Brazil

The long-lasting impression most visitors leave Brazil with is of carefree, colourful people dancing and celebrating in the street parades at Carnival, and of a passion for life and exuberance of spirit that charms visitors from around the world.

The country has much to offer visitors at all times of year, however. Tourists descending on the country's exciting cities, such as hedonistic Rio de Janeiro, can enjoy the five-star hotels, shopping malls, pristine beaches, sunny skies and bustling nightlife without really having to confront the hundreds of shantytowns (favelas) where the poorest of the poor eke out a living in the shadows of the skyscrapers.

With booming mining, agricultural and manufacturing sectors, Brazil has the highest GDP in Latin America and is expected to be one of the world's dominant economies by the middle of this century. Brazil also caters well for business tourism and is a favoured destination for conventions, congresses and expos, particularly the city of Sao Paulo, which is the country's largest city and the business capital of Brazil.

Being so vast, larger than the continental United States, Brazil offers a variety of cultures and topographies. The range is evident in the contrast of the Amazon and Pantanal rain forests to the mountain towns of Minas Gerais, the urban jungle of Sao Paulo and the vast central plateau around Brasilia, and the world-famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. It all adds up to an exotic and exciting Latin American mix where the common denominators are samba, sunshine, sultry smiles and soccer.

Climate

Brazil's weather is quite diverse as there are five different climatic regions: equatorial, tropical, semi-arid, highland tropical and subtropical. The seasons are the reverse of those in Europe and the United States. Cities such as Sao Paulo and Brasilia, on the plateau, have a mild climate with temperatures averaging 66°F (19°C). Rio de Janeiro, Recife, Natal and Salvador on the coast have warmer climates balanced by the Trade Winds. Rio, for example, has an average temperature of around 80°F (26°C), which will climb to over 100°F (38°C) during the summer months. In the southern Brazilian cities of Porto Alegre and Curitiba, the subtropical climate is similar to parts of the US and Europe, with frosts occurring in the winter months (July to August) when temperatures can fall below freezing. Summers are hot, however. Despite the popular image of the Amazon as a region of blistering heat, temperatures rarely rise above 90°F (32°C), and days are generally warm, wet and humid. The region has two seasons: a rainy season (November to May) and not-so-rainy season (June to October).

Money

The Brazilian monetary unit is the real (BRL), plural reais. There are 100 centavos to the real. The US dollar is also welcome in most tourist establishments. In the main cities foreign currencies and travellers cheques can be exchanged at banks or cambios. There is an extensive network of ATMs in the country and most major international credit cards are accepted.

Passport Visa

All visitors require passports that are valid for at least the period of intended stay in Brazil. Sufficient funds to cover their stay in Brazil, as well as a return or onward ticket and documentation required for further travel, are necessary for all travellers.

Entry Requirements

• A valid passport and a visa are required by US nationals.
• UK passport holders do not require a visa for either business or holiday travel for stays of up to 90 days. A valid passport is required.
• A valid passport and a visa are required by Canadian nationals.
• A valid passport and a visa are required by Australian nationals.
• A valid passport is needed, but no visa is required by South African nationals if travelling on holiday or business for up to 90 days.
• Irish nationals need a valid passport, but do not require a tourist or business visa for stays of up to 90 days.
• New Zealanders need a valid passport, but no visa is required for a stay of up to 90 days.

Health

Hepatitis A and B vaccinations are reccommended for all travellers. Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever and malaria are prevalent in Brazil. Insect repellent and protective clothing is essential. Malaria exists below 2,953ft (900m) in most rural areas, and outbreaks of dengue fever occur frequently. A yellow fever vaccination is recommended for those travelling to rural areas and other parts of the country as a yellow fever outbreak occurred at the beginning of 2008. Visitors travelling from infected areas outside the country require a yellow fever certificate. Chagas disease, caused by a parasite, is widespread in rural areas of Brazil. Until recently infection was believed to be from insect bites only, but an outbreak in March 2005 caused three deaths in Santa Catarina and was traced to the ingestion of sugar cane juice contaminated with the faeces of vector insects, and further cases were linked to the ingestion of bacaba wine from roadside stalls; visitors are advised to seek medical advice urgently if any of the symptoms occur (fever, nausea, muscle aches and pains and/or swelling at the site of the insect bite). Tap water is heavily treated resulting in a strong chemical taste; bottled water is, however, freely available for drinking purposes. Typhoid vaccinations are reccommended if travellers intend to spend a lot of time outside of major cities. Milk in rural areas is not pasteurised. Travellers are advised to take along medication for travellers' diarrhoea. Hospitals in the major cities are fairly good, but most doctors will want cash payment, even for travellers with insurance.

Embassy Consulates

• Brazilian Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 238 2700
• Brazilian Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7399 9000
• Brazilian Embassy, Ontario, Canada: +1 613 237 1090.
• Brazilian Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6273 2372.
• Brazilian Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 366 5200.
• Brazilian Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 475 6000.
• Brazilian Embassy, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 (0)4 473 3516.

Foreign Embassies

• United States Embassy, Brasilia: +55 (61) 3312 7000.
• British Embassy, Brasilia: +55 (61) 3329 2300.
• Canadian Embassy, Brasilia: +55 (61) 3424 5400.
• Australian Embassy, Brasilia: +55 (61) 3226 3111.
• South African Embassy, Brasilia: +55 (61) 3312 9500.
• Irish Embassy, Brasilia: +55 (61) 3248 8800.
• New Zealand Embassy, Brasilia: +55 (61) 3248 9900.