Rio de Janeiro, the most visited destination in Brazil by foreign tourists for leisure trips, and second place for business travel.
Brazil is the largest country in South America, famous for its football tradition, for its beaches and the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro, considered by many as the best in the world. It is a country of great diversity, from the São Paulo metropolitan cultural energy of Pernambuco and Bahia, the untouched wilderness of the Amazon and tourist attractions worldwide known as the Iguassu Falls and Corcovado. Are notable demand by Amazon in the Northern Region, the Northeast coast, the Pantanal, the thermal waters and historic cities in the Midwest. Tourism History in Minas Gerais, the beaches of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo in business interresse divide the Southeast, as well as the Pampas Gauchos and the cold climate in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, in the Serra Gaucha and the Vale of Vineyards.
Tourism in Brazil is an important economic activity in various regions of the country. With 5 million foreign visitors in 2008, Brazil is the main destination for international tourism market in South America, and ranks second in Latin America in terms of flow of international tourists.
Domestic tourism represents a vital part of the industry, accounting for over 50 million trips annually, the direct revenues generated by domestic tourism in 2010 was $ 33 billion – nearly six times more than is captured by the country in relation to foreign tourism .
Culture
Brazilian culture is made up of a great mix of traits, which protrude from the Portuguese colonizers, the indigenous civilizations and native African nations where the slaves originated. To this should be added the cultural elements of Spanish immigrants, Italians, Germans, Poles, Armenians, Lebanese, Japanese, Chinese, to stay in a more prominent presence. All this was, in the words of Oswald de Andrade, “antropofagizado” to give rise to a genuine Brazilian culture.
Climate
- In Northern Region and the northern part of Mato Grosso, the climate is humid equatorial, by convergence of the trade winds.
- In the central part of the Northeast Region, tropical semi-arid, with a tendency to dry by the irregularity of air masses.
- The coastal area stretching from the northern state of São Paulo to Rio Grande do Norte has humid coastal climate, influenced by the mass tropical maritime.
- The Midwest Region, plus the states of Tocantins and Minas Gerais, as well as areas in the states of São Paulo (northern part), Mato Grosso (southern portion), Piauí and Bahia (western portion), Ceará (north side) and Maranhão (east) has a tropical climate with wet summers and dry winters.
- The whole Southern Region and the southern states of Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo have humid subtropical climate.
- Aeras mountainous region in South and Southeast part of the climate is subtropical altitude and may snowing in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina during the winter. Although rare, there are also several reports of snow in mountainous areas of the Southeast.
Electricity
They are used in Brazil two types of voltage: 127 V (popularly called 110 V) and 220 V, both AC and 60 Hz Check before you connect any device other than bivolt. The jacks are commonly used in the country of the two pins, both the round type C (Europe) as the flat type A and B (U.S.). From 2010, all electrical appliances sold in Brasil follow a new model for hexagonal socket, similar but not exactly like, the type J (Swiss) if the new appliance is 2-pin (round), they fit both taken in the old and the new, however, if the third pin to ground in the center, only fit in new or taken using an adapter. Devices that use a high current (20A) have pins still thicker and therefore only fit into the socket with larger holes. In short, there are two types of new hexagonal socket to 3 pin, depending on the current.
Time zones
In Brazil there are 3 distinct zones:
- UTC-2: Fernando de Noronha and other oceanic islands.
- UTC-3: It is the official time of Brasília and adopted in most of the country. Fully encompasses the South, Southeast and Northeast, the states of Tocantins, Amapá and eastern half of the state of Pará, in the north, and the state of Goiás and the Federal District, in the Midwest region.
- UTC-4: States of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, in the Midwest, and the states of Amazonas, Rondônia, Roraima and Acre, and the western portion of the state of Pará, in the North.
Warning: the zone UTC-5, first adopted in the state of Acre and in the far west of the state of Amazonas, was extinguished by passing the UTC-4
Daylight Saving Time
For approximately 4 months, from midnight of the third Sunday in October until midnight of the third Sunday in February of the following year, is adopted daylight saving time in who anticipate the clocks by one hour in the states of the South, Southeast and Midwest and the Federal District. If the third Sunday in February for the Carnival, Daylight Saving Time ends on the following Sunday.
Regions
Brazil is divided into 5 regions quite different, geographically and culturally.
Towns
São Paulo, the most visited destination in Brazil for foreign tourists who travel on business, and third place to travel for leisure.
- Brasilia is the capital of Brazil and the world’s first city built with the purpose of being capital, is a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO.
