Brazil
Brazil, the fifth largest country in the world is a peaceful and democratic republic, divided into states, then again into municipalities and fringed with over seven-thousand kilometers of sandy palmed beaches. It takes no imagination to see why Brazil's spectacular and diverse coastline has become a Mecca for water sports enthusiasts and increasingly for divers exploring the delights of the crystal clear water.
Apart from the spectacular coastline Brazil boasts a fascinating and diverse landscape ranging from Amazon jungle, tropical rain forests to bustling cities and people with a potent mixture of cultures creating a unique national character.
One of the most charismatic cities located in the state of Bahia, is Salvador de Bahia, divided into two halves and steeped in history offering a vast array of historical attractions such as museums and an abundance of churches, including a fusion of African and Catholic religions. It is also the hub of the Brazilian music with a multitude of bars and clubs, awash with the hypnotic sounds of African influenced music.
Further down the coast São Paulo has the distinction of being South America's largest city with a population of over ten million and the heart of Brazil's commerce, industry and finance. It is renowned across the continent for its lively nightlife and the Museum de Arte is home to an internationally acclaimed impressionist collection.
Brasilia, the country's capital, is famous for its modernist architecture, most notably the National Congress and the Praca dos Tres Poderes. This inland city located in the Federal District is built on land reclaimed from sub-tropical forests and offers very little culture or history, attracting far fewer visitors than the cities of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janiero or the northern beach resorts. It will not come as much of a surprise that Rio de Janiero with its famous Ipanema and Cocacabana beaches and most colourful carnival in the world is the number one destination in Brazil.
It is important not to overlook the growing trend for eco-tourism which according to the Ecotourism Society accounts for at least 5% of worldwide tourism, currently numbering around thirty-five million people and growing
One of the many attractions is the Pantanal, spread over two states it is the largest wetlands and most important Biosphere Reserve in the world, containing the highest concentration of animal and plant species in the Americas. The trans-pantaneira highway is also featured in the Guinness Book of Records as the motorway with the largest number of bridges and as the longest open-air zoo in the world.
The Amazon boasts equally impressive eco-credentials with over fifty-percent of the world's life forms living in the five million kilometres of the Amazon rain forest it is no wonder that Brazil has become the Mecca for eco-tourism!