When people think ‘Brazil’, they think ‘the biggest and most populous country in South America that boasts of Samba, soccer, and Carnival’.
While that is true, there is a whole lot about Brazil that would – and should – tickle the fancy of any tourist lover.
Home to the world’s largest Carnival, Brazil is much more than just another populous country on the map.
Stay reading to learn the top amazing facts about Brazil that you didn’t know until now.
The only Portuguese-speaking country in South America
You probably didn’t know that Brazil is the only country where the inhabitants speak Portuguese till date. This should come in handy when you plan visiting.
Home to the world’s best beach
That’s right. TripAdvisor ranks Baia do Sancho top on the list of the best beaches in the world. Located in the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, there are 21 islands here that form a marine park that attracts divers from near and beyond to behold green and hawksbill turtles, whales, lemon and reef sharks, clown fish, anemones, and parrot fish.
Brasilia is the country’s capital
The country’s capital was switched from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia, which took four years (1956 – 1960) to build. Rio occupied the spot as the country’s capital for the previous 197 years.
The world’s largest exporter of coffee
Brazil takes the crown as the world’s largest exporter of coffee, having supplied 80% of the world’s coffee in the 1920s.
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The most popular tourist attractions in the country are the shanty towns
Over the years, Brazil’s shanty towns, also known as the “favelas” have quickly become the center of tourist attractions. The colorful Santa Marta in Rio De Janeiro is one of the most famous, with visitors such as Michael Jackson, Beyonce, and Madonna.
The Amazon River is the world’s largest in terms of the volume of water discharge
Around 209,000 cubic meters per second flow into the Atlantic Ocean. This is more than the next seven largest rivers combined. The river is up to 30 miles wide during the wet season.
There are 21 Unesco World Heritage Sites in Brazil
The Iguacu National Park is among the best known sites in Brazil. It houses one of the world’s largest and most impressive waterfalls at 1.7 miles wide and also with a total of 275 drops. Several rare and extinct species such as the giant otter and the giant anteater can also be found here. The Pampulha Modern Ensemble and the Valongo Wharf Archeological Site are among the newest, established in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
The statue of Christ the Redeemer weighs 635 tonnes
This artifact, damaged by a lightning strike in 2014, is 38 meters high. It was named one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World” in 2007.
Silva is the most popular surname in Dubai
Get ready to meet as many people as possible with the surname, ‘Silva’ when you arrive in Brazil.
Brazil was the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery
Slavery was abolished in Brazil in 1888.
Football is the most popular sport in Brazil
Also known as soccer, the men’s national team has won a record five World Cup championships.
Brazilians originated mainly from the Amerindians, Africans, and Europeans.