World Guide

Brazil

Country · Americas, South America

Brazil
Photo: Rafael Rabello de Barros, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Located in South America, Brazil is a vast country spanning over 8.5 million square kilometers with a population of about 213 million people. Its capital is Brasília. Travelers can explore a wide range of natural and cultural sites across the nation.

Highlights

This reference covers 17 major sights across Brazil. In Rio de Janeiro, prominent landmarks include Sugarloaf Mountain, the Corcovado, the Escadaria Selarón, the Rio de Janeiro Cathedral, the Maracanã Stadium, and the Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos. The capital, Brasília, features the Cathedral of Brasília, the Palácio do Planalto, and the Palácio da Alvorada. Natural and protected areas include Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, the Cerrado, the Amazon Theatre, Iguaçu National Park, Serra da Capivara National Park, and Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park. Other notable locations include Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo and the Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida.

Food and drink

Brazilian cuisine includes dishes such as moqueca, churrasco, coxinha, akara, and salpicon. Side dishes and snacks include pão de queijo, farofa, and the açai bowl. Sweets include brigadeiro and dulce de leche. Common drinks are cachaça and caipirinha.

When to go

The climate at the capital, Brasília, has distinct wet and dry seasons. The months from May through September are the driest, with almost no rain in June and July. Temperatures during these months range from daily lows of 14 °C to highs of 28 °C. The wettest months are November, December, January, and March, which each see over 200 mm of rainfall and average about 22 to 24 rainy days.

Practical notes

The official language is Portuguese, and the currency is the Brazilian real. The country uses electrical plugs of types C and N with a voltage of 127 V. Traffic moves on the right side of the road. Brazil spans multiple time zones, ranging from UTC−05:00 to UTC−03:00 and UTC−04:00.

Cities

Food and drink to try in Brazil

  • Dulce de leche
  • Caipirinha
  • Cachaça
  • Akara
  • Moqueca
  • Churrasco
  • Brigadeiro
  • Farofa
  • Pão de queijo
  • Coxinha
  • Salpicon
  • Açai bowl

Top sights in Brazil

  1. Maracanã StadiumMaracanã StadiumRio de Janeiro
  2. Lençóis Maranhenses National ParkUNESCOLençóis Maranhenses National Park
  3. Sugarloaf MountainSugarloaf MountainRio de Janeiro
  4. Basilica of Our Lady of AparecidaBasilica of Our Lady of AparecidaAparecida
  5. CerradoUNESCOCerrado
  6. Estádio Olímpico Nilton SantosEstádio Olímpico Nilton SantosRio de Janeiro
  7. CorcovadoCorcovadoRio de Janeiro
  8. Cathedral of BrasíliaCathedral of BrasíliaBrasília
  9. Palácio do PlanaltoPalácio do PlanaltoBrasília
  10. Palácio da AlvoradaPalácio da AlvoradaBrasília
  11. Rio de Janeiro CathedralRio de Janeiro CathedralRio de Janeiro
  12. Escadaria SelarónEscadaria SelarónRio de Janeiro
  1. Amazon Theatre · ManausUNESCO
  2. Ibirapuera Park · São Paulo
  3. Iguaçu National ParkUNESCO
  4. Rio Negro Bridge · Manaus
  5. Serra da Capivara National ParkUNESCO
  6. Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue · Recife
  7. Chapada dos Veadeiros National ParkUNESCO
  8. Hercílio Luz Bridge · Florianópolis
  9. Ricardo Brennand Institute · Recife
  10. Jurerê · Florianópolis
  11. Mercado Adolpho Lisboa · Manaus

UNESCO sites in Brazil →

Weather by month

The warmest month is September, with an average high of 28 °C. The wettest is December, with about 260 mm of rain.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average high, °C262626262625252728282626
Average low, °C181818171614141618181818
Rainfall, mm22518823611430661744144230260
Rainy days2322221630025162424

Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for Brasília (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.

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