- Belo Horizonte – Pleasant capital of Minas Gerais. Gateway to historical cities like Ouro Preto, Mariana, São João del Rei, Tiradentes and Diamantina, and the wonderful interior miner.
- Bethlehem – is the state capital of Pará Known for ecological tourism, gastronomic and historical, is also famous for the biggest religious festival of Brazil, the Cirio de Nazare.
- Curitiba – The cosmopolitan capital of Paraná, known internationally for urban solutions innovative adopted by cities in other countries, earning him a reputation as “model city.” Known for being the capital coldest in the country with an annual average of 16 º C, Brazilian capitals is that most resembles the cities of Europe.
- Porto Alegre – Known worldwide for three years for hosting the World Social Forum, and successful experiences of public policies (especially education and public participation). It is also the gateway to the cities as Serra Gaucha Lawn, Caxias do Sul and Bento Gonçalves, famous for the mild climate, the vineyards and the striking German and Italian colonial presence.
- Recife – Pernambuco capital, occupied by the Dutch in the past, is famous for its beaches, the excitement and uniqueness of popular culture and historical and cultural riches.
- Rio de Janeiro – Brazil is the city better known abroad, with the epithet of the Marvelous City. It is famous for its landscapes and its intense cultural life, and also save the greatest historical relics of imperial Brazil.
- Salvador – Bahia’s capital, largest city in the Northeast and the third largest city in Brazil surpassed by São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, has beaches and a unique culture. Its historic center is recognized world heritage site by Unesco.
- São Paulo – The largest, richest and most cosmopolitan metropolis in the southern hemisphere, covering people and cultures from all over the planet. It is famous for its nightlife, its cultural effervescence, its numerous museums, theaters and concert halls of international standard, and also by the diverse cuisine.
Landmarks
Beyond the cities, Brazil has many natural areas and other important destinations, of which the best known are:
- Cataratas do Iguaçu
- Lençóis Maranhenses
- Pantanal
- Fernando de Noronha
- Jericoacoara
- Ilha do Mel
- Chapada Diamantina
- Chapada dos Guimarães
- Ilha de Marajó
- Salvador Bahia
Balneário Camboriú, in Santa Catarina state, is one of the top destinations by domestic and international tourists, mainly Argentines.
How to get in
- Brazil applies the principle of reciprocity with respect to the grant and visa requirements. This means that the citizen of a particular country may enter Brazil without a visa or with, depending on the demands made by their country of origin to Brazilian citizens. The same principle applies to the amount charged for visas and the deadline by which you can stay in Brazil as a tourist.
- Citizens from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela can enter the country using only an identity card. Venezuelan citizens, for 60 days; those of other South American countries listed above for 90 days. Agreements between the Mercosur, Chile and Bolivia predict the facilitation process permanence of its citizens in any country.
- You do not need visas for visits up to 90 days for those with passports from South Africa, Bahamas, Barbados, South Korea, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, the Philippines, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel , Macau, Malaysia, Morocco, Namibia, Norway, New Zealand, Panama, Russia, Switzerland, Suriname, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, the European Union countries.
- Citizens of the following countries require a visa to enter Brazil: Angola, Armenia, Australia, Cape Verde, Canada, China, Cuba, United States, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Japan, Lebanon, Malta, Mexico, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Sao Tome and Principe, Syria, the former Soviet states (except the Baltics and Russia) and others.
It is illegal to enter animals, meat, milk, cheese, seeds, plants, eggs, honey, fruit or any food not industrialized without permission.
Coming from certain tropical countries, is needed yellow fever vaccine 10 days before entering the country.
By plane
Most travelers from other continents arrive in Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, where there are major international airports in the country. Other cities like Brasilia, Salvador, Recife, Belo Horizonte and Christmas also receive international flights. Fortaleza has connections with Cape Verde, Europe and the United States. Manaus receives flights from Miami and Caracas, while Bethlehem French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana. Foz do Iguaçu, Curitiba and Porto Alegre connect with other cities in the Mercosur. South African Airways offers direct flights from Sao Paulo to Johannesburg with connections to Australia, New Zealand and East. TAAG Angola Airlines has direct flights three times a week between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and Luanda in Angola. A Japan Airlines connects the country with Tokyo. Emirates links Dubai to Sao Paulo with connections to the East. The Korean has three weekly flights from Seoul to Sao Paulo, via Los Angeles. There are also direct flights linking Tel Aviv, Dakar, Istanbul, Doha, Singapore and Beijing to the capital city. From North America, flights still arrive in Orlando, Dallas, New York, Atlanta, Detroit, Washington, Houston, Chicago, Mexico City and Toronto.
Varig has only one international route: Caracas.
