-	All photographs of Brazil

Brazil is a land of extremes, famous for football, carnivals, rain forests and coffee. It's a tropical paradise.

Brazil is one of the most diverse and arguably the most beautiful countries on earth. For centuries it has ignited the Western imagination like no other South American country.

It's a country of mythic proportions and great contrasts. From the colour and passion of Rio's Carnival to the immensity of the dark Amazon jungle.

Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are the country's two largest cities. Rio de Janeiro, often called simply Rio, is one of the most densely populated cities in South America. It's a major tourist attraction, known throughout the world for its breathtaking coastline, exciting nightclubs, and colourful festivals.

Brazil is massive. It's the fifth largest country in the world in both area and population and is officially the largest and most populated country in South America. It covers almost half of the South American continent. More people live here than in all the other South American nations combined. It's South America's leading economic power.

Brazil spans a vast area between central South America and the Atlantic Ocean. It borders on Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and the French department of French Guiana.

The landscape is incredibly rich and diverse. Brazil is home to the world's largest tropical rain forest that sprawls across much of the north. The mighty Amazon and other enormous rivers wind through this vast green area of towering trees and steamy jungles.

Cloud-capped mountains rise north of the forests and border the Atlantic Ocean in the southeast. Dry plains extend across parts of northeastern Brazil. The low plateaus of central and southern Brazil have fertile farmlands and lush grazing areas. Along the coast, there are some truly spectacular beaches.

Brazil was once a colony of Portugal. Portuguese is still the official language. It has the world's second largest Christian population and is also the world's largest Roman Catholic-majority nation.

The people who live in Brazil are a dynamic mixture of European, mixed African/European, African and native Indian.

Brazil is a land of staggering contrast and beauty. With its endless stretches of unexplored rainforest, massive rivers, pristine tropical beaches, and many beautiful islands it's a natural paradise. The Brazilian people are very colourful and friendly; full of energy and joy. It's always fiesta time here!


Welcome to Brazil!