Discovering Brazil

People and Culture The beauty of Brazil lies in understanding the diversity and remarkable differences this country has to offer. The core culture of Brazil comes from its strong colonial ties with Portugal, though it has many other influences from Europe, Africa, and Asia, as well as indigenous Amerindians. Brazil is known for its enormous ethnical and cultural diversity among different religious beliefs and ethnicities, along with its trademark cheerfulness and kindness. The country faced many influences and welcomed many people from different places in the world who have left a physical mark on the landscape, as well as in Brazilian culture. Brazil was culturally developed by people from Portugal, as well as Africa, England, Germany, France, Holland, Italy, Japan, Poland, Spain, and many other nations. Demographics Brazil is by far the largest and most populated country in South America, and one of the largest nations in the world in terms of both surface area, and demographics. It stands fifth among the largest territorial domains, following Russia, Canada, China, and the United States. The Brazilian population is concentrated within the South and Southeast regions, and throughout most of the coastal area. A significant percentage of this population is a mix of European, Amerindian, Middle Eastern, African, and Asian cultures. For example, São Paulo state has the highest Japanese concentration in the world outside Japan. Language Portuguese is spoken by nearly the entire population. The only exceptions are some members of Amerindian groups and other immigrant groups who have not yet learned Portuguese. The principal families of Amerindian languages are Tupí, Arawak, Carib, and Gê. Even though Portuguese is the native language in Brazil, the difference between the way it is spoken here and how it is spoken in Portugal is drastic. Sometimes a Brazilian might not understand what a Portuguese person is saying, and vice-versa. Within Brazil, there are no dialects of Portuguese, but only moderate regional variation in accent, vocabulary, and use of personal nouns, pronouns, and verb conjugations. Variations have diminished as a result of mass media, especially due to national television networks viewed by the majority of Brazilians. Religion Although Evangelical Protestantism is growing in appeal, Roman Catholicism is still the most popular denomination in the country. Approximately two-thirds of the population identifies themselves as Catholic, and Brazil is said to be the largest Roman Catholic country in the world. Brazil does have a presence of other Christian religions, as well as Judaism, Buddhism, and the religions of Candomble and Umbanda, which were introduced by African cultures.

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Discovering Brazil

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