供应商。 1． 国内长途，首先拨运营商接入代码，(15是Telefonica，21是Embratel，41是TIM)，然后是国内区号和电话号码 比如在圣保罗拨里约办公室的电话号码：015-21-22957286，015代表是使用Telefonica的巴西国内长途，21是里约的区号，22967286是里约办公室号码。（圣保罗11，里约21，巴西利亚61，维多利亚 27） 2．国际长途 首先拨运营商接入代码，然后是国家内代码和电话号码，比如拨国内电话：0015-86-755-26770622 0015是使用Telefonica的国际长途 3、紧急电话 紧急呼叫:190 火警:193 匪警:190 救护车:192 4、如何打免费电话：本地拨9090+对方号码即可，长途拨90+运营商接入号0015或0021+城市代码+电话号码 （接通后会有一段葡萄牙语提示音，请等待） 7．手机使用信息： 巴西全境1800MHZ GSM网络手机可以使用，只需购买TIM预付费卡（meu plano），以及充值卡即可。充值时点击STK目录菜单，一直选择至RECARGA菜单，输入充值卡密码，点击确定，发送短信，收到回复，即完成充值。 六．航班及出行信息 由国内至巴西可选择航线较多，常见航线有：经欧洲可选法航，汉沙，荷兰航空等，经约翰内斯堡可以选择南非航空公司，经美国可以选择美联航的班机，但需要准备美国签证； 其中欧洲转机时间较长，机场花费较高，请各位提前做好准备； 巴西境内航空公司主要为TAM与VARIG两家所包揽。 其中TAM与法航为同盟伙伴，可以用法航SKYTEAM卡 VARIG属于世界最大的STARALLIENCE航空集团，与包括汉沙，南非，美联航等15家航空公司共享里程积分。 前往巴西的其他注意事项： 1. 关于信用卡：VISA MASTER信用卡在巴西通用，如需要取现请提前申请取款密码。 2. 关于行李托运：切勿在托运行李中夹带现金及贵重物品！因法航对携带行李限重20Kg，建议需携带较多行李的同事选择德航（准带40Kg行李）； 3. 请保留好入境单（入境时填写的一张绿色纸条），办理延签时要用； 4. 巴西货币，目前汇率一美元约兑换2.1 海奥左右， 5. 巴西当地电源电压一般为110V，220V 电源很少见，各位如果携带电器，请注意一下电 6. 国内GSM 手机（900M/1.8G 双频）可以在巴西使用，请自备，到达巴西后购买SIM 卡即可使用； 7. 最好从国内携带拖鞋，当地拖鞋质量差且贵；其他日常用品当地都能购到，价格也不算太贵。 巴西足球 桑巴之王——巴西足球队 巴西足协成立于1914年，1923年加入国际足联。 至2002年巴西已经是第17次进入世界杯决赛圈。巴西是世界上唯一参加了历次 世界杯决赛阶段比赛的球队。自从1930年世界杯举行以来，巴西人没有缺席过一届世 界杯盛会，这在世界足坛是独一无二的记录。“球王”贝利说，没有巴西队参加的世界杯 将是不可想象的。 巴西队还是世界上唯一一支5次获得世界杯冠军的球队。此外，巴西队还获二次亚 军，2次第三，1次第四，是世界杯历史上成绩最好的球队。至2002年，巴西队共7 次打入世界杯决赛，与德国队持平。 1950年，巴西队首次举办世界杯，这是巴西举办的唯一一届。在这届比赛中，巴 西队一路顺风打入决赛，但在决赛中却意外地以1：2负于乌拉圭队。1958年，巴西 在瑞典首次得世界杯，当时年仅17岁的贝利以及加林查为巴西队夺冠立下了汗马功 劳。1962年，在智利举办的世界杯上，巴西队卫冕成功。1970年，巴西队在墨西 哥第3次夺冠。球员迪迪、瓦瓦、加林查、亚伊辛尼奥和贝利已经成为传奇式的人物。 1994年世界杯在美国举行，巴西在击败意大利后第4次夺冠，成为第一个4次夺得世 界杯的国家。巴西还获得这届世界杯的公平竞赛奖和赏心悦目奖。 自从以务实风格著称的斯科拉里出任巴西国家队主教练后，巴西队整体上已经很难看 见南美足球轻灵飘逸的风格。除了个别球员在临场发挥上偶有赏心悦目的表现，如今的巴 西队整体水平似乎有所下降。斯科拉里的足球思想是为了胜利，可以不断地犯规。只要 球，哪怕踢得再难看也无所谓。喜爱巴西足球的球迷在世界杯上可能会感到失望，因为他 们熟悉的巴西队已经一去不返。 巴西队是技术型打法的代表，队员个人技术好，单兵作战能力强。 巴西队历史上的名将有：“球王”贝利、加林查、迪迪、瓦瓦、济科、法尔考、苏格 拉底、罗马里奥、贝贝托、罗纳尔多。其中，贝利是有史以来无可争议的最伟大的球员。 传统队服: 带绿色条纹的黄色上衣, 蓝色短裤, 白底绿条纹的球袜。 巴西成绩统计： 世界杯参赛纪录：共17次入围世界杯决赛圈（1930，34，38，50，54， 58，62，66，70，74，78，82，86，90，94， 98） 世界杯足球赛冠军：5次，1958、1962、1970、1994、2002。 美洲杯足球赛冠军：6次，1919、1922、1949、1989、1997、2007 巴西队7次参加决赛的成绩： 1950年（巴西）：巴西队以1：2负于乌拉圭队，获得亚军。 1958年（瑞典）：巴西队以5：2胜瑞典队，获得冠军。 1962年（智利）：巴西队以3：1胜捷克斯洛伐克队，获得冠军。 1970年（墨西哥）：巴西队以4：1胜意大利队，获得冠军。 1994年（美国）：巴西队点球3：2战胜意大利，获得冠军，120分钟0：0战平。 1998年（法国）：巴西队以0：3负于法国队，获得亚军。 2002年（日本 韩国）： 巴西队以2：0胜德国队，获得冠军 世界杯历史 1930 - 首轮被淘汰 1934 - 首轮被淘汰 1938 - 获得第三名 1950 - 半决赛被淘汰 1954 - 四分之一决赛被淘汰 1958 - 获冠军 1962 - 获冠军 1966 - 首轮被淘汰 1970 - 获冠军 1974 - 第四名 1978 - 第三名 1982 - 第二阶段被淘汰 1986 - 四分之一决赛被淘汰 1990 - 第二轮被淘汰 1994 - 获冠军 1998 - 亚军 2002 - 获冠军 2006 - 四分之一决赛被淘汰 世界杯数据统计： 参加世界杯总场次 80场 胜 53场 平 14场 负 13场 进球 78个 世界杯总积分 120分 球队参加世界杯纪录： 比分最悬殊的胜利：1950年以7：1胜瑞典 比分最悬殊的失败：1998年以0：3负于法国队 世界杯最佳射手：罗纳尔多，攻入15球。 参世界杯赛场次最多的球员：邓加和塔法雷尔，共参加18场比赛。 举办过的世界杯：1950年 足坛明星：贝利、加林沙、卡雷卡、苏格拉底、法尔考、济科、邓加、罗马里奥、 贝贝托、罗纳尔多、罗纳尔迪尼奥、里瓦尔多等 “咖啡王国”——巴西 拉美大国巴西以咖啡质优、味浓而驰名全球，是世界上最大的咖啡生产国和出口国，素有“咖啡王国”之称。咖啡原产于非洲的埃塞俄比亚，１７２７年传入巴西。巴西位于南美洲东南，地处热带和亚热带，独特的地理和气候条件很适合种植咖啡，加之劳动力廉价，咖啡种植业迅速兴起。１９世纪，巴西的咖啡种植几乎遍及全国，随后又形成持续近一个世纪之久的“咖啡繁荣期”。咖啡大面积种植，给巴西带来了财富和繁荣。２０世纪初，巴西的咖啡产量占世界总产量的百分之七十五以上，从而赢得了“咖啡王国”的美称。咖啡是巴西国民经济的重要支柱之一。全国有大大小小的咖啡种植园５０万个，种植面积约２２０万公顷，从业人口达６００多万，年产咖啡２００万吨左右，年出口创汇近２０亿美元。近年来，由于出口结构的变化和国际咖啡市场不景气，巴西咖啡生产和出口量有所下降。巴西人酷爱咖啡。６０年代，巴西人均年咖啡消费量达５·８公斤。近二十年来，随着其它饮料的出现，巴西人均咖啡消费量仍超过３公斤。在巴西，无论在城市还是乡村，各式各样的咖啡屋随处可见。人们几乎随时随地都可以喝到浓郁芳香的热咖啡。 2.同名电影 中文名称：巴西/巴西在哪里/妙想天开 英文名称：Brazil 导 演： 特里·吉列姆 Terry Gilliam 主 演： 罗伯特·德尼罗 Robert De Niro 特里·吉列姆 Terry Gilliam 伊恩·霍姆 Ian Holm 乔纳森·普雷西 Jonathan Pryce 吉姆·布兰德本特 Jim Broadbent 凯瑟琳·赫尔蒙德 Katherine Helmond 罗伯·哈斯金斯 Bob Hoskins 迈克尔·佩林 Michael Palin 上 映： 1985年02月20日 ( 法国 ) 地 区： 英国 ( 拍摄地 ) 对 白： 英语 颜 色： 彩色 声 音： Dolby 时 长： 142分钟 比一般版本多11分钟 类 型： 科幻 喜剧 奇幻 分 级： 瑞典：15 英国：15 澳大利亚：M 芬兰：K-16 挪威：16 阿根廷：16 智利：18 加拿大：14A 剧情简介： 人类的社会形态未来要向何处去，对于这个问题除了科幻童话故事里面会有美满结局以外，几乎近代的每一个严肃的思想家都做出了悲观的结论。也许是想象不够大胆，也许是现代社会的许多弊病无法根除，未来总是在思想家大脑里最黑暗的部分。不知道是不是会有物质极大丰富，人民为所欲为的一天，但就仍旧无法摆脱物质束缚的未来来说，阴暗的恐怖滋味仍然是无法避免的。 说了这么多关于未来的事，其实《妙想天开》也不能算是关于未来的科幻影片，而是一种关于社会形态的“社幻”影片。这部黑色喜剧色彩的幻想作品，是特里·吉廉姆早期名作之一，影片如同名著《1984》一样，营造出一个荒诞不经但又令人不寒而栗的未来世界。这个看似秩序无比的世界，看似无忧无虑的世界，其实是一个高度集权高度刻板高度扼杀人性的世界。说它是未来的世界，其实只是因为我们地球上没有这样一个国家、没有这样一种制度、没有这样一个社会。但这绝不表示我们与这个社会毫无关系，影片中的种种迹象表明，也许这就是我们的社会，也许这个社会和我们的社会不太一样，但你会发现他们从本质上都是一种状态——一个习惯于集权、习惯于官僚、习惯于毫无幻想的死板社会。 社会只是人类集体生活环境的一个宽泛的名词，它既广泛地包含了我们惯常争论的国家制度、意识形态、政府体制，又和这些名词概念有着显著的区别。在影片中的社会——也许就是我们的社会，人们生活在集权和秩序之中，软弱的个体不敢与国家机器对抗。其实，影片中貌似强大的国家机器不堪轻轻一击，影片开始就是一只甲虫飞进打字机，一宗冤案于是产生了；但女主人公吉尔在咨询管理局轻轻一挥手，就把搜查仪器打得找不到北；飞侠一般的达脱只用一个小小的代用品就解决了中央服务社百般推诿的维修工作；劳伊只用一根皮管子就把咨询总局的文件传递系统搞垮，整个国家机器其实脆弱到了难以维持的地步。 虽然整个系统如此脆弱，但还是能调动国家机器的爪牙毫无阻挡地消灭一个又一个“安善良民”——越是良民越容易被消灭，炸弹横飞的恐怖分子却在影片中连面都不露，也许这些名义上的恐怖分子只是政府用来转移注意力和加强国家统治的一个烟幕。 主人公山姆，虽然是政府公务人员，又有上流社会背景，最终还是因为对爱情的追求和对制度的反叛而最终丧命。虽然没有《1984》中的老大哥，但在影片中，这个杀人制度的代表，上有总局长官霍夫曼，中有总局官员杰克和华伦，下有中央服务社的两个冷气修理工，他们无不是这个杀人制度的帮凶。这个看似严密的制度，其实漏洞百出，一只蟑螂足以让一个无辜之人怨死狱中，足以毁掉一个普通家庭。虽然没有明确指出，但影片中处处可见的官僚作风正是这个制度下必然的产物，也是这个制度必将坍塌的征兆。 同样不言自明，资讯总局和资讯管理局，让我们自然而然地联想起臭名昭著的中央情报局和克格勃，以及众多的情报机关。影片并没有对社会形态有太多的指涉，但它对国家集权状态的揭示和批判却是具有普遍意义的。 为了营造这个高度秩序的社会，导演安排了各种细节，既不失黑色幽默的趣味性，又强烈地暗示了这个社会的死板腐朽。在餐厅里，所有客人都是按照号码来点餐的，而不管你点的是几号，端上来的永远是同一种东西，只不过是颜色的差别而已。而对中央服务社傲慢的维修工，尽可以用“B-6”表格让他们浑身颤抖面无人色。一张支票无法投递，竟然让咨询管理局的头头有末日来临的感觉。在劳伊最后的梦境中，达脱为了解救他脱险，领着队员与警察血战，而四周的清洁工居然旁若无人地还在打扫大厅，实在是黑色幽默之极。 山姆，一方面还能保持基本的独立性，一方面又沉溺于飞翔和拯救的幻想。梦境于他，和真正的现实生活同样重要，甚至还犹有过之。梦境里，至少他还有爱情，还有飞翔的快感，甚至还有恶魔和巨人可以为敌，现实生活的苍白刻板在梦境的华丽丰富面前愈加凸显。在劳伊最后的幻想里，梦境与现实直接相交，达脱从天而降，把他救出死亡。但现实是悲剧的，他和吉尔逃离社会的幻想是天真的，这个“政治恐怖”的社会不允许一个人脱离自己的位置。你可以死亡，但不能离开。 演员表： 罗伯特·德尼罗 Robert De Niro .... Archibald 'Harry' Tuttle 特里·吉列姆 Terry Gilliam .... Smoking man at Shang-ri La Towers (uncredited) 伊恩·霍姆 Ian Holm .... Mr. M. Kurtzmann 乔纳森·普雷西 Jonathan Pryce .... Sam Lowry 吉姆·布兰德本特 Jim Broadbent .... Dr. Jaffe 凯瑟琳·赫尔蒙德 Katherine Helmond .... Mrs. Ida Lowry 罗伯·哈斯金斯 Bob Hoskins .... Spoor 迈克尔·佩林 Michael Palin .... Jack Lint Kim Greist .... Jill Layton 罗杰·阿斯顿·格里菲斯 Roger Ashton-Griffiths .... Priest 伊恩·理查森 Ian Richardson .... Mr. Warrenn Terence Bayler .... T.V Commercial Presente Anthony Brown .... Porter - Information Retrieval Patrick Connor .... Cell Guard Ray Cooper .... Technician 【首都】 巴西尼亚是巴西的首都，是座新兴的现代化城市。 于巴西中部戈亚斯州高原，地处马拉尼翁河和维尔德河汇合处的三角地带。巴西尼亚城区人口41.1万，连同周围8个卫星城组成的联邦区，面积5814平方公里，人口120万。 巴西尼亚被称为超级现代化的都市，由卢西奥柯斯达和奥斯卡尼梅耶尔两人设计的。 市区的建筑风格新颖独特，多姿多彩，融会世界古今建筑艺术的精华，有"世界建设博览会"之称。 巴西尼亚建在巴西尼亚人工湖旁，以三权广场为核心，形同一架喷气式飞机。总统府、国会、最高法院和政府各部大楼建在机头部门，机身是城市的交通主轴，其两旁是建筑规格划一的高楼群；机两翼是商业区、住宅区、旅馆区；机舱后部是为首都服务的工业区和印刷出版区。东部的普拉纳尔托宫是总统府所在地。总统官邸叫曙光宫。 外交部在伊塔玛拉蒂宫，该建筑位于湖中的岛上，四周玻璃墙辉映着湖光水色，有"水晶宫"之称。国家剧院的外形像埃及的金字塔。巴西尼亚大教堂如同罗马教皇的圆形帽。这里还可以看到西班牙的古城堡和欧洲巴罗克式建筑。与上述建筑群相交叉的是从北向西南沿着三条大街排列着的一组组住宅建筑群，逶迤10公里左右。这些建筑皆与湖岸曲线相平行排列，很像一弯新月。住宅区建筑风格各异，多姿多彩：有的鳞次栉比，紧相连接；有的相对集中，形成四方形的群体。 