What is the language in Brazil? How many official languages are there in brazil Languages spoken in brazil.
Brazil - a country located in South America, occupies the eastern part of this tropical continent. The official language of Brazil is Portuguese. The full original name of the language is língua portuguesa. This is the language of the Western Romance group, which is spoken by more than two hundred million people in South America and Europe. This article is devoted to the official language of the country Brazil.
Brazilian language
What is the official language in the Portuguese variant is a set of Portuguese dialects used mainly in Brazil. It is spoken by almost all 200 million inhabitants of the country. It is widespread in the Brazilian diaspora, which currently consists of about two million people who have emigrated to other countries.
This variety of Portuguese differs, especially in phonetics and word stress, from the varieties spoken in Portugal and Portuguese-speaking African countries. In African countries, it tends to be more closely related to modern European Portuguese, in part because Portuguese colonial rule ended much later in them than in Brazil. Despite these differences between spoken varieties, Brazilian and European Portuguese differ little in formal writing. This phenomenon is in many ways similar to the differences between American and British English.
Portuguese language reform
In 1990, the community of Portuguese-speaking countries, which included representatives of all countries whose official language was Portuguese, reached an agreement on spelling reform in order to unify the two standards that were then used by Brazil, on the one hand, and the rest of the Portuguese-speaking countries, on the other. . This spelling reform went into effect in Brazil on January 1, 2009. In Portugal, the reform was signed by the President on 21 July 2008 and included a six-year adaptation period during which both spellings coexisted. All countries of this community have signed the text of this document. In Brazil, this reform has been in effect since January 2016. Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries also started using the new orthography.
The regional varieties of Brazilian Portuguese, while remaining mutually intelligible, may differ from each other in such matters as vowel pronunciation and speech intonation.
Portuguese variant
The question is often asked: what is the official language in Brazil? Since there is no Brazilian language, Brazilians speak their own version of Portuguese.
The use of Portuguese in Brazil is a legacy of the colonization of the Americas. The first wave of Portuguese-speaking immigrants settled in Brazil in the 16th century, but the language was not then widely used. For a while, the Portuguese coexisted with a lingua franca called lingua geral, based on the Indian languages used by the Jesuit missionaries, as well as various African languages spoken by the millions of slaves brought into the country between the 16th and 19th centuries. By the end of the eighteenth century, Portuguese had established itself as the national language. One of the main factors contributing to this rapid change was the spread of colonization into the interior of Brazil and the increase in the number of Portuguese settlers who brought their language and became the most important ethnic group in Brazil.
Beginning in the early 18th century, efforts were made by the Portuguese government to expand the use of the Portuguese language throughout the colony. Especially because its use in Brazil could guarantee Portugal the lands claimed by the Spaniards (according to various treaties signed in the 18th century, these lands could be transferred to the people who actually occupied them). Under the leadership of the Marquis of Pombal (1750-1777), Portuguese began to be preferred by the Brazilians, as he expelled the Jesuit missionaries who taught the lingua geral and forbade the use of other vernaculars.
The failed attempts to colonize the city of Rio de Janeiro by the French in the 16th century and the northeast of the country by the Dutch in the 17th century had little effect on Portuguese. Substantial waves of non-Portuguese-speaking settlers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (mostly from Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland, Japan, and Lebanon) were linguistically integrated into the Portuguese-speaking majority over several generations, with the exception of some regions from three southern states (Parana, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul). What is the official language spoken in Brazil? Of course, this is the Portuguese language, which is spoken by 97 percent of the country's population.
The current position of the language
Currently, the vast majority of Brazilians speak Portuguese as their first language, with the exception of small island communities of descendants of European (German, Polish, Ukrainian, Italian) and Japanese immigrants - mainly in the south and southeast of the country, as well as villages and reservations inhabited by Native Americans. And even these population groups use the Portuguese language to communicate with strangers, watch and listen to television and radio programs in it. In addition, there is a community of Brazilian sign language users, whose number, according to experts, reaches 3 million.
