FUN FACTS ABOUT BRAZIL

THE WORD “BRAZIL,” MEANING “RED LIKE AN EMBER,”

COMES FROM PAU BRASIL (BRAZIL WOOD), A TREE

THAT ONCE GREW ABUNDANTLY ALONG THE BRAZILIAN

COAST THAT PRODUCED A DEEP RED DYE.

BRAZIL WOOD WAS VALUED BY EUROPEAN TRADERS

WHO CAME FROM THE PORTUGUESE COAST IN THE

SIXTEENTH CENTURY TO TRADE WITH THE

TUPÍ-GUARANÍ INDIANS.

THE PORTUGUESE OFFICIALLY NAMED BRAZIL TERRA DO

SANTA CRUZ (LAND OF THE HOLY CROSS), BUT TRADERS

SIMPLY CALLED IT TERRA DO BRASIL

BRAZIL IS THE SIXTH-LARGEST COUNTRY IN THE

WORLD WITH A POPULATION OF 200 MILLION AND

THE FIFTH-LARGEST BY LANDMASS WITH 5.35 MILLION

SQUARE MILES. IT IS ALSO THE LARGEST COUNTRY

IN SOUTH AMERICA

THE AMAZON RAIN FOREST IS THE WORLD’S LARGEST,

CONTAINING ONE-FIFTH OF THE WORLD’S FRESHWATER

RESERVES AND PRODUCING ONE-THIRD OF THE

EARTH’S OXYGEN. ABOUT SIXTY PERCENT OF THE

AMAZON LIES IN BRAZIL

BRAZIL IS THE LARGEST PORTUGUESE-SPEAKING

NATION IN THE WORLD AND THE ONLY ONE IN THE

AMERICAS SINCE THE REST ARE SPANISH SPEAKING

BRAZIL IS HOME TO THE MOST FAMOUS CARNIVAL IN

THE WORLD: THE RIO DE JANEIRO CARNIVAL, WHICH IS

OFTEN CITED AS “THE WORLD’S LARGEST PARTY.”

BRAZIL’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM HAS BEEN THE

MOST SUCCESSFUL WHEN IT COMES TO THE

FIFA WORLD CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS. THEY HAVE WON

THE TOURNAMENT FIVE TIMES:

1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, AND 2002

BRAZIL HAS MORE THAN FOUR THOUSAND AIRPORTS,

WHICH MAKES IT THE SECOND COUNTRY WITH THE

MOST AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD JUST BEHIND

THE UNITED STATES

BRAZIL’S FLAG IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR BUT

NOT MANY KNOW ITS MEANING; THE GREEN REPRESENTS

THE FORESTS OF BRAZIL, THE YELLOW RHOMBUS

REFLECTS ITS MINERAL WEALTH, AND THE BLUE CIRCLE

AND STARS DEPICT THE SKY OVER RIO DE JANEIRO ON

THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 15, 1889, WHEN

BRAZIL DECLARED ITSELF A REPUBLIC.