Brazil was a colony of Portugal from the landing of Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500 until its independence in 1822. Initially independent as the Brazilian Empire, the country has been a republic since 1889, although the bicameral legislature; now called Congress, dates back to 1824, when the first constitution was ratified. Its current Constitution defines Brazil as a Federal Republic. The Federation is formed by the union of the Federal District, the 26 States, and the 5,564 Municipalities. Brazil is the world's tenth largest economy at market exchange rates and the ninth largest in purchasing power. Economic reforms have transformed it into an emerging great power; founding member of the United Nations and the Union of South American Nations. A Roman Catholic, Portuguese-speaking, and multiethnic society, Brazil is also home to a diversity of wildlife, natural environments, and extensive natural resources in a variety of protected habitats. Within Brazil's current borders, most native tribes who were living in the land by the year 1500 are thought to have descended from the first wave of migrants from North Asia (Siberia), who are believed to have crossed the Bering Land Bridge at the end of the last Ice Age, around 9000 BC. At the time of European discovery, the territory of modern Brazil had as many as 2,000 nations and tribes, an estimated total population of nearly 3 million Amerindians. A somewhat dated linguistic survey found 188 living indigenous languages with 155,000 total speakers. On 18 January 2007, Fundação Nacional do Índio reported that it had confirmed the presence of 67 different uncontacted tribes in Brazil, up from 40 in 2005. With this addition, Brazil is now confirmed as having the largest number of uncontacted peoples in the world, even more than the island of New Guinea. When the Portuguese arrived in 1500, the Amerindians were mostly semi-nomadic tribes, living mainly on the coast and along the banks of major rivers. Unlike Christopher Columbus who thought he had reached the East Indies, the Portuguese, most notably by Vasco da Gama, had already reached India via the Indian Ocean route when they reached Brazil. Nevertheless, the word índios ("Indians") was by then established to designate the peoples of the New World and stuck being used today in the Portuguese language, while the people of India are called indianos in order to distinguish the two peoples. Initially, the Europeans saw the natives as noble savages, and miscegenation of the population began right away. Tribal warfare, cannibalism, and the pursuit of brazilwood for its treasured red dye convinced the Portuguese that they should civilize the Amerindians. Colonization Map of Brazil issued by the Portuguese explorers in 1519.Initially Portugal had little interest in Brazil, mainly because of high profits gained through commerce with Indochina. After 1530, the Portuguese Crown devised the Hereditary Captaincies system to effectively occupy its new colony, and later took direct control of the failed captaincies. Although temporary trading posts were established earlier to collect brazilwood, used as a dye, with permanent settlement came the establishment of the sugar cane industry and its intensive labor. Several early settlements were founded across the coast, among them the colonial capital, Salvador, established in 1549 at the Bay of All Saints in the north, and the city of Rio de Janeiro on March 1567, in the south. The Portuguese colonists adopted an economy based on the production of agricultural goods that were exported to Europe. Sugar became by far the most important Brazilian colonial product until the early 18th century. Even though Brazilian sugar was reputed as being of high quality, the industry faced a crisis during the 17th and 18th centuries when the Dutch and the French started producing sugar in the Antilles, located much closer to Europe, causing sugar prices to fall. During the 18th century, private explorers who called themselves the Bandeirantes found gold and diamond deposits in the state of Minas Gerais. The exploration of these mines were mostly used to finance the Portuguese Royal Court's expenditure with both the preservation of its Global Empire and the support of its luxury lifestyle at mainland. The way in which such deposits were exploited by the Portuguese Crown and the powerful local elites, however, burdened colonial Brazil with excessive taxes. Some popular movements supporting independence came about against the taxes established by the colonial government, such as the Tiradentes in 1789, but the secessionist movements were often dismissed by the authorities of the ruling colonial regime. Gold production declined towards the end of the 18th century, starting a period of relative stagnation of the Brazilian hinterland. Both Amerindian and African slaves' man power were largely used in Brazil's colonial economy. In contrast to the neighbouring Spanish possessions in South America, the Portuguese colony of Brazil kept its territorial, political and linguistic integrity due to the action of the Portuguese administrative effort. Although the colony was threatened by other nations across the era of Portuguese rule, in particular by Dutch and French powers, the authorities and the people ultimately managed to protect its borders from foreign attacks. Portugal even had to send bullion to Brazil, a spectacular reversal of the colonial trend, in order to protect the integrity of the colony. Empire Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil in 1873.In 1808, the Portuguese court, fleeing from Napoleon’s troops who had invaded Portugal, established themselves in the city of Rio de Janeiro, which thus became the seat of government of Portugal and the entire Portuguese Empire, even though being located outside of Europe. Rio de Janeiro was the capital of the Portuguese empire from 1808 to 1815. After then the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves (1815-1825) was created with Lisbon as its capital. After João VI returned to Portugal in 1821, his heir-apparent Pedro became regent of the Kingdom of Brazil, within the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves. Following a series of political incidents and disputes, Brazil achieved its independence from Portugal on September 7, 1822. On October 12, 1822, Dom Pedro became the first Emperor of Brazil, being crowned on December 1, 1822. Portugal would recognize Brazil as an independent country in 1825. In 1824, Pedro closed the Constituent Assembly, stating that the body was "endangering liberty". Pedro then produced a constitution modeled on that of Portugal (1822) and France (1814). It specified indirect elections and created the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government; however, it also added a fourth branch, the "moderating