Brazil, with its capital Brasilia, is slightly smaller than the US and
encompasses a total area of 8,511,965 sq. km. The climate is tropical in most
of the country but temperate in south. The terrain is mostly flat to rolling
lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt.
Brazil is the largest country in South America and shares common boundaries
with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador.
The estimated population is 174,468,575. The official language is Portuguese but Spanish, English, and French can be heard throughout the country. The main industries are textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, and other machinery and equipment. Agriculture products such as coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus and beef are commonly cultivated. The major environmental threat is the deforestation in the Amazon Basin destroying the habitat and endangering the existence of a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area. Air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities as well as land degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining activities are just a few of the current environmental issues that Brazil is currently dealing with.
Click here for information about the wildlife and habitats of Central and South America.