Demographics and Climate of Brazil - Essay Example

Background Information, Demographics and Climate.

Brazil or Brasil (Portuguese) is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. It is located in Eastern South America and borders the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2014, it was regarded as one of the most promising economies. The FIFA World Cup held in 2014 and summer Olympics held in 2016 were especially very promising fetes to have been accomplished by the country. With a promising future, Brazil has been repeatedly termed as an emerging economy and potential superpower.

It has a long coastline stretches for over 8000 kilometres which makes it boast of several spectacular beaches. . It is the fifth-largest country in the world, covering 8.5 million square kilometres boasts of a population of over 211 million people. The population growth has however been on the decline in recent years.

The largest city is Sao Paulo, followed closely by Rio De Janeiro. The current capital city is Brasilia and is among the latest capital cities in the world. Despite it being the capital city, the population growth still stands at 2.8 million and is the fourth largest city in Brazil.

Most of the country boasts of a tropical climate, but towards the south the climate is temperate. The terrain is majorly lowlands. It also features plains, hills mountains and coastal terrain. Brazil is also known to face frequent drought and flooding incidences. The south occasionally experiences frost. Brazil is well known for the Amazon forest and diverse wildlife and ecosystem. Its abundant natural resources make it one of the multi-diverse nations in the world.

Culture, Religion and Politics

Portuguese is the official language and widely spoken in Brazil. Additionally, German, Spanish, English, Japanese, Italian and Amerindian is also spoken.About 47.7% of the population are white,43.1 % are mixed race,7.6% black,1.1% Asian and 0.4% are indigenous.

Brazilian culture is primarily derived from Western culture, particularly the Portuguese. As a result of colonization and slave trade by the Portuguese, their culture is a blend of Africa, indigenous Indians and Portuguese. Up to 64.6% of the population subscribe to the Roman Catholic faith. The African way of life can be witnessed in the coastal part of the country, whereas the Indian influence is majorly felt in the Amazonian basin. The national dish of the Brazilian people is the feijoada completa that is made by mixing a stew of black beans and up to 20 different types of dried meat. It is occasionally served with rice and vegetables.

Their visual arts is a characteristic with beautiful architecture, sculptures and paintings all through the country. Performing arts is also quite well established with theatrical performances being well attended. The Brazilian film industry has also reached the broader international markets with award-winning producers. The well-known four-day carnival is the most famous Brazilian festival, which is a mix of both Roman Catholic and African influence.

Football is the most popular sport in Brazil. Brazil has produced some of the world’s greatest football players, including Ronaldinho and Pele. The Brazilian beaches have also been known to attract various sporting activity. Brazil had also won multiple medals in the international arena in athletics.

Brazil is divided into 26 states with the capital being Brasilia. The states have limited power and can form their constitution and justice systems. Elected governors govern the states. Jair Bolsonaro is the current president of Brazil and was sworn in on January 1 2019

5 Great places to visit in Brazil!

1. The beaches-A coastline stretching for thousands of Kilometers has a variety of amazing beaches and islands, and you will undoubtedly be spoilt for choice. Some of the best beaches you would want to visit include; Copacabana and Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro. Whereas one may find it crowded, it will be an excellent opportunity to interact with the locals. Paro Do Espelho in Trancoso, Noronha and Lopes Mendes Beach in Ilha Grande are also good choices.

2. The carnival in Rio De Janeiro and Salvador is one of the most recognized festivals in the world that happens February every year. Additionally, Sao Joao that happens in Brazil is the longest Oktoberfest outside of Germany and have one of the biggest rodeos. One simply need to check their calendar and search for what festival or event their visit coincides with.

3. Brasilia's modernistic architecture-Built over 70years ago, the buildings can be termed as over-ambitious with a futuristic twist. The president’s place, the supreme court, the museum of Brasilia are just but a few spectacular architectures you would come across.

4. Amazon-Although not very well developed from a tourism perspective an experience at the Amazon is unforgettable. One can access amazon forest through Manaus (located on the Rio Negro) in two main ways; by boat or air. Visiting the world’s largest rainforest with a spectacular ecosystem in addition to the Amazon river should undoubtedly be in your bucket list.

5. Sugar Loaf, Rio De Janeiro- this is a rounded rock peak that offers a spectacular view. It rises above the city and beaches, and one can tour the three forts and especially the star-shaped Fort Sao Joao.

Day-day life in Brazil

It is quite common to visit the beach after work hours. You are thus likely to bump into a coworker or neighbour. The social disparity is very high; therefore, it is likely you will encounter a significant percentage of struggling Brazilians. While crime rates may be high in certain cities, it is undoubtedly bearable if you take the necessary precautions. Life in bigger cities is quite similar to what you would encounter in the Western world. Urban life can be experienced differently based on where you live or are visiting. Most of the economic activities usually take place on the island; thus commuting daily is quite common. Regardless, Brazilians throw amazing parties and you are most likely guaranteed a good time.

3 Most Interesting Things I learnt about Brazil

1. The Brazilian people are one of the most culturally-diverse people you could ever meet with cultural influence from three different races. They have a vibrant artistic spirit and are expressive of their culture and very welcoming people. In the Southern states of Brazil, there are amazing colonial towns to visit and you will be treated to European culture as well. Interestingly, Salvador is dominant with Black culture and the native Indians are likely to be found in the Amazon.

2. The Brazilian music culture offers a variety of genres from Samba, Pagoje, Sertanejo and funk. Sampling Brazilian music certainly sounds like an exciting journey to embark on.

3. Their national dish-feijoada completa is something I would certainly want to try when I visit Brazil. Never in my life did I imagine that one can have a dish that has a variety of up to 20 different meat types mixed with black bean and served with rice and vegetables. What a combination.

What you need to know about their culture before visiting

The language used may turn out to be very informal you could almost consider it rude. This is a common occurrence, even in serious business meetings. It is also interesting to note that the dress code tends to be quite relaxed. However, certain restrictions exist where for example, there are places as a man you cannot be allowed in without trousers on no matter the temperatures.

Traffic jam is typical, especially in Rio. Sao Paulo is increasingly becoming a traffic -jam hub as well. Generally, public transport is commonly used. Brazilians barely wait for others to alight from the train before getting in. They also do not keep on the right in an escalator. Females may salute either of the genders with a kiss on each cheek while male counterparts do not kiss other males. Also, there is no right amount of cheek kisses!

Work Cited

Brazil Population 2020 . (2020). Retrieved from worldpopulationreview.com: https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/brazil-population/

Ronald Milton Schneider, R. E. (2020, June 29). Brazil. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/place/Brazil/Sports-and-recreation

South America::Brazil. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.cia.gov: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html