power", to be held by the Emperor. Pedro's government was considered economically and administratively inefficient. Political pressures eventually made the Emperor step down on April 7, 1831. He returned to Portugal leaving behind his five-year-old son Pedro II. Until Pedro II reached maturity, Brazil was governed by regents from 1831 to 1840. The regency period was turbulent and marked by numerous local revolts including the Male Revolt, the largest urban slave rebellion in the Americas, which took place in Bahia in 1835. On July 23, 1840, Pedro II was crowned Emperor. His government was marked by a substantial rise in coffee exports, the War of the Triple Alliance, and the end of slave trade from Africa in 1865, although slavery in Brazilian territory would only be abolished in 1888. Brazil stopped trading slaves from Africa in 1850, with the Eusébio de Queirós law, and abandoned slavery altogether in 1888, thus becoming the last country of the Americas to ban slavery. When slavery was finally abolished, a large influx of European immigrants took place. By the 1870s, the Emperor's control of domestic politics had started to deteriorate in face of crises with the Catholic Church, the Army and the slaveholders. The Republican movement slowly gained strength. In the end, the empire fell due to a military coup d'etat and because the dominant classes no longer needed it to protect their interests and deeply resented the abolition of slavery. Indeed, imperial centralization ran counter to their desire for local autonomy. By 1889 Pedro II had stepped down and the Republican system had been adopted to Brazil. Republic The Chamber of Deputies of Brazil the lower house of the National Congress.Pedro II was deposed on November 15, 1889 by a Republican military coup led by general Deodoro da Fonseca, who became the country’s first de facto president through military ascension. The country’s name became the Republic of the United States of Brazil. From 1889 to 1930, the dominant states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais alternated control of the presidency. A military junta took control in 1930. Getúlio Vargas took office soon after, and would remain as dictatorial ruler (with a brief democratic period in between), until 1945. He was re-elected in 1951 and stayed in office until his suicide in 1954. After 1930, successive governments continued industrial and agricultural growth and the development of the vast interior of Brazil. Juscelino Kubitschek's office years (1956-1961) were marked by the political campaign motto of plunging "50 anos em 5" (English: fifty years of development in five). The military took office in Brazil in a coup d'état in 1964, and remained in power until March 1985, when it fell from grace because of political struggles between the regime and the Brazilian elites. In 1967 the name of the country was changed to Federative Republic of Brazil. Just as the Brazilian regime changes of 1889, 1930, and 1945 unleashed competing political forces and caused divisions within the military, so too did the 1964 regime change. Democracy was re-established in 1988 when the current Federal Constitution was enacted. Fernando Collor de Mello was the first president truly elected by popular vote after the military regime. Collor took office in March 1990. In September 1992, the National Congress voted for Collor's impeachment after a sequence of scandals were uncovered by the media. The vice-president, Itamar Franco, assumed the presidency. Assisted by the Minister of Finance at that time, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Itamar Franco's administration implemented the Plano Real economic package, which included a new currency temporarily pegged to the U.S. dollar, the real. In the elections held on October 3, 1994, Fernando Henrique Cardoso ran for president and won, being reelected in 1998. Brazil's current president is Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, elected in 2002 and reelected in 2006. Government and politics The National Congress in Brasília, the capital of Brazil.The Brazilian Federation is based on the union of three autonomous political entities: the States, the Municipalities and the Federal District. A fourth entity originated in the aforementioned association: the Union. There is no hierarchy among the political entities. The Federation is set on six fundamental principles: sovereignty, citizenship, dignity of the people, social value of labor, freedom of enterprise, and political pluralism. The classic tripartite branches of government (executive, legislative, and judicial under the checks and balances system), is formally established by the Constitution. The executive and legislative are organized independently in all four political entities, while the judiciary is organized only in the federal and state levels. All members of the executive and legislative branches are directly-elected. Judges and other judicial officials are appointed after passing entry exams. Voting is compulsory for those aged 18 or older. Four political parties stand out among several small ones: Workers' Party (PT), Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), and Democrats (formerly Liberal Front Party - PFL). Practically all governmental and administrative functions are exercised by authorities and agencies affiliated to the Executive. The form of government is that of a democratic republic, with a presidential system. The president is both head of state and head of government of the Union and is elected for a four-year term, with the possibility of re-election for a second successive term. The current president is Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He was elected on October 27, 2002, and re-elected on October 29, 2006. The President appoints the Ministers of State, who assist in governing. Legislative houses in each political entity are the main source of laws in Brazil. The National Congress is the Federation’s bicameral legislature, consisting of the Chamber of Deputies and the Federal Senate. Judiciary authorities exercise jurisdictional duties almost exclusively. Law The finance minister, Guido Mantega, and the former president of the Supreme Federal Court, Ellen Gracie Northfleet.Brazilian Law is based on Roman-Germanic traditions. Thus, civil law concepts prevail over common law practices. Most of Brazilian law is codified, although non-codified statutes also represent a substantial part of the system, playing a complementary role. Court decisions set out interpretive guidelines; however, they are not binding on other specific cases except in a few situations. Doctrinal works and the works of academic