10 Interesting Things to Know When Travelling to Brazil
So many people think that travelling to ‘America’ means someone is heading towards the United States. However, in reality, the U.S. is just one country among many on the North and South American continents and so when someone tells you they are going to visit America, they may very well be talking about countries like Brazil! Did you know that Brazil is second only to the United States in its claim to fame of having more airports than any other country? With a number of airports greater than 4,000 it is possible to fly into literally any part of the country in order to begin what could be the holiday of a lifetime. Here are 10 interesting things to know when travelling to Brazil.
1. The Brazilian Amazon Still a Place of Great Mystery
Although the Amazon is comprised of 5,500,000 square kilometres, the majority of this intriguing rainforest lies mostly in Brazil which can lay claim to 60% of the total acreage. Even in this day of world travel and communications that take place literally at the speed of light, there is still a great deal unknown about the mysteries of the Amazon. As recently as eight years ago there are said to be more than 70 tribes in the Brazilian Amazon that have yet to be contacted! Wouldn’t it be nice to be the first to encounter one of these?
2. Waterfalls in Iguacu National Park
These impressive waterfalls measure 1.7 miles in width with an amazing 275 drops. If you are going to visit Brazil, take the time to view the many natural wonders such as these truly beautiful waterfalls but don’t forget that you need vaccinations for travelling to Brazil, especially when touring the Amazon or visiting remote sites like this spectacular waterfalls. Before leaving the UK, stop by the London Travel Clinic to see if you have the required vaccinations before heading off to the jungle.
3. Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer
In 2007 this 635 tonne statue was named, and rightfully so, one of what are being called the “New Seven Wonders of the World.
4. The Amazon River
By volume, The Amazon is the largest river in the world with a flow estimated at approximately 209,000 cubic metres per second flow that goes out into the Atlantic. This is an amount totalling more than seven of the following largest rivers worldwide and it would only take about 4 years to fill the deepest lake on the globe, Lake Baikal. Most visitors who see this Brazilian river for the first time are awestruck to see that at its widest part its width is 30 miles across!
5. Brazil Is Home to 19 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
In a country this large, it would take some time to do justice to all 19 sites, but when travelling to Brazil, make the time to see as many as possible. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
6. Brazil Is the Second Most Populace Country of the Americas
Following the United States, Brazil is the second most populace country of both North and South America with the population being just over 200 million at the last census. Many first time visitors are amazed to find that somewhere between 1.5 and 2.5 million of those residents are of Japanese descent.
7. Fewest Tourists of Any Country in the World
Oddly, for a nation with this many natural wonders and amazingly breath-taking sites to see, Brazil sees the fewest tourists a year as a ratio of tourists per resident. That number is estimated to be approximately 6 million.
8. Renowned as Being amongst the Most Biodiverse Nations in the World
It is estimated that there are more than 4 million species of plants and animals native to Brazil and those into studying the ecosphere should truly plan to spend a great deal of time touring the country. In fact, there are more monkey species in Brazil than in any other country around the globe. That’s one for the trivia books!
9. Dolphins Help Fishermen in the Southeast of the Country
If you are into strange stories from nature, be sure to spend some time visiting the Southeast of Brazil where dolphins (you heard that right, dolphins!) help local fishermen catch their dinner by rounding up the fish and herding them over in the direction where fishermen wait with nets. You might even see the motioning with their heads to indicate that they have set the trap. Now this is a sight to see.
10. One of Brazil’s Claims to Fame – Coffee Exportation
If you truly want to get an idea of the economic history of Brazil, visit the coffee plantations. At one time this South American nation was the world’s largest exporter of coffee supplying at least 80% of the annual amount around the year 1920 but in recent times that figure has dropped to around 33%. That’s still an impressive figure when you think of just how many coffee drinkers there are worldwide.
These 10 interesting things to know when travelling to Brazil will give you food for thought when planning your itinerary. You can always get a taste of the nightlife in Brazil’s largest cities like Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte or Salvador but when it comes to the spectacular, the remote areas of the Amazon is where it’s at. Plan an extended stay to take in as much as possible in this enchantingly lovely country.
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