Brazil

Brasília serves as the political, cultural and economic heart of Brazil, positioned in South America. As the seat of government and often the most populous city, it concentrates the country's main institutions, universities and cultural landmarks. Beyond the capital, major cities include São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador — each a hub of regional culture, economy and history. Brasília was carved from the cerrado savanna in just 41 months and inaugurated in 1960 — a modernist utopia designed by Oscar Niemeyer and Lúcio Costa whose alien curves and rational grid planning remain either the 20th century's greatest urban experiment or its most grandiose failure, depending on who you ask.

With a population of approximately 214M, Brazil is a vibrant society with a rich mix of traditions and communities. The official language is Portuguese, which reflects the country's cultural heritage and connects it with a wide international community. Internationally, Brazil is reached via the dialling code +55. Brazilian culture forged a genuinely hybrid identity from Portuguese colonisers, enslaved Africans, indigenous nations, and waves of Japanese, Italian, German, and Lebanese immigrants — producing the world's largest Japanese community outside Japan and a samba tradition rooted in Angolan candomblé ceremony.

Brazil spans 8,515,767 km², in the South America subregion of Americas. Geographically centred around 10.0°S, 55.0°W, the country offers a diverse range of landscapes shaped by its location, climate and geology. Road traffic follows the right-hand rule, in line with surrounding Americas convention.

The official currency is the Brazilian real (R$), used for everyday transactions and commerce throughout the country. Brazil's economy is shaped by its geography, natural resources and trade relationships. Business and daily life operate under UTC-05:00, aligning the country with its regional neighbours.

The emblematic dish of Brazil is Feijoada. Feijoada, a black bean stew with pork slow-cooked and served with rice, farofa, and orange slices, emerged from the slave quarters of Brazilian plantations and is now consumed across class lines every Saturday — a national dish whose origins are disputed but whose social function as a communal meal is unchallenged.

Football holds a special place in the heart of Brazil's national identity. Brazil has won the FIFA World Cup five times, but football's grip on the national psyche goes deeper than statistics — Pelé's 1970 team is widely considered the greatest ever assembled, and the 1950 Maracanazo defeat by Uruguay in the World Cup final in Rio remains a national trauma discussed across generations.

The highest point in Brazil is Pico da Neblina, rising to 2,994 metres above sea level. The Amazon rainforest covers 60% of Brazil and contains 10% of all species on Earth — a biosphere so complex that scientists estimate less than 10% of its species have been formally identified, with new large animals including a previously unknown species of giant river dolphin discovered as recently as 2014.