Where they speak Portuguese
As a result of territorial expansion during the period of colonial conquest, speakers of Portuguese and mixed Creole are found in Goa, Daman and Diu in India, in Batticaloa on the east coast of Sri Lanka; on the Indonesian island of Flores; in the Malacca state of Malaysia, on the islands in the Caribbean, where Portuguese-based creoles are spoken. Cape Verde Islands - the most widely known Portuguese Creole. Portuguese speakers are commonly referred to as lusophones in both English and Portuguese.
Influence
Portuguese is part of the Ibero-Romance group that developed from several dialects of Vulgar Latin in the medieval kingdom of Galicia and retained some of the phonetic and lexical features of the Celtic languages. This is a general description of the official language of Brazil.
Portuguese is the mother tongue of approximately 215-220 million people. The total number of speakers is 260 million. This language is the sixth most spoken in the world, the third most common European and one of the main ones in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also one of the most widely spoken languages in South America and the second most spoken language in Latin America after Spanish. It is the official language of the European Union and the African Union.
Portuguese is a rapidly developing language
According to UNESCO, Portuguese is the fastest growing European language after English. According to The Portugal News, which published the UNESCO figures, it has the highest growth potential as an international in southern Africa and South America. Portuguese is a global language that is officially spoken on five continents.
Since 1991, when Brazil joined the Mercosur economic community with other South American countries, namely Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, Portuguese has been either compulsory or taught in the schools of these South American countries.
At the start of the 21st century, after Macau was ceded to China and Brazilian immigration to Japan slowed, the use of Portuguese in Asia declined. It is again becoming the language of opportunity there mainly due to the expansion of diplomatic and financial ties with the economically powerful Portuguese speaking countries (Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, etc.) in the world.
Number of media
How many speakers does the official language of Brazil have? In July 2017, the total number of Portuguese speakers is estimated at 279 million. This number does not include the Lusophone diaspora, which is estimated at about 10 million people (including 4.5 million Portuguese, 3 million Brazilians and half a million Creoles, etc.). It is difficult to give an official exact number of Portuguese speakers, since a significant proportion of these people are naturalized citizens born outside the territory of Brazil and Portugal, and the children of immigrants may have only a basic knowledge of the language. It is also important to note that a significant part of the diaspora is part of the already counted population of Portuguese-speaking countries and territories.
Therefore, the Portuguese language is used by more than 250 million people daily who have direct or indirect, legal and social contact with it. Portuguese can be the only language of communication, or is used only for certain purposes: for education, communication with local or international administration, for trade and the purchase of various services.
Portuguese vocabulary
Most of the words in Portuguese come from Latin. Either it was a direct borrowing or Latin terms came through other Romance languages. However, due to its original Celtic heritage and later Portuguese involvement in the Age of Discovery, it has some Celtic words and also borrowed vocabulary from all over the world.
The development of the Portuguese language in Brazil (and therefore in the rest of the areas where it is spoken) has been influenced by other languages with which it has come into contact, mainly in vocabulary: first the native Amerindian vernaculars, then the various African languages spoken slaves, and finally the languages of later European and Asian immigrants. Although the vocabulary is still predominantly Portuguese, the influence of other languages is evident in the Brazilian lexicon, which today includes, for example:
Words borrowed from the Tupi Indian language are especially common in toponyms (place names). Also, Portuguese adopted the names of most of the plants and animals found in Brazil in this language. Most official animal names in Portuguese-speaking countries are also Amerindian in origin. However, many Tupi-Guarani place names are not a direct consequence of Native American expressions, but were actually invented by European settlers and Jesuit missionaries, who widely used the lingua geral in the first centuries of colonization. Many of the American words entered the Portuguese lexicon as early as the 16th century, and some were eventually borrowed into other European languages.
Between the ninth and early thirteenth centuries, the Portuguese acquired almost 800 words from Arabic under the influence of Moorish Iberia. They are often recognizable by the original Arabic article "al". This category of words includes many general terms such as village, olive oil, hotel. Thus, the official language of Brazil contains many loanwords.
