Brazil makes up nearly half the total area of South America.

To the North, West and South it borders every South American country except Chile and Ecuador. To the East, there are 4.604 miles of unspoiled, South Atlantic coastline, including some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Entering Brazil is a relatively simple matter; the country has ten different gateways for international visitors.

Brazil's land mass totals 3.285.632 square miles, more than all the European countries together or the continental United States.

Since 93% of Brazil's territory is located in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are the direct opposite of those in Europe or the United States. When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it is summer in Brazil and vice versa. Brazil's climate ranges from the typically tropical North where it never gets cool to a more temperate climate in the South where it has even been known to snow in the winter, with all sorts of subtropical variations in between.
The country does not present wide extremes from a topographical point of view; most of its territory is less than 650 feet above sea level, distributed over elevated plateaux, low plains and extensive basins.

Politically, Brazil is divided into 27 states, and the Federal District is Brasília, site of the nation's capital. These states and territories are divided into five regions, each with distinct characteristics. The marked social, cultural and geographical contrasts between these regions sometimes make it seem as if each is a country within the country.

Of Brazil's 171 million inhabitants, 60% are under the age of 30. Brazilians are friendly people, eager to show visitors the beauty and rich heritage of their country, which is much more than we could ever hope to reveal to you in this compact guide.