Brazil occupies the north-eastern part of South America. Its northern border is with countries such as Guyana, Venezuela, Suriname, and French Guiana, north-west - with Colombia, western - with Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Paraguay, southern - with Uruguay. Brazil by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, north-east and south-east.
Brazil is the fifth largest in the world by land area, after Russia, the U.S., Canada and China. Through the northern part of Brazil is the line of the equator, crossing states Amara, Amazonas, Pará and Roraima. In the subtropical zone are 92% of the country, 93% of land in Brazil belong to the Southern Hemisphere.
In the central and southern part of the country is the Brazilian Plateau, the highest point of which is Mount Bandeira. In northern Brazil are the Amazon and spurs the Guiana Highlands, and in the south - the Pantanal lowlands. The country's largest rivers - the Amazon, Paraná and São Francisco.
Country exotic nature, almost 8 thousand miles. beautiful beaches, cheerful people, the ancient Indian traditions and colorful colonial architecture, to the same, and one of the most developed countries of the continent, Brazil attracts millions of tourists. It has almost all the conditions for a wide variety of recreation, but the most attention, of course, involve the famous Amazon rainforest and sung in numerous novels pampas south, Iguazu Falls and mountain areas, as well as, of course, the bustling and ever-dancing with the famous Rio Carnival. Rio de Janeiro ("January River") - the former capital and the most visited city in Brazil. Noisy, bustling and ever kosmpolitichny Rio striking combination of cutting-edge architecture and poverty "favelas", magnificent beaches and hotels with stunning temperament locals and phlegm guards, plenty of greenery in the streets and lots of exotic flowers, rassazhennyh wherever possible.
City - a huge statue of Christ the Saviour (span - 30 m) on the Corcovado mountain (part of the Tijuca National Park, which occupies an area of over 3 thousand hectares), as if stretched out in a gesture of hands guarding the city. At the entrance to Guanabara Bay stands another symbol of the city - a rock Pau de Sugar Loaf Mountain ("Sugarloaf", 395 m), with its top reaching to the cable car. Old Town is filled with colorful buildings in colonial style - Customs, docks, Arsenal, Exchange, Largo di Botikariu, the National Academy of Fine Arts, City Hall, the cobbled streets of Santa Teresa district, Aqueduct Arses de Lapa (1732) Palace Museum of Emperor Juan VI (XVIII c.) in Quinta Boa Vista, Imperial Palace Square "XV November" (now there is a cultural center), Tiradentes Palace (now houses the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro) and other picturesque old buildings. It is also the most museums Rio - The Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Carmen Miranda, the Folk Museum and the Museum of World War II in Flamengo Park, the Museum of the city in the former residence of the Marquis of San Vicente, the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Indian historical and art museums , the National Museum in the former imperial palace of Quinta Boa Vista, the Museum of the Republic in the old Presidential Palace, the Museum of stones, museum Shakar du EMS in a beautiful building with turrets, the National Library, the Botanical Museum and Library of the Botanical Garden, the cultural center bank do Brasil and others, as well as almost all the theaters of the city. In the so-called "New Town" interesting Mint, the old prison, main station and Les Invalides. Attracted the attention of many colonial churches and monasteries of the city - Sao Bento (1617-1693 gg.), San Antonio (XVIII c.), Capuchin monastery (formerly - imperial residence), the Church of the Virgin Lampedosa (1929), the Church of Fame Lord (1714), the Museum of Religious Art, St. Lucia (1732) with a unique natural fountain, whose water is considered curative, the Archbishop's Council (1808) on November XV Square, which took place the coronation ceremony, the monastery and Carmelite Church (XVI century). nearby baroque church of the Franciscan Order (XVIII c.), the Church of the Lord's Passion, Santa Cruz du Militaresh (XVIII-XIX centuries.), etc. The real glory of the city brought its famous beaches - Copacabana, Ipanema and Lebnon, each of which is a real focal point of the resort and public life, as well as lesser-known Botafogu, Leme, Arpoador, Vidigal, Pepino San Conrado, Barra de Tijuca, recreational dos Bandeyrantes, Grumari, etc., most of which is as good as the famous Copacabana (total length of more than 90 kilometers of beaches.).
