Why visit
Brazil is Rio's beaches and Carnival, the Amazon, Iguazu Falls, Salvador's Afro-Brazilian culture, Chapada Diamantina's canyons, and football everywhere. Distances are continental; pick three regions.
Country · South America
Brazil
beachnaturefoodcitycultureadventure
At a glance
Location
-10.0°, -55.0°
Coast
Has coastline
Country area
8,515,767 km²
3,287,955 mi²
Country population
216.4 million
25/km²
Subregion
South America
Currency
Brazilian real (R$)
BRL
Dial
+55
Language
Portuguese
Demonym
Brazilian
Internet
.br
UN
Member state
ISO code
BR / BRA
Where in the world
-10.0° · -55.0°
Brazil
Open in Google Maps ↗
Click the map to open in Google Maps. Outline via svg-maps/world · CC BY 4.0
Did you know
- Brazil shares a border with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador.
- The Amazon rainforest produces ~6% of the world's oxygen: and 60% of the Amazon is in Brazil.
- Sao Paulo has the largest Japanese community outside Japan.
- Brazilians speak Portuguese, not Spanish: it is the largest Portuguese-speaking country by ~20× (Portugal itself has ~10M people).
Bordering Brazil
Traveler notes
- Visa-free for many Western passports since 2024. Check current rules
- Rio + Iguazu + Salvador is the two-week highlight route
- Carnival moves with Easter; usually February
Plan checks
- Start research with the capital Brasília, then compare two or three other regions.
- Check passport validity, visa rules, health requirements, and travel insurance for current conditions.
- Verify swim safety, ocean conditions, and water-quality reports by month.
- Reserve top restaurants 2–4 weeks out and plan two standout meals per city.
Signature travel cities in Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
Rio is Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado, Sugarloaf cable car, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, Santa Teresa's hillside streets, and Lapa's nightlife.
Salvador
Salvador is Brazil's Afro-Brazilian heart. Pelourinho's colorful colonial core (UNESCO), capoeira and samba reggae, and Bahian food like moqueca and acarajé.
Explore more
Frequently asked about Brazil
What is the capital of Brazil?
Brasília is the capital of Brazil.
What currency does Brazil use?
Brazil uses the Brazilian real (R$), ISO code BRL.
What languages are spoken in Brazil?
The primary language is Portuguese.
Is Brazil landlocked?
No, Brazil has a coastline.
What countries border Brazil?
Brazil borders Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela.
What is the international calling code for Brazil?
The calling code is +55.
When is the best time to visit Brazil?
Dec–Mar (coast), May–Oct (Amazon). Check current weather and local events before booking.
Other South America destinations
Medellin
Medellín is Colombia's comeback story. Metrocable to Comuna 13's street art, Parque Explora, Botero Plaza, and year-round spring climate earned it the nickname City of Eternal Spring.
Argentina
Argentina is Buenos Aires tango nights, Mendoza wine country, Patagonia (Perito Moreno, El Chaltén, Ushuaia), Iguazu's other side, and some of the world's best beef.
Bolivia
Bolivia is Salar de Uyuni's mirror-salt flats, La Paz at 3,600 m, Lake Titicaca, Sucre's white colonial capital, and the Amazon at Rurrenabaque.
Chile
Chile stretches 4,300 km. From Atacama's driest desert to Patagonia's Torres del Paine, Easter Island's moai, and Valparaíso's hillside murals. Wine country wraps around Santiago.
Colombia
Colombia covers Bogotá's altitude and art, Medellín's transformation, Cartagena's walled city and Caribbean, the Coffee Triangle, and Tayrona's jungle-beaches.
Ecuador
Ecuador is Quito's old town at altitude, Otavalo markets, the Galápagos Islands, Amazon basin lodges, and Cuenca's colonial streets. All compact enough for one trip.