jurists have strong influence in law creation and in law cases. The legal system is based on the Federal Constitution, which was promulgated on October 5, 1988, and is the fundamental law of Brazil. All other legislation and court decisions must conform to its rules. As of April 2007, it has been through 53 Amendments. States adopt their own Constitutions, but they must also not contradict the Federal Constitution. Municipalities and the Federal District do not have their own Constitutions; instead, they adopt "organic laws" (leis orgânicas). Legislative entities are the main source of statutes, although in certain matters judiciary and executive bodies may enact legal norms. Jurisdiction is administered by the judiciary entities, although in rare situations the Federal Constitution allows the Federal Senate to pass on legal judgments. There are also specialized military, labor, and electoral courts. The highest court is the Supreme Federal Tribunal. This system has been criticised over the last decades due to the slow pace at which final decisions are issued. Lawsuits on appeal may take several years to resolve, and in some cases more than a decade to see definitive rulings. Foreign relations and the military Brazilian Army troops before boarding for MINUSTAH peacekeeping mission in Haiti.Brazil is a political and economic leader in Latin America. However, social and economic problems prevent it from becoming an effective global power. Between World War II and 1990, both democratic and military governments sought to expand Brazil's influence in the world by pursuing a state-led industrial policy and an independent foreign policy. More recently, the country has aimed to strengthen ties with other South American countries, engage in multilateral diplomacy through the United Nations and the Organization of American States. Brazil's current foreign policy is based on the country's position as a regional power in Latin America, a leader among developing countries, and an emerging world power. Brazilian foreign policy has generally reflected multilateralism, peaceful dispute settlement, and nonintervention in the affairs of other countries. The Brazilian Constitution also determines the country shall seek the economic, political, social and cultural integration of the nations of Latin America. The Armed forces of Brazil comprise the Brazilian Army, the Brazilian Navy, and the Brazilian Air Force. The Military Police (States' Military Police) is described as an ancillary force of the Army by constitution, but under the control of each state's governor. The Brazilian armed forces are the largest in Latin America. The Brazilian Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Brazilian armed forces, being the largest air force in Latin America, with about 700 manned aircraft in service. The Brazilian Navy is responsible for naval operations and for guarding Brazilian territorial waters. It is the oldest of the Brazilian Armed forces and the only navy in Latin America that operates an aircraft carrier, the NAeL São Paulo (formerly FS Foch of the French Navy). Finally, the Brazilian Army is responsible for land-based military operations, with a strength of approximately 190,000 soldiers. Subdivisions Atlantic OceanPacific OceanNorth RegionNortheast RegionCentral-West RegionSoutheast RegionSouth RegionAcreAmazonasParáRoraimaAmapáRondôniaTocantinsMaranhãoBahiaPiauíCearáRio Grande do NorteParaíbaPernambucoAlagoasSergipeMato GrossoMato Grosso do SulFederal DistrictGoiásMinas GeraisSão PauloRio de JaneiroEspírito SantoParanáSanta CatarinaRio Grande do SulArgentinaBoliviaChileColombiaFrench GuianaGuyanaParaguayPeruSurinameUruguayVenezuela Politically, Brazil is a federation of 26 states (estados) and one federal district (Distrito Federal) which contains the capital city, Brasília. The states are subdivided into municipalities. States are based on historical, conventional borders and have developed throughout the centuries; though some boundaries are arbitrary. The federal district is not a state on its right, but shares some characteristics of a state and some of a municipality. The national territory was divided in 1969 by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), for demographic and statistical purposes, into five main regions: North, Northeast, Central-West, Southeast and South. In 1943, with the entrance of Brazil into the Second World War, the Vargas regime detached seven strategic territories from the border of the country in order to administrate them directly: Amapá, Rio Branco, Acre, Guaporé, Ponta Porã, Iguaçu and the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha. After the war, the first three territories were retained as states, with Rio Branco and Guaporé being renamed Roraima and Rondônia, respectively. Ponta Porã and Iguaçu resorted to territorial status. In 1988, Fernando de Noronha became part of Pernambuco. In 1960, the square-shaped Distrito Federal was carved out of Goiás in preparation for the new capital, Brasília. The previous federal district became the state of Guanabara until in 1975 it was merged with the state of Rio de Janeiro, becoming the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. In 1977, Mato Grosso was split into two states. The northern area retained the name Mato Grosso while the southern area became the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, with Campo Grande as its capital. The new Mato Grosso do Sul incorporated the territory of Ponta Porã and the northern part of Iguaçu. Central Iguaçu went to Paraná, and southern Iguaçu went to Santa Catarina. In 1988, the northern portion of Goiás became the state of Tocantins, with Palmas as its capital. Regions The five regions of Brazil.The North region covers 45.27% of the land area of Brazil, and has the lowest number of inhabitants. With the exception of Manaus, which hosts a tax-free industrial zone, and Belém, the biggest metropolitan area of the region, it is fairly unindustrialized and undeveloped. It accommodates most of the rainforest vegetation of the world and many indigenous tribes. The Northeast region is inhabited by about 30% of Brazil's population. It is culturally diverse, with roots set in the Portuguese colonial period, and in Amerindian and Afro-Brazilian elements. It is also the poorest region of Brazil, and suffers from long periods of dry climate. The Central-West region has low demographic density when compared to the other regions, mostly because a part of its territory is covered by the world's largest marshlands area, the Pantanal as well as a small part of the Amazon Rainforest in the northwest. However, much of the region is also