South America · South America
Federative Republic of Brazil
Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth-largest in the world by area. It is home to the Amazon rainforest, the world's most biodiverse region, as well as stunning beaches, vibrant cities, and a rich cultural heritage born from Indigenous, Portuguese, and African roots.
São Paulo
State · São Paulo
Minas Gerais
State · Belo Horizonte
Rio de Janeiro
State · Rio de Janeiro
Bahia
State · Salvador
Paraná
State · Curitiba
Rio Grande do Sul
State · Porto Alegre
Pernambuco
State · Recife
Ceará
State · Fortaleza
Pará
State · Belém
Amazonas
State · Manaus
São Paulo
Population: 12,325,232
Brazil's largest city and the financial capital of South America
Rio de Janeiro
Population: 6,775,561
Known for Carnival, Christ the Redeemer, and Copacabana Beach
Brasília
Population: 3,094,325
The planned capital city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of modernist architecture
Salvador
Population: 2,886,698
The first capital of Brazil with strong African cultural heritage
Fortaleza
Population: 2,703,391
Major coastal city in northeastern Brazil
Manaus
Population: 2,255,903
Gateway city to the Amazon rainforest
Brazil encompasses the Amazon Basin, the world's largest river system and tropical rainforest. The country features the vast interior plateau of the Brazilian Highlands, the Pantanal wetlands in the west, and a long Atlantic coastline.
Brazil's climate varies greatly by region. The Amazon basin has a hot, humid tropical climate with year-round rainfall. The northeast is hot and semi-arid. The southern states experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons.
Christ the Redeemer
Rio de Janeiro
Iconic Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ at 38 m tall on Corcovado Mountain in Rio de Janeiro
Iguaçu Falls
Paraná
One of the world's largest and most spectacular waterfall systems, shared with Argentina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Amazon Rainforest
Northern Brazil
The world's largest tropical rainforest covering more than 40% of Brazil
Sugarloaf Mountain
Rio de Janeiro
Iconic granite peak rising 396 m above Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro
Pantanal
Mato Grosso do Sul
The world's largest tropical wetland, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Brazil has 26 states and one Federal District (Brasília).
Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking country in South America.
The Amazon River discharges more freshwater into the ocean than any other river on Earth.
Brazil is home to approximately 60% of the Amazon rainforest.
Brazil won the FIFA World Cup five times, more than any other country.
Brazil shares a border with every South American country except Ecuador and Chile.
Brazil has 26 states and one Federal District.
Brazil is a federal republic composed of 26 states (estados) and one Federal District (Distrito Federal), where the capital Brasília is located. The states are grouped into five major regions: North, Northeast, Center-West, Southeast, and South.
The Amazon River discharges more freshwater into the ocean than any other river on Earth.
The Amazon River accounts for approximately 20% of all freshwater flowing into the world's oceans. At its mouth, the Amazon discharges an average of about 209,000 cubic meters of water per second — more than the next seven largest rivers combined.
The Amazon River has no bridges spanning its main stem.
Despite flowing over 6,400 km through Peru and Brazil, not a single bridge crosses the Amazon River. This is primarily because the river flows through dense, sparsely populated tropical rainforest where boats provide sufficient transit.
Brazil is a federal republic of continental scale, divided into 26 states and one Federal District. Understanding how these states are grouped into five macro-regions explains the country's varied geography, economy, and culture.
Rivers are the lifeblood of human civilization and the primary sculptors of Earth's continents. Explore the five longest river systems, their ecological significance, and the debate over the world's longest waterway.
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Last updated: 2024-01-01