TAM, the largest airline currently has direct flights to Paris, London, New York, Miami, Lima, Frankfurt, Madrid and various destinations within Mercosur.
GOL, the second largest, has flights to Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Asuncion, Santiago, Santa Cruz de la Sierra and others.
The Tap fly directly from Lisbon to 9 cities: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Campinas, Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Salvador, Recife, Natal and Fortaleza, and directly from Porto to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, with a European company with more connections to Brazil.
The site has Infraero times of arrival and departure of all flights in the country.
Brazil’s main airports are well equipped, with air-conditioned waiting rooms and boarding, bank tellers, taxi ranks and car rentals.
WARNING – From 1st April 2007 passengers on international flights should be aware of the new determinations in ANAC (National Agency of Civil Aviation) on the carriage of liquids in hand luggage, which may contain only bottles of 100 ml and in sealed packages and transparent. Bottles above this capacity should be dispatched. Drinks and perfurmes purchased after the checkpoint continue released.
By boat
The boat services connect the Amazon basin to the north of the country to Peru, Colombia and Venezuela, on trips that can last up to 12 days, rivers above. You can reach Brazil from French Guiana, crossing the Rio Oiapoque, a journey of 15 minutes, arriving in the Brazilian city of the same name.
The cities of Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Angra dos Reis, Vitória, Salvador and Recife, among others, receiving international cruises.
By train
There is a train line in Bolivia known as the Death Railway, connecting the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra to the border town of Quijarro. A little later, in Brazil, more specifically in the city of Corumbá, there was a connection by train to Birmingham, suspended for years. Recent projects seek to reestablish the connection between Corumbá and Campo Grande by a tourist train line, covering much of the Pantanal Mato Grosso. The first section, between Campo Grande and Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul, is already in operation. Train connections from Argentina and Uruguay were suspended until Sao Paulo for decades.
By bus
International bus lines connect Brazil to the countries of the Southern Cone The main routes linking São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires capital, Asuncion, Montevideo and Santiago, Chile, and other smaller cities. There are also some lines to Puerto Suarez, Bolivia. Keep in mind that the distances between the cities of São Paulo and are long as well as the state capital cities of the Northeast, Midwest and North of the country. Many international routes also serve the state capitals of the region south from Peru, a bus line of Movil Tours has daily departures from Puerto Maldonado to Rio Branco, Acre, with a daily output (8h travel, £ 70, 00), De Lima, the largest bus line in South America (5917 km) portion fortnightly to Sao Paulo (Tietê), crossing the Andes, the Amazon and the Cerrado, a journey of 96 hours, for $ 468, the Expreso Ormeño. The bus has Eucatur between Manaus and Caracas. The National Land Transport Agency advises routes all international bus lines.
By car
You can cross borders with most countries by car. The main crossing points between are:
- Chuy and Chui, Bella Unión and Bar Quaraí, Artigas and Quaraí, and Aceguá Aceguá, Río Blanco and Jaguarão and between Rivera and Santana do Livramento, arriving in Uruguay,
- Paso de los Libres and Uruguaiana, St. Thomas and San Borja, Bernardo de Irigoyen and Dionisio Cerqueira, Tobuna and Paradise (Santa Catarina), Commander Andresito and Capanema and between Puerto Iguazu and Foz do Iguaçu, from Argentina,
- Ciudad del Este and Foz do Iguaçu, Salto del Guaira Guaira and still and Pedro Juan Caballero and Ponta Pora, coming from Paraguay
- Puerto Suarez and Corumbá, Cobija and Brasiléia / Epitaciolândia, San Matías and Cáceres and still Riberalta / Guayaramerin and Guajará-Mirim (with completion of the international bridge planned for 2007), from Bolivia,
- Leticia and Tabatinga, arriving from Colombia,
- Iñapari and Assis Brazil, from Peru,
- Santa Elena and Pacaraima, who comes from Venezuela
- Lethem and Bonfim, traveling from Guyana.
- Saint-Georges and Oiapoque via ferry (£ 200/carro) until the completion of the international bridge, coming from French Guiana. Upon completion, the road link between Macapa and Cayenne is complete.
The land connection between Colombia and Brazil (Leticia / Tabatinga) have no continuity to other locations on both sides of the border, restricting traffic to the area conurbada.
Transport
By boat
You can travel long distances in the Amazon region by boat, indeed its largest and most affordable means of transport. River transportation routes in the region are regular. The best boat services in the country are in the Amazon, where you can stroll from speedboats and yachts comfortable small wooden boats. The main navigable rivers are the Rio Amazonas, Rio Negro, Rio Araguaia, Xingu River, the Rio Tapajos and Rio São Francisco. You need to know the area, as in many places formed waterfalls.
