On Mission with God.org
Reaching Germanic Peoples of South Brazil

General Overview of Brazil  

Physical Environment

• Brazil is the 5^th largest country in the world and covers 3.3 million square miles.  It borders all South American countries except Chile and Ecuador.  It also has the longest coastline in the world and is divided into 5 geographic regions.       
               -The South--settled by German, Italian and Polish immigrants, has a mild climate, said to contain Brazil's 
                                   most livable cities, is a large cattle-raising region.
               -The Southeast--has two distinct climate regions (hot and humid coastal plain and the Atlantic Plateau), has
                                         the highest income level and standard of living but its urban areas contain high crime rates.
               -The Central West--contains the Pantanal and is a large central plateau with cattle and agroindustry as its
                                              dominant income.
               -The Northeast--has a coastal plain, a hilly region and semiarid highlands; is the poorest region in Brazil.
               -The North--is home to the Amazon rain forest and the Amazon River. 

• Brazil has over 400 species of mammals, 30 different types of monkeys, 1600 different types of birds, 400 types of reptiles,
  2,000 types of freshwater fish, 1 million types of invertebrates including 700,000 different types of insects and 55,000 plant
  species which is the highest in the world. 

• The Amazon rain forest is 2.1 million square miles and 60% of this is located in Brazil. 

Brazilian Holidays

• Thanksgiving is strictly an American holiday (pilgrims and Indians/the founding of the country); however, missionaries get together and celebrate the day.  And yes Brazil has turkeys.

• 4th of July/American Independence Day--Brazilian Independence Day is September 7.

Climate

• Since Brazil is south of the equator, the seasons are switched.  Winter in Brazil is May - July and summer is December - February.

• Brazil is slightly smaller than the continental U.S. and therefore, has a wide range of climates.  In the extreme north is the Amazon with it's tropical climate and in the extreme south is a more temperate climate very much like northern Florida.

• The climate can be divided into 6 different zones:  equatorial, tropical, Atlantic tropical, semiarid, highland tropical and subtropical

Brazilian Culture/Language

• The office language of Brazil is Portuguese (Brazilian).  Portuguese in Brazil differs from the Portuguese spoken in Portugal.

• Brazil is also home to a host of Indian and immigrant languages.

• Brazil or Brasil--In the U.S. it is spelled "Brazil"; in Brazil it is spelled "Brasil".

People of Brazil

• The Gaúchos are found in Rio Grande do Sul and are descendants of Portuguese and Spanish settlers.  They have
  developed a unique South American cowboy culture and drink chimarrão, a beverage made from the mate herb, served in a gourd with a silver straw. 

• The Paulistas and Paulistanos are inhabitants of São Paulo.  They are a very dynamic and entrepreneurial people. 

• The Cariocas live in Rio de Janeiro.  They are known to be laid back and easy going. 

• The Mineiros live in Minas Gerais.  They are hard-working people. 

• The Baianos from the state of Bahia are the center of Afro-Brazilian culture. 

• The Sertanegos inhabit the impoverished and drought stricken backlands called the sertão.  They are a tough people and live meagerly.  

• The Cabocles refers to Indians or metizos of Portuguese and Indian descent who live mainly in the Amazon region.  They lead simple lives and remain very isolated.

Family Life

• The family is the central focus in the lives of most Brazilians.  Sometimes, there will be many generations living in one household.  Traditionally, Brazilians marry young and have children early.  

• The husband is usually the head of the household.  He is usually the principal breadwinner. 

• Taking care of the household is the exclusive responsibility of the wife, whether she works outside the home or not.  Brazilian women take great pride in their home and domestic abilities. 

• The daily task of child-rearing is usually the responsibility of the mother.  Children are raised with few restrictions and without strict discipline.  The relationship is based more on affection and warmth rather than authority. 

Religion

• In Brazil one can find a wide range of “religious institutions” such as:  Catholicism, Protestant and Evangelical Churches, Syncretism, Candomblé, Spiritism, Umbanda, Witchcraft and Shamanism.

Brazilian Food

• Breakfast is a simple and quick meal which usually includes, bread, cold cuts, cheese, fruit and coffee with milk. 

• Lunch is the biggest and most important meal of the day.  The daily menu includes rice, beans and manioc meal and is usually accompanied by a salad, vegetable, meat.  Dessert almost always follows and Brazilians end their meal with “cafezinho” which is a black sweetened coffee served in a small cup.  

• Supper is simpler and lighter and is usually eaten late. 

• Brazilians do not make noise when they eat and food is not picked up by hand.

Last Updated on 07/09/2007

Copyright 2007 German Team
Brazil, IMB, SBC