Some unexpected facts about Brazil

Still on summer break

I'm still on summer break in Brazil, my native country. Because of it, I decided a simple topic for this post would be the country itself.

There's so much to write about. Brazil is full of contradictions and not an easy country to live in, being quite violent - especially if you are a woman.

I still love it, though. It boasts a vibrant nature unlike anywhere else on the globe, as well as warm and friendly people. It has great food and carnival. And don't forget fantastic music.

I encourage you to read this article while listening to the playlist I made for my non-Brazilian boyfriend when we started going out. It's full of Bossa Nova and Samba:

Without further ado, here are some interesting facts about Brazil:

1. Its name

Only Brazil may claim that it got its name from a tree. Pau Brasil is a tree largely exploited for its timber and dye by the Portuguese. In fact, Brasil means “red as ember”, because the Pau Brasil wood has a reddish color.

Another interesting name fact is that the nation used to be known as the United States of Brazil until roughly 100 years ago because we are formed by many states.

2. Its size

Brazil is the 5th largest country in the world. You can fit 206 Switzerland inside of our territory and in fact the whole of Europe. It's also the 6th in population size with 212.559.417 inhabitants in 2020.

States in Brazil are the size of whole countries

3. Largest coffee producer

There is no doubt that Brazilians love coffee, and it is no wonder that our country is the largest coffee producer in the world. Indeed, even countries on the other side of the world, such as Japan and South Korea, know and appreciate our delicious beverage.

4. Biggest receiver of African slaves

In the colonial period, Brazil imported about 4.8 million slaves from Africa, this number being equivalent to almost half of the total number of slaves in the entire American continent.

This still largely impacts the socioeconomic fabric of the country.

5. 17 of the most violent cities in the world

Of the 50 most violent cities in the world, 17 of them are in Brazil. Brazil has one of the worst inequalities in the world. It has the 9th GDP in the world, yet a huge number of people are under poverty lines.

6. Incredible biodiversity

Brazil has the greatest biodiversity in the world, with the highest number of species. At the same time, sadly we are the world leaders in deforestation, which has especially increased in the last 4 years under Bolsonaro's presidency. The largest part of the CO2 emitted by the country comes from illegal fires and lodging in the Amazon region.

You can have a glimpse of its nature here.

7. Rio de Janeiro was once Portugal's capital

In order to escape Napoleon's invasion of Portugal, the Portuguese monarch and his entire court fled to Brazil. Rio de Janeiro was named the capital of Portugal's whole empire and colonies in the year 1808. Thus, becoming the first and only European capital outside the European continent.

8. Sex change surgeries can be done for free in Brazil

Brazil is one of the only countries in the world that offers free sex reassignment surgery. It has been accessible through the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) since 2008.

But don't believe it's good to be a trans person here. Brazil is the country with the most assassinations of trans individuals in the world. Weirdly, or not so, "trans sex" is the most searched term on porn websites. I said there were a lot of contradictions, right?

But, Republicans do so as well.

9. Largest population of Japanese outside Japan

Brazil had multiple waves of immigration from various nations, which helped to create the country's current demographic. Mostly after World War II, the Japanese arrived in pursuit of secure heaven. There are nearly 1.5 million Japanese ancestors here.

Another interesting statistic is that due to Lebanon's numerous waves of migration, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s, there are more Lebanese in Brazil than in Lebanon.

10. Snake island

The most snakes per square meter on an island can be discovered at Ilha da Queimada Grande off the coast of São Paulo. These numerous snakes are poisonous and unique to this island. The Brazilian Navy even forbade disembarking in the area due to their hazard, with the exception of researchers.

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What to read?

The Alienist (Machado de Assis). With its minimalist covers, this 1881 book is part of Melville House's Art of the Novella series. Physician Simão Bacamarte decides to leave his career behind and devote himself to psychology, opening the first asylum in Brazil. As Bacamarte grows bored, hoping to fill his new hospital with patients, he begins to recognize signs of madness among the town's inhabitants. In 98 pages of satire, the reader is forced to question who should be in control and who is actually insane.

Here is a further list of Brazilian books available in English.

What to watch?

The Edge of Democracy (2019). This is a film documentary about the impeachment trial of Dilma Rousseff, the former president of Brazil. The impeachment marks the beginning of increased political polarization and the rise of the extreme right in the country. The film includes exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from Dilma and her predecessor Luís Inácio Lula da Silva and explains the troubled political moment the country is facing. 

Also, a further list of Brazilian movies to watch on Netflix and Amazon.

What to binge?

Girls from Ipanema (2019). Girls from Ipanema (or Coisa Mais Linda in Portuguese) is set in the late 1950s in Rio de Janeiro. When her husband disappears with all of their money, Maria Luiza Carone's life takes a completely different turn. Rio is a new world for the young woman, who discovers it in the company of feminists and liberals to the sound of Bossa Nova. Inspired by this new music, she decides to open a club with the help of Adélia, a young black woman with quite a different lifestyle from her. 

And, if you want more go to this list: 18 Best Brazilian TV Shows on Netflix (2022).