Geography
Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth largest in the world. It borders 10 of the other 11 countries on the continent, and has one of the longest coastlines on the planet. Brazil is about 8,500,000 square kilometers; 4,400 kilometers north to south, and 4,300 kilometers east to west. It has many regions, each with its own climate and terrain. Northern Brazil is mostly the Amazon Rainforest, with more animal and plant species than any other part of the world. The average amount of rainfall each year is more than 160 inches [2], which is four times the amount of the rainfall than in Boston, Massachusetts [4]. Northern Brazil also has the country's highest mountain, Neblina Peak, 3,150 meters above sea level.
Neblina Peak at sundown (BBC)
The northeast of Brazil is the hottest and driest region, with arid plains called sertão, but also has many beaches and tropical forests near the coastline [2]. The northeast of Brazil is generally the most dry, but because of the low humidity, it makes the heat in the summer more bearable than in the south. On the arid plains, plants vary from thorny woods growing up to 30 feet high to low bunchgrass, small plants that grow in tufts. Jaguars and other big cats used to roam this region, but there are now few left [3]. Salvador is the largest city in northeast Brazil, and Fortaleza and Recife are next, all of them lying on the coast. The central and southern plateaus are made up mostly of the Brazilian Highlands, with hills, grasslands filled with cattle, and the national capital, Brasilia [2]. In the winter, the Highlands are generally dry, with snow occasionally in the southern parts [3].
The southern Brazilian Highlands (Peakbagger)
In west-central Brazil, there is a swamp called the Pantanal, which flows into Bolivia and Paraguay [2]. In the Pantanal, there are exotic birds, and many species of lizards and snakes [2]. The southwest is the most populated region, with the cities São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and the massive waterfall, Iguaçu Falls. The seasons in Brazil are opposite to the northern hemisphere, with summer lasting December through March, and winter lasting June through September. Summer is the wet season, where the most rain falls, and the average temperature is about 80 degrees. Winter is the dry season, with an average temperature of 72 degrees. All in all, Brazil is an incredibly diverse country, with different climates, rainfalls, and geographic landmarks [2].
The Pantanal (Pixabay)
Map of Brazil