Languages of South America
In fact, two languages are used in South America - Spanish and Portuguese, which are closely related. Spanish does not have official status in Brazil. However, it is widely studied in schools and universities across the country. There is a close linguistic interaction. Thus, Portuguese is the only official language of Brazil. Venezuela and Peru use Spanish as their official language. The number of speakers of these languages in South America is approximately equal.
Unlike Spanish, Portuguese has retained older speech forms on the one hand, and on the other hand contains a huge amount of sound innovations of indeterminate (most likely Celtic) origin. The set of vowel sounds, the specificity of the pronunciation of certain sounds, the change in open-closed vowels make it close to French and Catalan. However, the vocabulary of Portuguese, as well as the grammatical system, is closer to Spanish. At the same time, due to the specifics of the pronunciation of vowel sounds, Portuguese speakers understand spoken Spanish better than vice versa.
In areas of strong Spanish influence, such as southern Brazil, Portuguese speakers understand Spanish almost completely. In the nearby territories of Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, a mixed Portuguese-Spanish language portuñol arose. Classical Castilian speakers do not understand spoken Portuguese very well, although written Portuguese is usually understood by ninety percent.
Grade 7 students who have such a task in geography contour maps: "Sign the official languages of Brazil, Venezuela and Peru" should keep in mind that this is Spanish and Portuguese.
Brazil is the largest state in South America. Its official name is the Federative Republic of Brazil. The population of the country is about 200 million people in 2014. Of these, 95% are Brazilians. By faith, the majority are Catholics.
The whole world knows about this state thanks to football, carnival, television series, the statue of Jesus Christ, the city of Rio de Janeiro, beautiful beaches and the Amazon River. However, not everyone can answer the question of what language is spoken in Brazil.
Official language in Brazil
In the country of carnivals, only one official language is Portuguese. It belongs to the group of the Indo-European language family. In addition to this country, the following states of the world speak it officially:
- Portugal;
- Angola;
- Mozambique;
- Sao Tome and Principe;
- East Timor;
- Macau;
- Cape Verde;
- Guinea-Bissau.
What country is the language in Brazil, of course. However, it is important to know that there are two variants of Portuguese - European and Brazilian. They have their own differences, but are considered one common language.
The difference between the Brazilian and European version
The main differences between both options exist at the level of vocabulary, phonetics, to a lesser extent spelling, punctuation. The pronunciation in the Portuguese version is more closed with hissing sounds.
Such differences are due to the fact that by the time these lands were colonized by conquistadors from Portugal, local tribes already lived on them. In addition, in addition to the Portuguese, the lands began to be populated by representatives of other European countries. These include Italians, Dutch, Slavs.
However, many differences exist in the Brazilian dialect. So, in the south and north of the country, as well as in the largest cities - Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo - they speak differently. Such differences are commonly referred to as language variability. Brazilian is considered a variant of Portuguese.
Among the states that speak this dialect, there is an agreement on uniform language rules, which they adhere to at the official level.
Myths about the Brazilian language
Having figured out what language is spoken in Brazil, you can debunk many myths that are associated with it.
Myth 1. Since the Brazilian version differs from European Portuguese, it can be said that there is a separate Brazilian language.
It has already been mentioned above that such a phenomenon is called variability. English is an example. Its variants exist in the form of American, Canadian, Australian. They have their differences, however, are considered English.
Myth 2. Most Brazilians speak and understand English very well.
On some sites you can find similar information. She's too exaggerated. It is already clear what language is spoken in Brazil. The inhabitants of this country know only their Portuguese perfectly, and only a part of the population is familiar with English.
Myth 3. In the Brazilian version, the name Cristiano Ronaldo is pronounced as Cristiano Ronaldo.
This misconception has spread among Russian sportscasters. In fact, it should be pronounced as in Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, since at the end the sound “o” turns into “y”, and the combination “ld” is pronounced firmly “ld”.
Calling a famous Brazilian player by the name of Ronaldo is an insult to him, since this is a variant of the Spanish pronunciation. It has nothing to do with Brazilian.
What is the official language in Brazil?
Notably, Brazil is the only country in South America that speaks Portuguese. Other countries consider Spanish as their official language.
