Looking for some Brazil fun facts to share with your students? Try these!
Did you know that Brazil belongs to Latin America and it is the largest country in South America? It is also the fifth-largest nation in the world! Wow!
Brazil borders the Atlantic Ocean and, in fact, shares a border with all of the other South American countries except for two, Chile and Ecuador.
Let’s discover some more fun facts about Brazil!
Fun Facts About Brazil
The capitAl of Brazil is Brasilia.
Brasilia became the capital of Brazil in 1961 (before that, Rio de Janeiro was the capital). An interesting fact about Brasilia is that it is a planned city that was made into the shape of an airplane.
Brazil has 4 time zones!
Brazil is so big, that it actually covers 4 time zones. There is Acre Time (ACT), Amazon Time (AMT), Brasilia Time (BRT), and Fernando de Noronha Time (FNT). That’s pretty cool, right?
Brazil was named after a tree.
When the Portuguese arrived in Brazil, it was covered with Terra do Brasil, or Brazilwood trees. These beautiful trees inspired the name Brazil for the country. The Brazilwood is an orangey red heartwood tree, commonly used to make bows for stringed instruments.
The national animal of Brazil is the Jaguar.
Over half of the worlds’ jaguar population lives in Brazil. Jaguars can be found in the Amazon rainforest and in the Pantanal wetlands of the country.
The most famous landmark in Brazil is the Christ the Redeemer statue.
Located in Rio de Janeiro, the Christ the Redeemer statue sits atop Corcovado Mountain and overlooks the city, as well as, Sugarloaf Mountain. It stands at a whopping 98 feet tall and is known as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.
Brazil is home to the largest rainforest in the world – The Amazon!
The Amazon spreads across several countries in South America, but Brazil is home to about 60% of this incredible rainforest. The Amazon is home to many beautiful animals, unique creatures, and indigenous people!
The largest carnival in the world is held in Brazil.
Known as the Brazillian Carnival, or the Rio Carnival, this colorful festival takes place every year for 6 days. About 2 million people can be found dancing, wearing elaborate costumes, and parading down the streets of Rio de Janeiro (and all over the country, really) to celebrate Brazilian culture and history. What a neat fun fact about Brazil culture!
The official language of Brazil is Portuguese.
Brazil is the only country in South America that speaks Portuguese. Did you know that Brazil in Portuguese is actually spelled Brasil? Interesting!
Interesting Facts about Brazil
Brazil is a widely diverse country that is popular for its beautiful beaches, wild jungles and urban living. Home to a unique blend of both indigenous and migrant peoples, Brazilian life is full of rich religious, culinary, and musical culture that sets it apart from other countries. With its incredible history, and lovely landscape, it’s no wonder that Brazil is one of the most beautiful places in the world!
So, what do you think of these Brazil fun facts? Do you think you would like to go there someday?