By plane
All state capitals and the vast majority of medium-sized cities rely on air transport services for passengers. The site has a section Infraero (flights online) with the times of arrival and departure of all flights in the country.
By train
Lines are rare passenger train in the country. Those that were left after the neglect of governments followed in rail transportation and the dismantling of its main routes are Vitória-Minas (905 km), Macapa-Serra do Navio (193 km), St. Louis-Carajas (892 km), Curitiba-Paranaguá [4] (150 km), Pindamonhangaba-Campos do Jordao (47 km). Gradually, several tourist lines short route have been introduced, mainly in Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and in the states of South Region
- In Minas Gerais there are tourist trains following:
- Train Vale – makes the journey Ouro Preto / Mariana,
- Estrada de Ferro Oeste de Minas – travels the stretch São João del Rei / Tiradentes
- Train Waters – St. Lawrence connects the Soledad Mine.
- Train of Mantiqueira – in Passa Quatro, southern Minas Gerais.
- In the state of Rio de Janeiro’s tourist trains as follows:
- Maria Smoke Sesc Miner Grussaí in São João da Barra.
- The Corcovado train in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
- Train Royal Road, in Paraíba do Sul
- In Pernambuco’s Forró the train, which runs from Recife to Cape St. Augustine
- In Mato Grosso do Sul, the Pantanal Train travels the stretch Campo Grande – Aquidauana – Miranda, with extension project to Corumbá, on the border with Bolivia
- In the state of São Paulo:
- Train the Campinas Jaguariúna
- Maria Smoke on the Immigrant Memorial in Capital
- Train Campos do Jordao
- In Rio Grande do Sul, Train Serra Gaucha, between Bento Gonçalves and Carlos Barbosa, via Garibaldi
By bus
The mesh of buses in the country is extensive. The National Land Transport Agency has a website where you can see the lines, timetables and prices between two locations. Alternatively, the independent website buscaonibus.com.br find schedules and prices for many bus companies, with search by origin, destination and date of departure.
By car
The road network is extensive, but most of the roads are in poor condition. Privatized roads, that is, toll charge, are in much better condition.
By taxi
It may be a good option to drive in heavy traffic from capitals. Simulate and compare taxi fares in major cities.
Octavio Frias de Oliveira Bridge in Sao Paulo, the largest city in Brazil. It is the most visited city in the country by foreign business travelers and events
Language
Portuguese is the official language and spoken by the entire population, with relatively little difference in dialect from one region to another – the point of no harm intelligibility between people of different regions. Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas, giving it a distinct cultural identity in relation to other countries of the continent. It is the language used in educational institutions, the media and business. The language spoken in Brazil is partly different from that spoken in Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries. The Portuguese of Brazil and the EU have not developed uniformly, with some differences in pronunciation and spelling, although the differences between the two variants do not compromise, at least in spelling, mutual understanding. However, the Portuguese spoken in Portugal, especially outside major centers, such as in smaller towns, villages and islands, it is hardly understood in Brazil. Recently, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas, sanctioned Nheengatu (aka general language or lingua franca) as an officer, and may be taught in schools, appear in official documents, to be used in government agencies etc.
Food
The cuisine of Brazil is the result of a mixture of ingredients Europeans and other peoples, Indians and Africans. Many of preparation techniques and ingredients are of indigenous origin, having been adapted by the slaves and Portuguese. These were adaptations of their dishes by substituting ingredients that were missing with the local. The feijoada, a typical dish of the country, is an example disso.Os slaves brought to Brazil from the late sixteenth century, coupled with the national culinary elements like oil-for-palm and couscous. The waves of immigrants received by the country between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, coming in large numbers from Europe, brought some innovations to the menu and concomitantly strengthened national consumption of various ingredients.
The daily food, made in three meals, involves the consumption of coffee with milk, bread, fruit, cakes and sweets for breakfast, rice and beans for lunch, basic meal of Brazilian, to which are added, sometimes , pasta, meat, potatoes and salad, and dinner, soups and also the various regional foods. In Brazil, the regional foods vary widely from state to state, precisely because of its large size and its colonization, which gives a huge variety of ingredients and flavors.
This diversity is directly linked to the origin of the population that inhabits each state.
For example, the cuisine of the region of Salvador and Reconcavo Baiano is heavily influenced by African flavors, but also by the Portuguese and indigenous.
