In this article, we are looking at 12 Interesting facts about life in Brazil, a diverse and historic country. We have found some interesting facts that you may not know about.
1. Brazil is the Most Successful National Team in the FIFA World Cup.
Brazil is by far the most successful team in the Football World Cup, having won the competition five times. The closest competitors are Italy and Germany, who have each won the World Cup four times.
Brazil is also the most consistent team having reached every single world cup finals tournament. Brazil is the most successful team in the Confederations Cup, having won the competition four times.
2. Sao Paulo is the Biggest City in Brazil.
Sao Paulo is the Biggest City in Brazil, the Urban part of the city alone has more than 10 million residents. Add to that the 20 million people living in the Sao Paulo Metro Area, and not only is the city the most populous in Brazil, but it is also the most populous city in the whole of South America. It is the 11th largest city in the world.
3. Brazil is the Largest Country in South America.
Brazil is by far the largest country in the whole of South America and the fifth-biggest state in the world.
It has a coastline that stretches 4,500 miles down the eastern seaboard of South America. It has mutual borders with every state in South America except Ecuador and Chile.
4. Brasilia, the Country’s Capital, Took Just 41 Months to Build.
The first time that a new capital for Brazil was discussed was in the 18th century. Later, in 1822, the name Brasilia was mooted. The constitution of 1891 had specified that the capital should be moved to a more central location.
However, construction did not commence until 1956. Brasilia was officially declared a city in 1960, and at that point, the government started moving its offices there from the former capital Rio de Janeiro. Brasilia is the third-largest city in Brazil.
5. Brazil has Been the World’s Largest Exporter of Coffee for More Than 150 Years.
In the 1920’s Brazil produced 80% of the world’s coffee. Since then, the percentage has dropped to around 33% due to excess production around the world. The country has 10,000 sq. ml of coffee plantations, mostly located in the south-eastern states.
Coffee first arrived in Brazil in the 18th century, and by the 1840s, Brazil had become the world’s primary producer.
6. Brazil is the World’s Most Bio-Diverse Country.
There are 18 countries regarded as having mega-diversity, and Brazil is top of that list. Brazil has between 15% and 20% of the world’s biological diversity. It hosts 120,000 species of invertebrates, 9,000 vertebrates, and over 4,000 plant species. Every year, an average of 700 new species of animals are discovered.
Much of this biodiversity occurs in the Amazon Rainforest. 60% of the Amazon Rainforest is located in Brazil, with the remainder split between several countries, most notably Peru and Columbia.
The interesting fact that very few people are aware of is that the Amazon is fertilized with dust and sand from the Sahara Desert.
This dust blows over the Atlantic and settles in the Amazon 27.7 billion tons of this dust falls in the Amazon basin annually, and 222 million tons of that is phosphorus, which replaces the nutrients washed away from the Amazon in tropical rains.
7. The Amazon River is the World’s Largest by Volume of Water Discharged.
The Nile may be the world’s longest river, but the Amazon River has the most significant flow of water. The Amazon is 6,400 miles in length and discharges 2,900 cubic meters of water into the Atlantic every second.
Perhaps it is easier to picture this statistic if we put it this way. “Every second, the Amazon discharge could fill 83 Olympic swimming pools.”
New research by the Brazilian government has discovered new sources of the Amazon, and they now claim that Amazon is also the longest river in the world (overtaking the Nile). This is still a matter of debate.
8. There are at least 70 Uncontacted Tribes in the Brazilian Amazon.
There are at least 70 tribes that have had no contact with the rest of humanity in the Brazilian Amazon. However, illegal loggers and cattle ranchers are trying to take their lands, and they are under increasing threat. These tribes are very vulnerable to diseases which they have never had contact with and can kill.
Many tribes are down to the last few surviving members. One man is living in Tanaru in Rondonia state that has been spotted living alone, always on the move. Nobody knows what language he speaks or what tribe he belonged to.
The authorities believe his tribe was probably massacred by cattle ranchers who stole his land. The ranchers frequently hire shooters to shoot uncontacted tribes, and many attempts have been made to kill this lone survivor.
9. Some 1.5 Million-2.5 Million Brazilians are of Japanese Descent.
The first of the Japanese immigrants arrived in 1908, and the numbers just grew. Brazil now has the highest population of people with Japanese ancestry outside of Japan.
The number is now decreasing as there has been a reverse flow of immigration. Many of these people are now migrating back to Japan.
10. Brazil is Home to the World’s Largest Carnival – Rio Carnival!
The carnival of Rio de Janeiro is held every year, just before Lent. It is regarded as the biggest carnival in the world and, on average, sees two million people on the streets every day. It begins the Friday before Ash Wednesday and ends at noon on Ash Wednesday.
The carnival parade will consist of people partying, floats, and costumed members of the many Samba schools from around the city. These schools are typically based around a neighborhood.
11. Brazil has the Widest Variety of Animals of any Country in the World.
Brazil is home to the widest variety of animals in the world. It has 600 species of mammals, 1,500 species of fish, 1,600 types of birds, and a truly astonishing 100,000 different species of insects. Most of this variety lives in the Rainforest, but there is also a wide diversity in the pampas regions too.
In the central part of the western area is a flat and swampy place called “the Pantanal” which is a network of flooded lagoons, small islands, and is the largest wetland in the world.
Native to this area are giant Anacondas, and a dangerous South American alligator called Caimans.
12. The Largest Ever Bank Robbery was in Brazil.
The Banco Central Burglary took place at Fortaleza and was the world’s largest bank robbery. The total sum stolen was $71.6 million, of which only $5 million has ever been recovered. There were 25 people involved in the theft, of which just eight have been arrested. In August 2005, the team dug a tunnel into the bank and removed five containers containing money and weighing 3.5 tons.
What a beautiful country Brazil is! It has such a wide diversity of nature and history. The perfect place to visit.
Also read the article: Travel To Sao Paulo, Brazil
