SOME
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BRAZIL |
Brazil
constitutes one-half of the continent of South America; both in land
area and in population. |
Brazil's
population is over 180 million, making it the 5th most populous nation
in the world. |
Brazil
is one of the richest countries in terms of its natural resources. |
Brazil
is the world’s leading producer of precious gems and is the largest
producer of colored gems. |
Brazil
has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan. |
PEOPLE:
55% of the population is of European descent (Portuguese, German, Italian,
Spanish, Polish); 38% mulatto; 6% African descent; and 1% other ethnicities.
Less than 200,000 of the total population is indigenous to Brazil.
RELIGION: 80% of the population is Roman Catholic. A significant
number of Brazilians belong to African cults or practice Indian animism, Afro-Catholic
syncretism, and Kardecism.
LANGUAGE: The official language is Portuguese, which has been
infused by Indian and African dialects. Visitors’ efforts to speak Portuguese
are generally appreciated by Brazilians.
CURRENCY: The unit of currency is the real, which is divided
into 100 centavos.
CLIMATE: Salvador da Bahia is, of course, a tropical city.
While the weather tends to be glorious, there are seasonal variations, and the
tropical sun is a force to be reckoned and dealt with carefully. Bahian nights
are the stuff that dreams are made of. This isn't true one hundred percent of
the time of course (they can be rainy, or occasionally too humid), but the vast
majority are meteorlogical perfection.
FOOD:
The staples of the Brazilian diet are arroz (white rice), feijão (black
beans) and farofel (manioc flour), also called farinha. Feijoada, the national
dish of Brazil, is a meat stew served with rice and a bowl of beans. Orange
peels, peppers and farinha accompany the stew. Acarajé is what Bahian
women in flowing white dresses traditionally sell on street corners. It's made
from peeled brown beans mashed in salt and onions and fried in dendê (palm
oil). Inside these delicious fried balls is vatapá (a seafood dish),
dried shrimp, pepper and tomato sauce. The Brazilian soft drink guaraná,
is made from the berry of an Amazonian plant, and has a delicious, distinctive
taste.
CLOTHING: The general dress for Brazil is casual and light.
Choose natural fabrics that breathe, like cotton and linen. T-shirts are a must,
however tank tops are not allowed in most religious establishments and some
restaurants.
Capoeira
Candomblé
The
First World Meets The Third World In Brazil
Portuguese
Cheat Sheet
