The South American country Brazil knows how to impress in many ways: not only that it is the largest country in South America and the fifth largest in the world. The population of several metropolises like Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and, somewhat behind, the capital Brasilia far exceed the (two-digit) million mark.
The Amazon, the longest river on earth and a paradise for flora and fauna, runs through the northern part of Brazil. Indian tribes who have little or no contact with civilization still live in the dense forests.
In addition to the impressive nature, they are particularly popular with tourists. With exotic beaches and tropical waterfalls, the high-class accommodation options (especially hotels and holiday apartments) and of course the world-famous sights such as the monumental figure of Christ in Rio de Janeiro and the colorful carnival in February / March.
Most holidaymakers imagine Brazil to be a very party-loving country that always lives in carnival, with beautiful women dancing all day in colorful bikinis. But that’s just the image that tourism likes to convey. People living in Brazil have normal daily routines. You go to work and have parties every now and then. Of course, there are different cultural customs in Brazil than in Europe, but these are different from what tourists see when they travel through Brazil.
However, Brazil is also a destination for sex tourism and marriage tourism. Many of the young women are still girls and would like to support their families financially with a relationship or marriage or are hoping for a better life in Europe. The gentlemen often do not notice or bother them little that the girls often do not love the men, but rather that many things are just played.
Most tourists, however, travel to the country to admire the natural beauty of the landscapes and to learn about the customs and culture of the residents.
Geography
According to Militarynous, Brazil consists of a good 40 percent of lowlands, the mountainous region comprises almost 60 percent of the country, is in part heavily divided or has extensive plateaus, the Planaltos. According to its surface shape, Brazil can be divided into three major regions : the Amazon lowlands, known for their tropical rainforests, the mountains of Venezuela and Guyana with the highest mountains in the country, and the Brazilian mountains, in which the capital Brasilia is centrally located.
The plateaus that border the Amazon lowlands from north and south come close to Santarém, except for the slightest distance. Further east, the land on both sides of the river mouth widens to form a wide coastal lowland. Most of the Amzona Basin is less than 150 m above sea level. Manaus, 1,600 km upriver from the Atlantic Ocean, is almost 30 meters high.
Above Manaus, the Amazon lowlands are filled with loose gravel, sand and clay. Embankments that originate from floods are covered with forest and are considered to be protected settlement areas as they cannot be reached by normal floods. In front of these embankments lies the alluvial land, the “Varzea”, which is flooded every year by normal floods, but gives off a lush grassland. Dense swamp forest, the “Igapo”, grows in the floodplain of black water rivers that are poor in minerals. Most of the lowlands, however, lie above the flood level of the rivers in an area that is predominantly forest-covered.
The mountains of Venezuela and Guyana border the Amazon basin in the north. Here is the highest point in the country, the Pico da Neblina (3,014 m).
The Brazilian mountainous region rises to the south-east of the Amazonian lowlands. In the northwest, the relief is less pronounced than in the east and south. The rivers are hardly cut into the vast plateaus and strive towards the amazon via numerous rapids. The eastern mountain range extends from southern Bahia via Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo to Paraná. Deep valleys and wide basins alternate here with high mountain floes (Pico da Bandeira, 2,891 m). Individual mountain groups reach as far as the Atlantic, such as the Sugar Loaf and the Corcovado on the bay of Rio de Janeiro.
The mountainous country quickly descends to the approximately 80 km wide Atlantic coastline. Coconut palms grow on the sandy beach with beach walls. Behind the rivers, which are blocked from the shortest path to the sea by the ramparts, form lagoon-like lakes with mangrove swamps.
Brazil climate
The climate in Brazil is largely tropical with little seasonal temperature fluctuations. The subtropical south is characterized by a more moderate climate.
In Rio, humidity can be high in summer with temperatures of 28 ° C. The period from October to January is the wettest time of the year. In winter, the temperatures in Rio de Janeiro are mild, around 23 ° C.
On the northeast coast, from Bahia to Maranhão, temperatures are a little higher all year round than in Rio – around 31 ° C during the day. It is rarely perceived as hot due to the wind and low humidity. The rainy season runs from around mid-December to July, but even during this time there are clear days.
