»About Brazil & Argentina  |  »FAQs  |  »Passports & Visas  |  »Cool Links  |  »News ABOUT BRAZIL Official Name: Federative Republic of Brazil Capital: Brasília Official Language: Portuguese System of Government: A Federative Republic with a multi-party political system. Brazil holds democratic elections for president, senators, representatives, state governors and legislators, mayors and municipal counsels. Brazil is the world leader in electronic online voting (100 million voters.) Area: 3,286,470 square miles Population: 170 million Geography: Brazil is in east-central South America and occupies nearly 50% of the South American continent. Around 58% of Brazil is covered with forests, which include the largest rainforest in the world, located in the Amazon River basin. The country has eight river systems, which carry approximately 20% of the world's fresh water. Land Use: 58% forests, 22% pasture, 6% crops, 14% other use. Biggest Cities: São Paulo (10.4 million), Rio de Janeiro (5.8 million), Salvador (2.4 million), Belo Horizonte (2.2 million), Brasília (2 million), Recife (1.4 million) Human Feature Density: 52 persons per square mile Urban/Rural: 80% urban, 20% rural Sex Distribution: 49.9% male, 50.1% female Age Breakdown: 35% under 15, 28% 15 to 29, 19% 30 to 44, 10% 45 to 59, 6% 60 to 74, 2% 75 and over Money: The official currency is the real, which is divided into 100 centavos Main Products: Aircraft, bauxite, beef, cellulose, cereals, coffee, cocoa, crude oil and petrochemicals, diamonds, furniture, gold, households appliances, hydroelectric power engines, iron ore, manganese, motor vehicles, nickel, orange juice, phosphates, platinum, processed food, quartz crystals, rubber, shoes, silver, soybeans, steel, sugar, textiles, timber, tin, titanium, uranium, and zinc. Geography Brazil is the largest of the Latin American countries. Covering nearly half (47.3 percent) of the continent of South America, it occupies an area of 3,286,470 sq. miles (8,511,965 sq. km). It is the fifth largest country in the world after the Russian Federation, Canada, China, and the United States. Except for a small number of islands, Brazil consists of a single. Unbroken land mass. On a map of the globe, it can be seen that the eastern bulge of Brazil conforms to the concave curve of the west coast of Africa. According to the theory of continental drift, this is no accident; Africa and South America once abutted each other, but drifted apart over millions of years. The Equator passes through the north of the country near Macapá; the Tropic of Capricorn passes through the south near São Paulo. Brazil's greatest width, 2,684 miles (4,319.4 km), is almost the same as its greatest distance from north to south, 2,731 miles (4,394.7 km). Brazil has 10 neighbors: the Department of French Guiana and the countries of Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, and Colombia bound Brazil on the north. Uruguay and Argentina are on the south, and on the west are Paraguay, Bolivia, and Peru. Ecuador and Chile are the only two countries of continental South America that do not share a border with Brazil. The Atlantic Ocean extends along the entire eastern side of the country, giving it a coastline of 4,578 miles (7,367 km). Climate Although 90 percent of the country is within the tropical zone, more than 60 percent of the population lives in areas where altitude, sea winds, or cold polar fronts moderate the temperature. There are five climatic regions in Brazil: equatorial, tropical, semi arid, highland tropical, and subtropical. Plateau cities such as São Paulo, Brasília, and Belo Horizonte have very mild climates averaging 66°F (19°C). Rio de Janeiro, Recife, and Salvador on the coast have warm climates balanced by the constancy of the Trade Winds. In the southern Brazilian cities of Porto Alegre and Curitiba, the subtropical climate is similar to parts of the U.S. and Europe with frosts occurring with some frequency. In this region temperatures in winter can fall below freezing. Despite the popular image of the Amazon as a region of blistering heat, temperatures of more than 90°F (32°C) are rarely experienced there. In fact, the annual average temperature in the Amazon region is in the range of 72 79°F (22-26°C), with only a very small seasonal variation between the warmest and the coldest months. The hottest part of Brazil is the northeast where, during the dry season, between May and November, temperatures of more than 100°F (38°C) are recorded frequently. The northeast has greater seasonal variation in temperatures than does the Amazon region. Along the Atlantic coast from Recife to Rio de Janeiro, mean temperatures range from 73°F to 81°F (23 27°C). Inland, on higher ground; temperatures are lower, ranging from 64°F to 70°F (18 21°C). South of Rio, the seasons are more noticeable and the annual range of temperature greater. The average temperature for this part of the country is in the range between 63°F to 66°F (17 19°C). ABOUT ARGENTINA Official name: Republic Argentina Capital City: Buenos Aires Official Language: Spanish Government: republic President: Néstor Kirchner Area: 2.77 million sq km Population: 37.81 million Geography: Second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Cerro Aconcagua is South America's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbon is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere People: 85% European descent, 15% mestizo, Indian and other minorities Religion: 93% Roman Catholic, 2.5% Protestant, 2% Jewish, others Major Industries: Food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel, agribusiness Major Trading Partners: Brazil, USA, the European Union Human Features Population: 39,144,753 (July 2004 est.) Urban/Rural: 85% urban, 15% rural Sex Distribution: 48.9% male, 51.1% female Nationality: argentine Money: The official currency is the Peso Main Products: food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, steel sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat. Climate Mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest For residents of the northern hemisphere, Argentina offers the inviting possibility of enjoying two summers in the same year, but the country's great variety and elongated geography can make a visit in any season worthwhile. Buenos Aires' urban attractions, for example, transcend the seasons, but Patagonian destinations, such as the Moreno Glacier in Santa Cruz, are best to visit in the summer months (December to February). The Iguazú Falls in subtropical Misiones province are best in the southern hemisphere's winter or spring when heat and humidity are less oppressive. The winter months (mid-June to late September) also offer the opportunity to go skiing. Geography Second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Cerro Aconcagua is South America's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbon is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay Geographic coordinates: 34 00 S, 64 00 W Area: total: 2,766,890 sq km / land: 2,736,690 sq km /water: 30,200 sq km Area - comparative: slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US Land boundaries: total: 9,665 km Border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km Coastline: 4,989 km Terrain: rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border Natural resources: fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium.