Brazil is a land of startling contrasts, from the dense rainforests of the Amazon River Basin to spectacular coastlines adorned with sun-drenched white sand beaches. It is also one of the most vibrant leisure destinations in Latin America, known for its festive atmosphere and friendly, often uninhibited, residents. Carnival, the largest street festival in the world, is held during the four days preceding Ash Wednesday. In addition, the International Song Festival is held each fall.

Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world, occupying almost half of the South American continent. Physically larger than the continental United States, Brazil is rich in geographic and social contrast. The country also has one of the ten largest economies in the world, with vast natural resources and a well-developed industrial base.

Visitors to Rio de Janeiro can travel by cable car up the slope of Corcovado Mountain, where a 130-foot statue, Christ the Redeemer, overlooks Guanabara Bay and the city. Pao de Acucar (Sugarloaf Mountain) also provides spectacular views and has a restaurant, nightclub, and gift shop at the summit.

Rio de Janeiro is best known for its nine beaches crowded with sunbathers adorned in daring swim attire. The most famous, Copacabana beach, is lined with a mosaic sidewalk. The Botanical Gardens feature more than 7,000 varieties of tropical plants, including 600 different species of orchids. Qunita da Boa Vista is a large park complex housing a zoo, an aquarium, and the National Museum.

The largest city, Sao Paulo (SAO), is a modern industrial center with a population of over 10 million. Rio de Janeiro (RIO), which is situated on the mid-central coast, has about 5.6 million people. Brasilia (BSB), the capital of Brazil, is located in the interior in the Campo Caatingas mountain range, and is a modern metropolis. Recife (REC) is Brazil's fifth largest city and the capital of tropical Pernambuco state.

The centerpiece of Sao Paulo is the Edifico Italia, the tallest building in South America. Other noteworthy attractions include the Instituto Butantan snake farm, the Sao Paulo Art Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Sao Paulo has an active entertainment industry supported by theaters, nightclubs, restaurants, sports arenas, and race tracks. Brasilia is the site of the presidential palace, government buildings, and the National Theatre.

The beaches of Recife are the site of a luxury resort area with a strong European influence. Nearby, the quiet town of Olinda has been restored to the original colonial grandeur of 18th-century Brazil. At the Petropolis are the crown jewels of past Brazilian kings.

In the interior, at the center of the South American continent, is a largely untouched wilderness, the Pantanal, containing forests, meadows, and savannahs. This area is the largest wildlife habitat in the world, with rare birds, reptiles, fish, and mammals. The Iguazu Falls, near the Argentine border, are twice the width of Niagara Falls. The rainforest of the Amazon River basin annually attracts thousands of adventure-minded travelers to the Brazilian wilderness.

In the north part of Brazil, the Amazon River flows through a vast rain forest that produces one third of the oxygen in the earth's atmosphere. The northeast is primarily desert, whereas great pine forests are found at Rio Grande in the south. The plains of the Pampas begin in south central Brazil and continue to Argentina. The lengthy Atlantic coastline has innumerable natural harbors.

The Amazon River basin covers 2.4 million square miles, an area equal to that of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. Nearly one-fourth of the forest area of the world is located in this region. A large section of the river basin lies in Brazil. China and Brazil have nearly the same total land area, yet China contains only two percent of the world's forestland. In contrast, Brazil contains 11 percent.

As much as 85 percent of the basin is tropical rain forest, with average rainfall between 80 and 100 inches per year. The warm temperatures and heavy moisture in the area create a hot, humid climate and dense vegetation that, in many places, is impenetrable.