covered by Cerrado, the largest savanna in the world. The central-west region contributes significantly towards agriculture. The Southeast region is the richest and most densely populated. It has more inhabitants than any other South American country, and hosts one of the largest megalopolises of the world, and has the country's two largest cities; São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The region is very diverse, including the major business center of São Paulo, the historical cities of Minas Gerais and its capital Belo Horizonte, the third-largest metropolitan area in Brazil, the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, and the coast of Espírito Santo. The South region is the wealthiest by GDP per capita, and has the highest standard of living in the country. It is also the coldest region of Brazil, with occasional occurrences of frost and snow in some of the higher altitude areas. It has been settled mainly by European immigrants, mostly of Italian, German and Portuguese ancestry, being clearly influenced by these cultures. States The twenty-six states and the Federal District of Brazil.The Equatorial line cuts through the state of Amapá in the north, and the Tropic of Capricorn line cuts through the state of São Paulo. The southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul is further to the south than the entire European continent is to the north. Acre is in the far west side of the country, covered by the Amazon forest; Paraíba is the easternmost state of Brazil; Cabo Branco, in the city of João Pessoa, is the easternmost point of Brazil and the Americas. The states of Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, and Santa Catarina all have a temperate climate. São Paulo is the economic center of Brazil. Agriculture, industry, commerce, and services are the most diversified of Brazil. Although a large proportion is exported to other states and other countries, the consumer market of the state is also the biggest in the country. Different from other states, where settlement started in the coast and moved inwards, in São Paulo the center of the economy was in a non-coastal city. Rio de Janeiro, the most well known Brazilian city and with many famous landmarks, is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Older books may still reference the state of Guanabara: after the Federal District (capital of the Republic) was moved to Brasília in 1960, the city of Rio de Janeiro was elevated to the condition of state of Guanabara (name of the large bay which washes the city or Rio); however, in 1975, Guanabara was incorporated to the state of Rio and returned to the condition of municipality, with the old name of city of Rio de Janeiro. Geography The Amazon Rainforest comprises the largest and most species-rich tract of tropical rainforest in the world.Brazil occupies an immense area along the eastern coast of South America and includes much of the continent's interior region, sharing land borders with Uruguay to the south; Argentina and Paraguay to the southwest; Bolivia and Peru to the west; Colombia to the northwest; Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana and the overseas department of French Guiana to the north; stretching from the North to the Southern Hemisphere. The factors of size, relief, climate, and natural resources make Brazil geographically diverse. Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world—after Russia, Canada, the People's Republic of China and the United States—and third largest on the Americas; with a total area of 8,511,965 kilometers (5,289,090 mi), include 55,455 kilometers (34,458 mi) of water. It spans three time zones; from UTC-4, in the North (except Pará) and UTC-4, in the central states; to UTC-3, in the eastern states, the official time of Brazil, and UTC-2, in the Atlantic islands. Brazilian topography is also 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. The main upland area occupies most of the southern half of the country. The northwestern parts of the plateau consist of broad, rolling terrain broken by low, rounded hills. The southeastern section is more rugged, with a complex mass of ridges and mountain ranges reaching elevations of up to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft). These ranges include the Mantiqueira Mountains, the Espinhaço Mountains, and the Serra do Mar. In north, the Guiana Highlands form a major drainage divide, separating rivers that flow south into the Amazon Basin from rivers that empty into the Orinoco river system, in Venezuela, to the north. The highest point in Brazil is the Pico da Neblina with 3,014 metres (9,890 ft), and the lowest point is the Atlantic Ocean with 0 metres (0 ft). Brazil has a dense and complex system of rivers, one of the world's most extensive, with eight major drainage basins, all of which drain into the Atlantic Ocean. Major rivers include the Amazon, the largest river in terms of volume of water, and the second-longest in the world; 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. Climate Cyclone Catarina, the first tropical cyclone in the South Atlantic Ocean, formed in 2004.The climate of Brazil comprises a wide range of weather conditions across a large geographic scale and varied topography, but the largest part of the country is tropical and covered by the Amazon Rainforest. Analysed according to the Köppen system, Brazil hosts five major climatic subtypes: equatorial, tropical, semiarid, highland tropical, and temperate; ranging from equatorial rainforests in the north and semiarid deserts in the northeast, to temperate coniferous forests in the south and tropical savannas in central Brazil. Many regions have starkly different microclimates. A equatorial climate characterizes much of northern Brazil. There is no real dry season but there are some variations in the period of the year when most rain falls. Temperatures average 25 °C (77 °F), with more significant temperature variations between night and day than between seasons. Over central Brazil rainfall is more seasonal, characteristic of a savanna climate. This region is as large and extensive as the Amazon basin but, lying farther south and being at a moderate altitude, it has a very different climate. In the interior Northeast, seasonal rainfall is even more extreme. The semiarid climate region receives less than 800 millimetres (31 in) of rain, which falls in a period of two or three months. From the south of Bahía, near São Paulo, the distribution of rainfall changes, here some appreciable rainfall occurs in all months. The South has temperate conditions, with average temperatures below 18 °C (64 °F) and cool winters, frosts