Having understood what language is spoken in Brazil, you can easily answer the question of what language is the state language. This is Portuguese.
A similar situation arose due to the colonial policy of European countries on this continent. Most of the territories of Latin America were captured by the Spanish conquistadors, and the Portuguese got only one state. Thanks to them, the official language in Brazil is Portuguese.
Indigenous languages of Brazil
Today, there are less than 1% of Brazilians who speak a language other than Portuguese. Preserved tribes that communicate in their own dialects. They inhabit certain regions of the state and in some municipalities use their language as a second state language.
Tribes that use their own dialects:
- matses;
- boniva;
- nyengatu;
- tucano;
- kulina-pano;
- kanamari;
- marubo.
The most numerous group are the Indians of the Matses tribe. They are settled between Brazil and Peru. Representatives of this tribe are most often monolingual. This means that they teach their own children only their native dialect. Only those of them who, due to work or study, were connected with the cities of Brazil, know Portuguese.
Representatives of this tribe gained their popularity and fame due to the fact that their women adorn their faces with cat whiskers. Very often you can find the name "cat tribe".
Immigrant languages
Brazil, like any developed state, has among its inhabitants representatives of different nationalities. That is why here you can, in addition to the official dialect, hear other languages of the world.
Until the middle of the 19th century, the bulk of the population consisted of the Portuguese. Later, Italians, Germans, Russians, Spaniards, and Arabs began to come to the country.
For a hundred years (1850-1965), about 5 million immigrants entered the state. Most of them were from Italy, Lebanon, Germany.
After the end of World War II, the state was replenished with immigrants from Japan.
Learning what language is in Brazil, many learn Portuguese. In recent years, there has been a tendency to learn exactly the Brazilian version. They attribute this to a large flow of tourists to this particular country, as well as the popularity of their series and culture.
Can the Brazilian language become independent?
The answer to this question is quite simple. For Brazilian Portuguese to stand on its own, it needs to be declared by those who speak it. They must do this at the state level.
The procedure consists of the following steps:
- holding a referendum;
- voting of representatives of parliament;
- implementation of language reform.
One day, the Brazilian language may really stand on its own. But this will happen only if the people of Brazil declare it, and the legislation will fix their decision. From now on, it will be considered state.
In the meantime, such a question does not bother them, therefore, officially in Brazil, the Portuguese language.
Brazil- one of the few countries characterized by multilingualism. But it stands out from the rest in that the languages used here are not 2-3, but as many as 175. And this is far from the limit, because in the past, when the population of the state was larger, about 1000 different dialects were spoken here. 120 of them have disappeared over the last 50 years. What languages are spoken in the country now, and which of them is the state language?
Historical preconditions for the formation of multilingualism in Brazil
Why is Brazil a multilingual country? Initially, its territory was inhabited by tribes of Indians, each of which had its own dialect. According to scientists, at that time there were 270-1078 different languages in the country. After the colonization of the country by Europeans, who ousted most of the tribes from the inhabited territories, Portuguese was spoken in the country.
Over time, Europeans began to transport African slaves to Brazil, who brought their dialects. This was followed by the colonization of the country by France, Spain, Holland, England. Each of these nationalities has left its mark in the formation of the linguistic culture of Brazil.
And as a result of further immigration of populations from Europe and Asia, the number of languages in the country has increased even more. But gradually, under the influence of geo-, demo- and political factors, it decreased to 175.
State language of the country
Among such multilingualism, the status of the state in Brazil has only one language - Portuguese. This is despite the fact that almost all South America speaks Spanish. What explains this phenomenon?
The fact is that in 1500 the country was colonized by Portugal. Since the adjacent territories were controlled by Spain, between these European states was signed Treaty of Tordisillar on the delimitation of possessions. Therefore, most Latin American countries speak Spanish, and only Brazil speaks Portuguese.
After colonization, Brazil was gradually settled by immigrants from Europe who sailed on ships. As a result of mixing their language (Portuguese) with the local dialect, Língua Geral was formed. This dialect was used until the middle of the 17th century, when, by the decision of the Marquis of Pompal, it was banned, and Portuguese was declared the official language.
