Ryan Catalogna
Brazil was colonized by the Portuguese around the 1500s. The population of Brazil is around 162 million people. It had the tenth largest economy in the world in the 1990s.
In terms of land size, Brazil is fourth largest country in the world. Nearly one-third of Brazil s land mass is taken up by the Amazon River Basin. Native Americans inhabit the northern and western parts of Brazil.
Most people live in the southern and southeastern parts of Brazil. However, the Amazon Rain Forest is being torn down for business use, so many people living there are forced to leave.
The language of Brazil is Portuguese, which is closely related to Spanish.
Each different ethnic groups and religions have there own different folklores and myths.
The main religions in Brazil are Roman Catholic and Protestant. Although, many Brazilians claim to be Roman Catholic, there are not purely Roman Catholic. The reason being is their religion is mixed with many traditional practices
However, the fastest growing sect is Umbanda. It uses music and dancing to attract people. Also, it uses alcohol in order to reach a trance-like state to talk to spirits.
The Carnival is one of the world s biggest carnivals. It occurs for five days after Ash Wednesday. People stop everything they are doing to attend.
The Carnival parade takes place in Rio De Janeiro. It lasts all night long and into the morning. Other countries hold this event, but Brazil holds the biggest one.
The ceremonies for birth, marriage, and death depend on the religious tradition.
Brazilians tend to talk with their hands for emphasis. Restaurants in Brazil do not open until 8 or 9 o clock. They also stay up late and party. The make up sleep during the Siesta.
During the Siesta, which occurs in the afternoon, businesses close for a couple hours and people go home, eat, and nap. Brazilians are also big coffee drinkers.
Brazil has cities just like every other country. It has commercial buildings, residential houses, and slums. The slums, known as Favelas, are estimated to have almost 25 million people.
Poor sanitation, no sewer access, and no garbage pick up leads to many health problems. Most people resort to crime to survive. On the other hand, the upper class and middle class live very well.
Most upper or middle class families have servants to do work around the house. Houses are built with different materials depending on the type of environment of the area.
Families usually have 5 to 7 children. Most social events in the family occur with the extended family. Women are very low in society, especially the lower class ones.
Females role in society is to be beautiful. People typically do not get married. However, men take women for long times. This behavior is not right; it is accepted.
Women wear shorts skirts or shorts to attract men. Business clothes is the similar to that of the United States. Clothing varies depending on the area. In southern areas, the cowboy style is worn.
In the Amazon area, people wear face paint and tunics. In the Afro-Brazilians area, women wear colorful skirts and head scarves.
The food combines all different styles of cooking from different areas of Brazil. It is a tradition to have feijoda on Saturday afternoon for lunch. Considered the national dish, it is a stew of black beans and different types of pork.
The slaves made this dish using discarded cuts of pork. Rich and vegetables are usually eaten with this dish.
Children must attend at least eight years of schooling. However, most people do not meet this requirement. Reading and writing levels for men is 83 percent and 80 percent for women.
Schools receive only an adequate amount of funds. Classes are full, forcing kids to take night classes. Higher-level institutions are very hard to get in to. The middle and upper-class children typically attend these schools.
Brazil has a wide variety of folk and modern music. The most common one is the Samba. Religious ceremonies use various African dances and music.
Brazil has made many types of music. One being a mixture between jazz and samba called bossa nova.
Brazil has both an extensive raw material and agricultural sector as well as heavy industry and manufacturing economy. It is the biggest producer and distributer of coffee.
Brazil produces sugar, soybeans, and corn. Brazil is the most successful in exporting goods in South America.
Soccer and volleyball are the two most popular sports in Brazil. Thee Rio de Janeiro stadium is the biggest soccer stadium in the world. It has a moat around the field to keep fans off the field.
Going to the beach is the biggest form of recreation in Brazil. Brazil is the nation with the largest coastline in the world. Sambas schools serve as a form of recreation in the Favelas.
Singing, dancing, and costumes designer occur here to prepare for the carnival. Along with beach-going and samba houses, soap operas are another important form of recreation.
Goldsmithing and jewelry-making are forms of art. Figa is a popular piece of jewelry. It is a necklace with a hand with a thumb between the middle and index fingers. It is a symbol of good luck.
The San Francisco River was believed to be cursed with evil spirits. Therefore, boaters used to carve scary heads called carrancas to scare of these spirits.
A very severe issue in Brazil the amount of children living on the streets. These kids are sometimes left by their parents who cannot afford them. These children commit crimes to live.
Although children have full protection under the law, thousands of street children have been murdered by Brazilian police. People are forming groups to help raise awareness for the rights of these children.
"Brazilians." Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cultures. Ed. Timothy L. Gall and Susan Bevan Gall. Vol. 2. Detroit: UXL, 1999. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 Sep. 2011.