are quite common, with occasional snowfalls in the higher areas. Wildlife The Macaw is a typical animal of Brazil. The country has one of the world's most diverse populations of birds and amphibians.Brazil's large territory comprises different ecosystems, such as the Amazon Rainforest, recognized as having the greatest biological diversity in the world; the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado, which together sustain some of the world's greatest biodiversity. In the South, the Araucaria pine forest grows under temperate conditions. The rich wildlife of Brazil reflects the variety of natural habitats; however, remains largely unknown, and new species are found on nearly a daily basis. Scientists estimate that the total number of plant and animal species in Brazil could approach two million. Larger mammals include pumas, jaguars, ocelots, rare bush dogs, and foxes. Peccaries, tapirs, anteaters, sloths, opossums, and armadillos are abundant. Deer are plentiful in the south, and monkeys of many species abound in the northern rain forests. Concern for the environment in Brazil has grown in response to global interest in environmental issues. It's natural heritage is extremely threatened due to cattle ranching and agriculture, logging, mining, resettlement, oil and gas extraction, over-fishing, expansion of urban centres, wildlife trade, fire, climate change, dams and infrastructure, water contamination, and invasive species. In many areas of the country, the natural environment is threatened by development. Construction of highways has opened up previously remote areas for agriculture and settlement; dams have flooded valleys and inundated wildlife habitats; and mines have scarred and polluted the landscape. Economy São Paulo, the wealthiest and largest city in South America.Brazil is the largest national economy in Latin America, the world's tenth largest economy at market exchange rates and the ninth largest in purchasing power parity (PPP), according to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank; with large and developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing and service sectors, as well as a large labor pool. The country has been expanding its presence in international financial and commodities markets, and is regarded as one of the group of four emerging economies called BRIC. Brazilian exports are booming, creating a new generation of tycoons. Major export products include aircraft, coffee, automobiles, soybean, iron ore, orange juice, steel, ethanol, textiles, footwear, corned beef and electrical equipment. The biggest investment boom in history is under way; in 2007, Brazil launched a four-year plan to spend $300 billion to modernise its road network, power plants and ports. Brazil's booming economy is shifting into overdrive, with biofuels and deep-water oil providing energy independence and the government collecting enough cash to irrigate the desert and pave highways across the Amazon Rainforest. Brazil had pegged its currency, the real, to the U.S. dollar in 1994. However, after the East Asian financial crisis, the Russian default in 1998 and the series of adverse financial events that followed it, the Brazilian central bank temporarily changed its monetary policy to a managed-float scheme while undergoing a currency crisis, until definitively changing the exchange regime to free-float in January 1999. Brazil received an International Monetary Fund rescue package in mid-2002 in the amount of $30.4 billion, a record sum at that time. The IMF loan was paid off early by Brazil's central bank in 2005 (the due date was scheduled for 2006). One of the issues the Brazilian central bank is currently dealing with is the excess of speculative short-term capital inflows to the country in the past few months, which might explain in part the recent downfall of the U.S. dollar against the real in the period. Nonetheless, foreign direct investment (FDI), related to long-term, less speculative investment in production, is estimated to be $193.8 billion for 2007. Inflation monitoring and control currently plays a major role in Brazil's Central Bank activity in setting out short-term interest rates as a monetary policy measure. Components Itaipu Dam, the world's largest hydroelectric plant by energy generation.Brazil's "investment grade" economy is diverse, encompassing agriculture, industry, and a multitude of services. Brazil is finally punching its weight with a booming economy and stronger global leadership. The recent economic strength has been due in part to a global boom in commodities prices with exports from beef to soybeans soaring. Its prospects have been helped by huge oil and gas discoveries. A global power in agriculture and natural resources, Brazil unleash the greatest burst of prosperity has witnessed in three decades. Agriculture and allied sectors like forestry, logging and fishing accounted for 5.1% of the gross domestic product in 2007. A performance that puts agribusiness in a position of distinction in terms of Brazil's trade balance, in spite of trade barriers and subsidizing policies adopted by the developed countries. The industry; from automobiles, steel and petrochemicals to computers, aircraft, and consumer durables; accounted for 30.8% of the gross domestic product. Industry is highly concentrated geographically, with the leading concentrations in metropolitan São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Campinas, Porto Alegre, and Belo Horizonte. Technologically advanced industries are also highly concentrated in these locations. Brazil is the world's tenth largest energy consumer. It's energy comes from renewable sources, particularly hydroelectricity and ethanol; and nonrenewable sources, mainly oil and natural gas. Brazil will become an oil superpower, with massive oil discoveries in recent times. Science and technology An Embraer E-175 jet airliner, developed in Brazil and used by airlines around the world.Brazilian science effectively began in the first decades of the 19th century, when the Portuguese Royal Family, headed by John VI, arrived in Rio de Janeiro, escaping from the Napoleon's army invasion of Portugal in 1807. Until then, Brazil was a Portuguese colony, without universities, and a lack of cultural and scientific organizations, in stark contrast to the former American colonies of the Spanish Empire, which although having a largely illiterate population like Brazil and Portugal, had, however, a number of universities since the 16th century. Technological research in Brazil is largely carried out in public universities and research institutes. Nonetheless, more than 73% of funding