Officially, its status was enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Brazil in 1988. Today, the Portuguese language is used by almost the entire population of the country (99%) - in government agencies, schools, on television.
But individual administrative units of Brazil have several official languages. So in the municipality San Gabriel da Cachoeira, which is part of the Amazon state, the languages \u200b\u200bof Indian tribes are actively used to this day - tucano, baniva, nyengatu. According to the program to support the ethnic population of the country, they, along with the Portuguese, have the status of state.
Brazilian Portuguese
The modern Portuguese language used in Brazil differs significantly from European. Under the influence of local dialects, it has changed a lot in lexical and phonetic terms, more than 10 of its dialects have appeared. Therefore, this version of Portuguese is called Brazilian.
So the most common varieties of Portuguese in Brazil are dialects Rio de Janeiro And Sao Paulo. Even special dictionaries have been created containing words used exclusively in these areas.
In 2015, Brazil switched to a new, most common spelling norm. This made it much easier to search the Internet in Portuguese and avoided inaccuracies in the interpretation of various official documents.
How to communicate in Brazil to tourists
In Latin America, developed tourism and Brazil is no exception. Therefore, those wishing to visit the state have the question of what language to speak here.
In addition to the state Portuguese, a number of Indian dialects, the local population uses about 30 languages in everyday life, belonging to the Germanic, Romance, Slavic and even Asian groups.
Of the European dialects in Brazil, Portuguese is actively used, which is the state language, Spanish (in the border areas), German, Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian. The last two can most often be heard in the quarters of gringos (white settlers) - Sao Paulo, Vila Olimpia, Santa Cruz. Of the Asian languages in the country, you can hear Japanese (the most common), Chinese (several of its dialects have survived, including endangered ones), Korean. Sometimes even local residents cannot always determine what language their neighbors speak.
Thus, there is no single answer to the question of what language is spoken in Brazil. He is a complex and varied phenomenon. During the existence of the country, the peoples inhabiting it mixed culture, language and traditions. They borrowed from each other some words, expressions, turns, intonations. The speech of immigrants gradually transformed, acquiring characteristic "Brazilian" features. And now it has mixed up so much that representatives of different nationalities find in it something of their own, native. This makes Brazil a unique country, bringing together people from hundreds of different countries.
Today Brazil is a multilingual country. Here you can hear more than 175 languages and dialects. And this is considering the fact that over the past century, about 120 languages have already disappeared. But the official language of Brazil remains Portuguese. It is freely owned by the entire population of the country. It is used in government agencies, schools, media. Interestingly, Brazil is the only country in America that speaks . It is surrounded on all sides, mainly by Hispanic states.
Over the years, the Portuguese language in Brazil has acquired some of its own characteristics and has become somewhat different from the usual Portuguese that can be heard in Portugal itself and other Portuguese-speaking countries. The Brazilian version of the Portuguese language was formed here. This is comparable to British and American varieties of English.
Native Indian languages
Before colonization and the arrival of Europeans on Brazilian lands, the entire territory of modern Brazil was inhabited by Indians. According to various estimates, from 270 to 1078 languages from 17 language families were distributed among them. Over time, most of them disappeared, 145 Indian languages \u200b\u200bthat are common in the Amazon basin have survived to this day. There are more than 250 thousand people on them. The Constitution of the Brazilian Republic does not take away the right to their languages. So, in 2003, three Indian languages (Baniva, Nyengatu, Tukano) received status in the state of Amazonas.
Immigrant languages
In Brazil, you can also hear more than three dozen languages belonging to the Germanic, Romance and Slavic language groups, which are spoken by immigrants from Europe and Asia.
From 1824 to 1969 About a quarter of a million Germans immigrated to Brazil. Most of them moved here between the I and II World Wars. Naturally, over the years, the German language has changed significantly, falling under the influence of Portuguese. Today, more than 2 million people, mostly living in the south of the country, speak some form of German.
Where Brazil borders Argentina and Uruguay, Spanish is spoken.