It is interesting to visit the Botanical Garden (1808) with its famous palm lined, which collected more than 7,000 plants from around the world, the Zoo, one of the largest stadiums in the world - "Maracana" (1950), the famous bridge of Rio, a modern business center or explore the surrounding hills from a height of extraordinarily beautiful Guanabara Bay, a ride on the old tram-"bondinyus" and a mini-train late XIX century, connecting the most popular in the city. Well, the night life of Rio de Janeiro - a separate conversation. Hundreds and thousands of nightclubs and bars, numerous shows, discos and restaurants located right at the edge of the beach barbecue-charraskariush and small snacks (regardless of the size, in most of them their show) are located in virtually every house on the coast. And, of course, the famous samba school carnival, to which the city is preparing all year. In the vicinity of Rio, a huge amount of interest. Worth a visit the summer residence of Emperor Pedro I and the Imperial Museum in Petropolis (65 km. From Rio de Janeiro), the inns in the colonial style and a large spa center in Buzios (170 km. North of Rio de Janeiro), a lovely oceanfront and about 200 islands in Angra dos Reyesh, stunning coastline and colorful variety of recreation centers in the city's Memorial Paraty (286 km. south of Rio de Janeiro), the city of Diamantina (included in the list of the Cultural Heritage of Humanity), and magnificent slopes of the surrounding mountains covered with outlandish vegetation that pose a lot of interesting places.
The state capital and an independent Federal District - Brazil is one of the most unusual cities of the continent. Located at an altitude of 1172 meters above sea level, the city was built almost "from scratch" in 4 years. Architects Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer designed the city in the form of a bird, in the "body" which is area of administrative and public buildings, the "wings" - residential areas, and in the "nose" - the area of the three powers, which are located around the residence of the President - the palace of Aurora , domed building of the National Assembly and the Senate, the palaces of the Supreme Court and Congress. From the square in two lines stretching ministries original architecture of the building, and after them - pyramidal Cathedral and the National Theatre, whose architecture is generally difficult to be attributed to any style. Building of the National Research Council follows the shape of the temple of Ramses II. Along the axis of the capital is an ultramodern traffic artery, which is characterized by an almost complete absence of intersections.
Architecture residential areas at least original - the huge windows, the original plan the buildings themselves, originally planned greenery and vast open spaces. A fairly dry and hot climate of the plateau on which the city is built, makes it all the futuristic landscape of a special "transparency." Through the dam, blocking the channel of four rivers, has been created even an artificial lake! Even the addresses are not common, but are alphanumeric abbreviations. Among the attractions of the new capital - Botanical Gardens, the Zoo, the Cathedral Metropolitana, black tower of the Central Bank, Kubitschek Memorial, "Blue Church" Don Bosco (San Juan Bosco), City Park with swimming pools filled with mineral water, one of the biggest trade centers in South America - "Konzhunto-Nacional", Ministerial Complex - a number of buildings-the-art architecture, arched palace with hanging gardens (here is the Foreign Ministry), the statue of the "Meteor" and other unusual plants. The capital of the state of Minas Gerais - Belo Horizonte, is the first city in the country, which was created "from scratch", thus paving the way for the modern capital. It is the fourth largest city in Brazil, one of the largest industrial and commercial centers of the country. There are interesting historical museum Abilio Barrett, Freedom Palace, Casino, Brazilian religious center of Congonhas do Campo, 80 km. from the city's famous "cross road" of Article 78, the church of Our Lady of O, and the Gold Museum in Sabara (25 km. from Belo Horizonte), the city-museum of San Juan del Rey, Tiradentes Village Museum, etc. No less interesting and Ouro Preto ("Black Gold") - the capital of the gold prospectors, miners and treasure hunters, are now included in the List of World Heritage by UNESCO. It attracted the attention of the church of St. Francis (1766-1794 gg.), Conception of Our Lady (1727) with the tomb and museum of the great architect Aleyzhadinyu, Our Lady of Pilar (1711), Karma (1766), Santa Iphigenia- shower Pretos (1733), Mersesh de Cima, City Hall (XIX c.), the Municipal Theatre, parks Itakolomi, Kashoeyra du Falcao, trip and Estrada Real, with a cascade of ponds and waterfalls, as well as numerous museums - Mineralogy, resistance, etc.