for basic research still comes from government sources. Some of Brazil's most notables technological hubs are the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, the Butantan Institute, the Air Force's Aerospace Technical Center, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation and the INPE. Brazil has the most advanced space program in Latin America, with significant capabilities to launch vehicles, launch sites and satellite manufacturing. On October 14, 1997, the Brazilian Space Agency signed an agreement with NASA to provide parts for the ISS. Uranium is enriched at the Resende Nuclear Fuel Factory to fuel the country's energy demands. Plans are on the way to build the country's first nuclear submarine. Brazil is one of the three countries in Latin America with an operational Synchrotron Laboratory, a research facility on physics, chemistry, material science and life sciences. Demographics Boa Viagem beach in Recife. Much of Brazil's population is concentrated across the coastline.Brazil's population comes from many racial and ethnic groups. The last National Research for Sample of Domiciles (PNAD) census revealed the following: 49.7% of the population are White, about 93 million; 42.6% are Pardo (mixed), about 80 million; 6.9% are Black, about 13 million; 0.5% are Asian, about 1 million; and 0.4% are Amerindian, about 519,000. Most Brazilians can trace their ancestry to the country's Indigenous peoples, Portuguese colonists, and African slaves. Since 1500, with the arrival of the Portuguese, miscegenation between these three groups took place. Over three centuries of Portuguese colonization, Brazil received more than 700,000 Portuguese settlers and 4 million African slaves. Starting in the late 19th century, Brazil opened its doors to immigration: people of over 60 nationalities immigrated to Brazil. About 5 million European and Asian immigrants arrived from 1870 to 1953, most of them from Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Germany. In the early 20th century, people from Japan and the Middle-East also arrived. The immigrants and their descendants had an important impact in the ethnic composition of the Brazilian population, and many diasporas are present in the country. Brazil has the largest population of Italian origin outside of Italy, with over 25 million Italian Brazilians, the largest Japanese population outside of Japan, with 1.6 million Japanese Brazilians, as well the second largest German population outside of Germany, with 12 million German Brazilians. A characteristic of Brazil is the race mixing. Genetically, most Brazilians have some degree of European, African, and Amerindian ancestry. The entire population can be considered a single "Brazilian" ethnic group, with highly varied racial types and backgrounds, but without clear ethnic sub-divisions. The largest metropolitan areas in Brazil are São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Belo Horizonte, respectively with 19.7, 11.4, and 5.4 million inhabitants. Almost all the capitals are the largest city in their corresponding state, except for Vitória, the capital of Espírito Santo, and Florianópolis, the capital of Santa Catarina. There are also non-capital metropolitan areas in the states of São Paulo (Campinas, Santos and the Paraíba Valley), Minas Gerais (Steel Valley), Rio Grande do Sul (Sinos Valley), and Santa Catarina (Itajaí Valley). Largest cities of Brazil Municipality Federative unit Population Municipality Federative unit Population São Paulo Rio de Janeiro 1 São Paulo 1 São Paulo 11,016,703 11 Belém Pará 1,428,368 2 Rio de Janeiro 2 Rio de Janeiro 6,136,652 12 Guarulhos 1 São Paulo 1,283,253 3 Salvador Bahia 2,714,119 13 Goiânia Goiás 1,220,412 4 Fortaleza Ceará 2,416,920 14 Campinas São Paulo 1,059,420 5 Belo Horizonte Minas Gerais 2,399,920 15 São Luís Maranhão 922,458 6 Brasília Distrito Federal 2,383,784 16 São Gonçalo 2 Rio de Janeiro 973,372 7 Curitiba Paraná 1,788,559 17 Maceió Alagoas 922,458 8 Manaus Amazonas 1,644,690 18 D. de Caxias 2 Rio de Janeiro 855,010 9 Recife Pernambuco 1,515,052 19 Nova Iguaçu 2 Rio de Janeiro 844,583 10 Porto Alegre Rio Grande do Sul 1,440,939 20 Teresina Piauí 813,992 Source: Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (2007 Demographic Census) ^1 Metropolitan region of São Paulo (São Paulo and Guarulhos) ^2 Metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro, São Gonçalo, Duque de Caxias and Nova Iguaçu) Education and health Federal University of Paraná, in Curitiba, is regarded as the oldest Brazilian university.The Federal Constitution and the 1996 General Law of Education in Brazil (LDB) determine how the Federal Government, States, Federal District, and Municipalities will manage and organize their respective education systems. Each of these public educational systems is responsible for its own maintenance, which manages funds as well as mechanisms and sources for financial resources. The new Constitution reserves 25% of state and municipal taxes and 18% of federal taxes for education. Private school programs are available to complement the public school system. In 2003, the literacy rate was 88% of the population, and the youth literacy rate (ages 15–19) was 93.2%. Illiteracy is highest in the Northeast, around 27%, which has a high proportion of rural poor. Although at same year, Brazil's education had low levels of efficiency by 15-year-old students, particularly in the public school network. Higher education starts with undergraduate or sequential courses, which may offer different specialist choices such as academic or vocational paths. Depending on choice, students may improve their educational background with Stricto Sensu or Lato Sensu postgraduate courses. The public health system is managed and provided by all levels of government, whilst private healthcare fulfills a complementary role. There are several problems in the Brazilian health system. In 2006, these were infant mortality, child mortality, maternal mortality, mortality by non-transmissible illness and mortality caused by external causes: transportation, violence and suicide. Language Museum of the Portuguese Language in São Paulo, the first language museum in the world.Portuguese is the only official language of Brazil. It is spoken by nearly the entire population and is virtually the only language used in newspapers, radio, television, 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 and giving it a national culture distinct from its Spanish-speaking neighbors. Brazilian Portuguese has had its own development, influenced by the Amerindian and African languages. Due to this, the language is somewhat different from that