If European immigrants populate the south of Brazil, then Asians (immigrants from Japan, Korea, China) are concentrated in large central cities, where they often occupy entire areas. About 380,000 people speak Japanese, and 37,000 speak Korean. Since 1946, a Japanese-language press has been published in São Paulo.
Brazil is famous for its luxurious numerous beaches, which stretch for hundreds of kilometers along the east coast of the country. However, every year millions of tourists from all over the world come to Brazil not only for the sake of excellent beach resorts. Tourists are also interested in the sights and culture of this country, which gave the world samba, capoeira and Brazilian football.
Geography of Brazil
Brazil is located in South America. Brazil is bordered to the north by Suriname, Venezuela, Guyana and French Guiana, to the northwest by Colombia, to the west by Peru and Bolivia, to the south by Uruguay, and to the southwest by Argentina and Paraguay. In the east, the country is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The total area of this state is 8,514,877 sq. km., and the total length of the state border is 14,691 km.
The territory of Brazil is very diverse - there are lowlands, plains, hills, mountains. In the north is the Amazonian lowland, passing into the Guiana Plateau, and in the south - the Brazilian Plateau. The highest local peak is Neblin Peak, whose height reaches 2,994 meters.
The main Brazilian rivers are the Amazon, the Parana (and its main tributary the Iguazu), the Negro, the San Francisco and the Madeira.
Capital of Brazil
Brasilia is the capital of Brazil. The population of this city is now more than 2.6 million people. Brasilia was built in the late 1950s.
Official language
The official language is Portuguese.
Religion
About 86% of the inhabitants are Christians (more than 84% of them are Catholics, and more than 22% are Protestants).
State structure of Brazil
According to the 1988 Constitution, Brazil is a federal republic. Its head is the President, who is elected for 4 years. Executive power belongs to the President, Vice President and the Cabinet of Ministers, consisting of 15 ministers with a chairman.
The bicameral Brazilian parliament is called the National Congress, it consists of the Senate (81 senators) and the Chamber of Deputies (513 deputies).
The main political parties are the Workers' Party, the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, the Brazilian Social Democratic Party, the Democratic Party, the Progressive Party and the Republican Party.
Administratively, the country is divided into 26 states and one federal district with the center in Brasilia.
Climate and weather
The climate is diverse, ranging from tropical to subequatorial. In the Amazon basin, the climate is tropical with an average annual air temperature of +27C.
The best time to visit Brazil is from December to March. At this time, the weather is sunny enough to sunbathe on the beaches and swim in the ocean. In addition, you need to remember about the Brazilian Carnival in February.
In general, you can relax in this South American country all year round. But keep in mind that in the northeast the rainy season falls on April-July, and in the Rio de Janeiro region - in October-January.
Ocean off the coast of Brazil
In the east, Brazil is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The length of the coastline is 7,491 km. The average sea temperature near the coast from January to March is + 25C, and from July to September - + 23C.
Rivers and lakes
Brazil has a large number of rivers. The largest of these are the Amazon, the Paraná (and its main tributary the Iguazu), the Negro, San Francisco and Madeira.
In the state of Parana, on the border with Argentina, there are the famous Iguazu Falls, consisting of 270 individual waterfalls.
History of Brazil
The modern history of Brazil began in 1500, when the Portuguese fleet headed by Pedro Alvares Cabral sailed to the shores of this country. The first Portuguese settlement in Brazil appeared in 1532, and the colonization of this country actually began in 1534, when the Portuguese king divided it into 12 colonies.
In 1549, the colonies were iced into a single Brazilian government-general. By the middle of the 16th century, Brazil had become the world's largest supplier of sugar. To grow sugar cane, black slaves from Angola and Mozambique began to be imported there in large quantities.
In 1640, the Marquis de Montalvan became the first Viceroy of Brazil. By the end of the 17th century, sugar exports from this South American state declined markedly. However, nothing threatened the Brazilian economy, because. large reserves of gold were found in the country.
In 1822, Brazil declared independence from Portugal - the Brazilian Empire was formed, headed by Emperor Pedro I.