Eating habits vary from region to region according to the story, so it’s normal to not knowing the delicacies from other regions. Thus, on the coast of the Northeast’s large African influence in cooking, especially acarajé, vatapd and pepper sauce; North Indian influence is greater, the use of cassava and fish; Southeast’s diverse dishes like beans drover and angu linked to pioneers in Minas Gerais, São Paulo and pizza, the influence of immigrants, and in the south there is a strong influence of Italian cuisine, in dishes such as polenta and also of German cuisine. The barbecue is typical of Rio Grande do Sul and Mato Grosso.
Drink
- cachaça
- caipirinha
- Tropical fruit juice
- Coconut Water
- regional liqueurs
- Chimarrão (based hot drink mate)
- Tererê (based beverage yerba mate)
Security
Most large cities have chronic problems of security, which may or may not affect travelers.
- Tip number one: no bears.
- Two: prefer to leave together.
- Three: in case of assault, do not react.
Health
In some cities and regions need to get vaccinated or take preventive measures against certain diseases: malaria, dengue, yellow fever etc.. The public health system has an agreement with several countries, such as Portugal and France. The public emergency service is free.
What to do
- Respect nature.
- Respect the laws of the country, its people and its culture.
- Do not buy wild animals.
- Driving in urban areas, respecting the preference of pedestrians when crossing the streets in crosswalks.
- Recycle the garbage.
Traditions and religions
Because of Portuguese colonization, the predominant religion in Brazil is Roman Catholic, which, like the cuisine and language, these 500 years suffered profound changes due to various influences, generating syncretism with indigenous beliefs and African religions. However, most traditional denominations (Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran) and Pentecostal (Assemblies of God) have significant presence in the country
In a more recent phenomenon, following a trend more or less world, the number of neo-Pentecostal evangelical religions and their followers has experienced tremendous growth.
- In the North / Northwest, especially Candomblé, a mixture of Catholicism with African cults.
- In the Amazon, the União do Vegetal, also known as Santo Daime.
- In São Paulo, due to the amount of oriental immigrants and their descendants, Buddhism.
- The Hindu religion are gaining more followers, especially in the South / Southeast.
Contacts
Phone calls
The international telephone country code is 55. All cities have area codes two digits must be included when calling from another location. The phones have eight digits nationwide.
The prefix for international calls made from Brazil is 00. For long-distance calls (long distance), the prefix is 0.
The interurban or international prefix must be followed by the two digit code of the operator call. The most common are 21 (operator Embratel), 23 (Intelig), 31 (Hi) and 15 (Telefonica). Prices vary from one to another and the location from which the call originates. You may want to check the best rates on the regulator’s website.
Thus, to call the Brazil type: access code of your country + 55 + area code + phone number
To connect Brazil to another country, type 00 + operator code + country code + area code + phone number
To connect to another location (suburban), type 0 + operator code + area code + phone number
To make a long distance charging, type 90 + operator code + area code + phone number
For local calls the charge, type 9090 + phone number
International calls to charge, call 000111 or by Embratel, 0800-703-2121.
The phone numbers beginning with the digits 2 through 5 are fixed lines; 6-9 are cell. Calls to mobiles are much more expensive than landlines.
ANATEL is the government agency charged with administering the telephone operations in the country and has more information on codes, carriers and rates. There are sites with information about tariffs, as Comparatel. Also it is possible to consult all international codes and national IDD and DDD website.
The service voice-over-IP (VoIP), which allows for phone calls over the Internet, is being implemented in Brazil.
Emergencies
- 190 – Police
- 192 – Emergency Room
- 193 – Fire Department
These calls are free of any device
By mail
The company Correios Brazil is economical, efficient and reliable (at least among large cities). Others express delivery services operating in the country include UPS and DHL among others.
By web
The use of e-mail and Internet in Brazil is widespread and can be found with varying quality, many cities even in non-small tourist. Large cities have broadband connections and public access points. However, the most common form of access for travelers is to own hotels or prices usually more into account in cyber cafes and Internet cafes, gambling houses on the network where you can use your Internet connection for personal use, connect laptops, etc. In many places in large cities, as in Avenida Paulista in Sao Paulo and the Copacabana boardwalk, as well as major airports and many shopping malls in the country, you can connect to the network via Wi-Fi for free
Images
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rio_de_Janeiro_Helicoptero_49_Feb_2006_zoom.jpg
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ponte_Oct%C3%A1vio_Frias_no_Brooklin,_S%C3%A3o_Paulo_%28SP%29.jpg
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Panorama_Balne%C3%A1rio_Cambori%C3%BA.jpg
- http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ficheiro:Ponte_estaiada_Octavio_Frias_-_Sao_Paulo.jpg
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikitravel.
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