spoken in Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries, mainly for phonological and orthographic differences. These differences are somewhat greater than those of American and British English. Portugal may have to recognize the inevitable by bowing to the economic and cultural supremacy of Brazil, its former colony; it is considering reforming its own language to accommodate linguistic developments in the Brazilian Portuguese since the two languages diverged. Minority languages are spoken throughout the vast national territory. Some of these are spoken by indigenous peoples: 180 Amerindian languages are spoken in remote areas. Others are spoken by immigrants and their descendants. There are important communities of speakers of German (mostly the Hunsrückisch, part of the High German languages) and Italian (mostly the Talian dialect, of Venetian origin) in the south of the country, both largely influenced by the Portuguese language. Culture Brazilian Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro, considered one of the greatest shows on Earth.A wide variety of elements create a society with considerable ethnic complexity. Brazilian culture has historically been influenced by European, African, and Indigenous cultures and traditions. Its major early influence derived from Portuguese culture because of strong colonial ties with the Portuguese empire. Among other inheritances, the Portuguese introduced the Portuguese language, the Catholic religion, and the colonial architectural styles. Other aspects of Brazilian culture are contributions of Italian, German, and other European immigrants who came in large numbers, and their influences are felt closer to the South and Southeast of Brazil. Amerindian peoples influenced Brazil's language and cuisine; and the Africans, brought to Brazil as slaves, influenced language, cuisine, music, dance, and religion. Literature in Brazil dates back to the 16th century, to the writings of the first Portuguese explorers in Brazil, such as Pêro Vaz de Caminha, writer of the fleet of navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral. Cuisine varies greatly by region and reflects the country's mix of native and immigrants. This has created a national cooking style marked by the preservation of regional differences. Brazil's cultural tradition extends to its music styles which include samba, bossa nova, forró, frevo, pagode, and many others. Brazil has also contributed to classical music, which can be seen in the works of many composers. In arts, important modern artists Anita Malfatti and Tarsila do Amaral were both early pioneers in Brazilian art. The Cinema has a long tradition, reaching back to the birth of the medium in the late 19th century, and gained a new level of international acclaim in recent years. The festival of Carnival (Portuguese: Carnaval), with its spectacular street parades and vibrant music, has become one of the most potent images of Brazil; an annual celebration held forty days before Easter and marks the beginning of Lent. Carnival is celebrated throughout Brazil with distinct regional characteristics, but the most spectacular celebrations outside Rio de Janeiro take place in Salvador, Recife, and Olinda, although the nature of the events varies. Other regional festivals include the Boi Bumbá and Festa Junina (June Festivals). Religion Christ the Redeemer, one of the Seven Wonders of the World and symbol of Brazilian Christianity.Religion is very diversified in Brazil; the constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the government generally respects this right in practice. The Roman Catholic Church is dominant, making Brazil the largest Catholic nation in the world. The formal link between the state and the Roman Catholicism was severed in the late 19th century; however, the Catholic Church has continued to exert an influence on national affairs. Adepts of Protestantism are rising in number. Until 1970, the majority of Brazilian Protestants were members of "traditional churches", mostly Lutherans, Presbyterians and Baptists. Since then, numbers of Pentecostal and Neopentecostal members have increased significantly. Traditional African beliefs, brought by slaves, have blended with Catholicism to create Afro-Brazilian religions such as Macumba, Candomblé, and Umbanda. Amerindians practice a wide variety of indigenous religions that vary from group to group. According to the 2000 Demographic Census, 73.9% of the population is Roman Catholic; 15.4% is Protestant; 0.91% from other Christian denominations; 1.33% follows Kardecist spiritism; 0.31% follows African traditional religions; 0.01% follows Amerindian traditions; 7.35% consider themselves agnostics, atheists or without a religion; and 0.81% are members of other religions such as Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and some practice a mixture of different religions. Sport Maracanã Stadium, at the Brazilian Championship, highest division of Brazilian football.Football (Portuguese: futebol) is the most popular sport in Brazil. The Brazilian national football team (Seleção) is currently ranked second in the world according to the FIFA World Rankings. They have been victorious in the World Cup tournament a record five times, in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. Basketball, volleyball, auto racing, and martial arts also attract large audiences. Though not as regularly followed or practiced as the previously mentioned sports, tennis, team handball, swimming, and gymnastics have found a growing number of enthusiasts over the last decades. Some sport variations have their origins in Brazil. Beach football, futsal (official version of indoor football) and footvolley emerged in the country as variations of football. In martial arts, Brazilians have developed Capoeira, Vale tudo, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In auto racing, Brazilian drivers have won the Formula 1 world championship eight times: Emerson Fittipaldi in 1972 and 1974; Nelson Piquet in 1981, 1983 and 1987; and Ayrton Senna in 1988, 1990 and 1991. Brazil has undertaken the organization of large-scale sporting events: the country organized and hosted the 1950 FIFA World Cup and is chosen to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup event. The circuit located in São Paulo, Autódromo José Carlos Pace, hosts the annual Grand Prix of Brazil. São Paulo organized the IV Pan American Games in 1963, and Rio de Janeiro hosted the XV Pan American Games in 2007. Brazil also tried for the fourth time to host the Summer Olympics with Rio de Janeiro candidature in 2016. |
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