Slavery in Brazil was only abolished in 1888. A year later, in 1889, the Republic of Brazil was proclaimed.
In 1930, Getulio Vargas became president of Brazil, who then introduced personal rule in the country - a dictatorship. In 1954, the highest officers of the Brazilian army carried out a political armed coup, and Marshal Humberto Castelo Branco actually came to power.
Brazil is now the political and economic leader in South America.
culture
Modern Brazilian society was formed as a result of the merging of representatives of many cultures. That is why Brazilian culture is so diverse and interesting.
Capoeira, one of the most beautiful martial arts in the world, was born in Brazil. Capoeira emerged among the black slaves as a response to the brutality of the white planters.
Another characteristic feature of Brazilian culture is the samba dance. This dance remains the most popular form of folk music for many Brazilians today.
Also, do not forget about football, which for the vast majority of Brazilians has already become a real religion. Is it possible to imagine Brazilian culture without football?
Every year at the end of February, before Lent, many Brazilian cities hold the Carnival, which today has already become the most grandiose show in the world. The cities of Rio de Janeiro and El Salvador are especially famous for their parades, the organizers of which spend several months annually preparing.
Brazilian Cuisine
Brazilian cuisine has been influenced by the culinary traditions of local Indians, Portuguese, Italians, Germans, Africans, and even Japanese and Arabs. The staple foods for many Brazilians are rice, black beans and cassava.
Some experts say that as such there is no single Brazilian cuisine, but there are separate regional culinary traditions.
Tourists in Brazil are recommended to try "feijoada" (rice, beans with tomatoes and meat), "charrasco" kebabs, "tutu" (mashed beans and meat), "embalaya" (meat stew with vegetables and tomatoes), "xinxim" (chicken with tomatoes and shrimps), "acaraje" (fried beans), "calderada" vegetable soup, shrimps with vegetables and "caruru" spicy sauce, Brazilian "hoo" "mokicha", etc.
Traditional soft drinks are fruit juices, coconut juice, and, of course, coffee.
Traditional alcoholic drinks are "cachaca" (strong national alcoholic drink), beer and rum.
Attractions in Brazil
In Brazil, tourists are waiting not only for excellent picturesque beaches, but also for very interesting sights. Near the border with Argentina and Paraguay on the Iguazu River are the famous Iguazu Falls, which are visited annually by about 1 million tourists.
The most important Brazilian attraction is a huge 38-meter statue of Christ the Redeemer on Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro.
65 km from Rio de Janeiro in Petropolis is the Imperial Museum, as well as a very interesting summer residence of Emperor Pedro I.
Tourists are advised to visit the city of Salvador, which once upon a time became the first settlement of the Portuguese in Brazil. In this city, a large number of medieval churches, monasteries and palaces have survived to this day.
We also recommend paying attention to the Brazilian reserves and national parks, of which there are more than twenty in this country. These are, first of all, the Iguazu National Park, whose area is 17 thousand hectares and the Pantanal Reserve, with an area of 150 thousand square meters. km.
Cities and resorts
The largest cities are Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Manaus, and, of course, Sao Paulo.
Brazil is world famous for its beaches. Some of them are among the best in the world. Every seaside Brazilian city can be called a beach resort. Naturally, the beach infrastructure is well developed there. The top ten Brazilian beaches, in our opinion, include the following:
- Baia do Sancho (Fernando de Noronha)
- Lopes Mendes Beach
- Baia dos Porcos (Fernando de Noronha)
- Praia dos Carneiros (Porto de Galinhas)
- Dolphins Bay (Praia de Pipa)
- Ipanema Beach (Rio de Janeiro)
- Lagoa Azul (Ilha Grande)
- Arpoador Beach
- Muro Alto Beach (Porto de Galinhas)
- Gunga Beach (Maceio)
Souvenirs/Shopping
Various handicrafts, leather goods, wallets and purses, handmade jewelry, football souvenirs, small figurines of Christ the Redeemer, women's kanga scarves, Brazilian traditional alcoholic drink cachaca are brought from Brazil as souvenirs.
