Brazil is not only a synonym for the word "football", but also amazingly beautiful flora, many kilometers of beaches and interesting architecture.
General information, climate, message about the population and culture of Brazil
Official name: Federative Republic of Brazil.
Population: approximately 153 million
Capital: Brasilia city.
Religion: The rejection of official religion occurred in 1889 when the country declared itself a republic. However, in 1980, a survey was conducted, according to which it became clear that 90% of the population are Catholics.
Geographic location: 93% of the country is located in South America. In the north it borders with Venezuela and Guiana, in the west - with Bolitvia and Peru, in the south - with Uruguay. The east and southeast of Brazil are washed by the Atlantic Ocean.
Time: the country is located in 4 time zones at the same time. The difference with Moscow is from 5 to 8 hours.
Climate: tropical, subtropical.
Motley ethnic composition - such a phrase can characterize the population of the Republic of Brazil. The culture of the country was formed under the influence of historical conditions. It's about colonization, the importation of blacksslaves, as well as a massive flow of emigrants from Europe, China and Japan. All this led to the mixing of ethnic groups with the indigenous population - the Indians.
Culture of Brazil (briefly)
The unique heritage of this country has brought a mixture of ethnic groups: Brazilians, Americans and Europeans. However, there is one culture that still influences Brazil - the Portuguese. The country is highly developed in terms of folk art, which is a mixture of the arts of the same Portuguese, Africans and Indians.
Also, the culture of Brazil is based on the predilections of the population for lyrics and poetry. It is not for nothing that many poets were born and created on its territory. Do not forget about pottery and painting.
And, of course, what is Brazil without music, which plays an important role in the life of every person born here.
Interesting facts
- The word Brazil comes from the Portuguese "pau brasil" and means "red as coals".
- The country has the longest coastline in the world. Its length is 7491 km.
- The Portuguese call the state "the land of the Holy Cross".
- The only Portuguese-speaking country in South America. Despite this, more than 180 languages are spoken here.
- The slogan of the country: "Order and progress". This inscription is on the national flag.
- The capital of Brazil was built in 41 months.
- The country's official birthday is September 7, 1822.
- After the end of the Second World War, most of the Nazis fled to the territoryBrazil, including Josef Mengel, better known as the Angel of Death.
- The Brazilian city of Candido Godoy is the twin capital of the world.
- Religion is an equally significant culture in Brazil. The largest number of Catholics live in the country (73.6% of the total).
- São Paulo is one of the biggest traffic jams in the world.
- A popular surname in the country is Silva.
- Brazil has over 4,000 airports.
- About 6 million tourists visit the country every year.
And the last fact, as well as the pride of the Brazilians: this is the most titled country, as it became the world champion in football 5 times and won the Olympic Games in the summer of 2016.
Elements of culture
The American scientist Huxley once proposed dividing it into several elements for further comparison and more detailed consideration. Based on this, it can be noted that the culture of Brazil (as well as another country) is divided into 3 areas:
- Mentifacts - art, traditions, religion, language and folklore.
- Social facts - family structure, political structure and educational system.
- Artifacts are a reflection of the types of production that allow the population to live, eat and satisfy other needs.
Do not forget, if not the defining, but the most important element of culture - religion. Although sometimes religion becomes a defining regional indicator.
The most interesting for tourists andresidents of other countries are considered items included in the category of mentifacts. We will tell about them in more detail.
Music
It was formed under the influence of three continents, and what is remarkable, it is still improving and striking in its diversity. In 1930, samba gained popularity. The most famous star of this trend was Carmen Miranda, who became famous for her fruity hats.
In the 50s, the musical direction found peace thanks to a new style - bossa nova. The most famous song of those years is undoubtedly "The Girl from Ipanema". By the way, this trend influenced the formation of North American jazz.
In 1960, tropicalism came into fashion, in 1980 - incendiary and still popular lambada.
Traditions and customs
An experienced tourist knows that before going on a trip to a particular country, you need to learn about it from various sources. And if someone thinks that Brazil is what is shown in the series, then he is deeply mistaken.
Wedding. After the wedding ceremony in the church, a sorcerer appears in front of the newlyweds, who must drive away evil spirits from their happiness. Only then does the wedding itself begin. By the way, during the fun, guests take turns writing the names of cities in Brazil, there must be casadinos (cookies) and a drink made from coconut milk on the table. And, of course, no wedding is complete without a traditional samba and an incendiary pagoda.
It is customary to celebrate the New Year in white clothes, as Brazilians believe that this color brings good luck. If you want to improve your he alth next year, complement the outfit with elements of pink, for we alth, choose shades of gold, and those who dream of great love - red.
Love to communicate - that's what distinguishes the population and culture of Brazil from other countries. Then everything goes according to the standard scheme: men discuss politics and football, women discuss series. Brazilians do not consider it shameful to ask a stranger about how old he is, where he works and what religion he preaches. And if you do not refuse to communicate, then be sure that these nice and cheerful people are saturated with sympathy for you.
What is Brazil without…
Every year, millions of tourists come to Rio for the sake of one… enjoy a spectacular and incendiary carnival! It makes no sense to talk about this dance festival, but it’s still worth knowing a few interesting facts:
- For Brazilians, the carnival is a cultural asset that appeared in the 17th century thanks to the Portuguese.
- Duration of the holiday - 4 days: from Saturday to Tuesday.
- Sambadrome - 700-meter alley for the procession of dancers.
- Entrance to the main area costs from 600 to 1000 euros. And this is only a ticket for one day of the holiday.
- Preparation for the next carnival begins the day after the end of the previous one.
Well, as the Brazilians say: "On this holiday youyou can relax and have fun, because everything that happens at the carnival stays here."
And finally a few words about religion, language, food
Few people know that Brazil, whose spiritual culture is so strong and diverse, supports other religions besides Catholicism. Among them are animism, secretism and other African cults. Kardecism is also practiced in the country - a combination of spiritual religion and mysticism.
Brazilians speak Portuguese, and knowledgeable people often pay attention to the fact that it is partially mixed with African and Indian. By the way, dialects and slang depend on where you live.
The country's staple foods are beans, rice and cassava flour. The most common dish is a thick soup cooked in coconut milk with the addition of seafood and vegetables. Also on the streets you can meet local women selling crumpled beans stuffed with seafood. An original and interesting dish for tourists, the locals flavor it with lots of onions and s alt.
Whatever one may say, it is impossible to deny the fact that the Portuguese had a tremendous influence on Brazil. As for immigrants from some Asian and European countries, they were able to form a culture only in those areas where they settled. By the way, now they have turned into large cities.
It is this combination of different religions, ethnic groups and traditions that has made Brazil a very colorful and interesting country for tourists.
