Brazil

The land of the Amazon, football and carnival

Brazil is half of South America! It has the Amazon — the biggest river in the world and the largest rainforest. Brazilians play football better than anyone — 5-time world champions; Pelé and Neymar come from here. Rio holds a carnival every year, with millions dancing in the streets. Brazil is the largest Portuguese-speaking country. Most of the world's coffee and orange juice comes from Brazil.

Capital: Brasília. Language: Portuguese.

The Federative Republic of Brazil covers 8.5 million km² (5th, 47% of South America) with 216 million people (7th) in 26 states. Nature: the Amazon (1st by water volume — 20% of all river flow on Earth), the Amazon rainforest (5.5 million km², 60% in Brazil), the Pantanal (the largest wetland), Iguazu, the Cerrado savanna, 7,500 km of coast. History: the Tupi-Guarani peoples, Portugal from 1500 (Cabral), sugar and gold, slavery (abolished last, in 1888), an empire in 1822, a republic in 1889, the capital Brasília since 1960 (Niemeyer, UNESCO — built in 41 months). Economy: 9th in the world, coffee (1st for 150 years), soy, orange juice (70%), iron ore, Embraer aircraft, ethanol. Football: 5 World Cups, Pelé, the Maracanã (200,000). The Rio carnival is the world's biggest festival. Over 250 indigenous peoples. With Uzbekistan: BRICS cooperation, trade in cotton and soy.

Fun facts

• The Amazon carries 20% of all the world's river water to the ocean.
• Brazil has been the world's top coffee grower for 150 years.
• The capital Brasília was built in just 41 months.