The Amazon region in the north is one of the world’s rainiest regions, precipitation occurs most frequently from December to May. The rest of the year there is also a lot of rain, but the showers only last an hour or two.
The Pantanal wetland has a rainy and dry season, so travel to the region during the dry season (mid-April to late September). The rest of the year there is enormous rainfall.
The south has the greatest temperature fluctuations. During the cold winter months (June to August) temperatures between 13 ° C and 18 ° C are reached in Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná and São Paulo. As everywhere along the coast in Brazil, the summer is very warm.
Best travel time for Brazil
The weather should definitely be considered when planning a trip to Brazil, as it can have a significant impact on travel options in the various regions of the country. The Amazon region, for example, is one of the rainiest places in the world, especially between January and May it is difficult to travel here. You should also go to the Panantal in the dry season. The rest of the year the roads are washed out and traveling is a nightmare. The south has Brazil’s most extreme temperatures, and even snow is possible during the coldest winters.
In the summer (December – February), many Brazilians are on vacation, which makes travel more expensive and hotels are often fully booked. The humidity in Rio and more southerly regions can be oppressive. However, summer is also the festive time of year when Brazilians party on the beaches and in the streets. The Brazilian school holidays start in mid-December and last until Carnival, usually in late February.
Brazil’s off-season corresponds to the southern winter. Rio’s temperatures hover around 23 ° C, with a mix of rainy and beautiful days. With the exception of July (the school holiday month), this is the cheapest and least crowded time to visit the country.
Brazil important addresses
Brazilian Tourist Office in Germany: Platz der Einheit 1,
60327 Frankfurt / M.
Telephone: (069) 97 50 3251, Fax: (069) 97 50 3200
email: [email protected]
EMBRATUR – Instituto Brasileiro de Turismo: SQN, Quadra 02, Bloco G, 1o. andar,
BR-70712-907 Brasília-DF
Tel: efon (061) 34 29 7774, Fax: (061) 34 29 7780
E-Mail: [email protected]
There is a branch of EMBRATUR in Rio de Janeiro.
Embassy of Brazil in Germany: HE Mr. Luiz Felipe de Seixas Corrêa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (since October 31, 2005),
Wallstrasse 57, 10179 Berlin
Telephone: (030) 72 6280, Fax: (030) 72 62 83 20/21
Telephone Consular section: (030) 72 62 8600, Fax: (030) 72 62 8699
email: [email protected]
Opening times: Mon – Fri 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Consular section: Mon – Fri 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Brazil maintains in Frankfurt / M. (Telephone: (069) 920 7420) and Munich (telephone: (089) 210 3760) consulates general and in Bremen, Aachen, Hamburg, Hannover, Stuttgart and Stein (near Nuremberg) consulates.
Embassy of Brazil in Austria : Pestalozzigasse 4,
1010 Vienna
Telephone: (01) 512 0631, Fax: (01) 513 8374. Telephone consular department: Tel: (01) 512 0632
email: [email protected]
Opening times: Mon – Fri 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and by phone 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Brazil has consulates in Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck.
Embassy of Brazil in Switzerland (without issuing a visa): Monbijoustrasse 68,
CH-3007 Bern
Postal address: Postfach 1004, CH-3000 Bern 23
Telephone: (031) 371 8515, Fax: (031) 371 0525
email: [email protected]
Opening times: Mon – Fri 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Brazil has consulates general with visa issuance in Zurich (phone: 044 20690 20/30) and Geneva (phone: 022 906 9420).
Embassy of Germany in Brazil: Friedrich Prot von Kunow, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary,
Brasilia, Avenida das Nações, Lote 25, Quadra 807, 70415-900 Brasilia DF
Telephone: (0055 61) 34 42 70 00, Fax: (0055 61) 34 43 75 08
Postal address: Embaixada da República Federal da Alemanha, Caixa Postal 030, 70415-900 Brasilia DF, Brasil.
email: [email protected]
