Fun Facts

Portuguese explorers discovered Brazil in 1500. They found nomadic tribes, the Amerindians already living there. The explorers treated the Amerindians very much the same way that the early explorers of the United States treated the Native Americans. Because Brazil is a very diverse country (with citizens who are Amerindian, Portuguese, African, Italian, Spanish, German, Polish, Syrian, Lebanese and Japanese), the cuisine is a mix of many different backgrounds and cultures.

• The capital of Brazil is Brasília and the population is a little over 191 million people, making it the fifth most populous country in the world.

• The currency in Brazil is the real. In plural, it is reais, and is often represented as R$. The real is broken down into 100 centavos.

• The official language is Portuguese, which is very different from the Spanish spoken in its neighboring countries. Part of Brazil also recognizes Nheengatu, a tribal language that originated in South America.

• The national dish in Brazil is considered the Feijoada, a stew with beans, beef and pork. Other popular meals include rice and beans, empada (similar to a pot pie), and Tacacá, a shrimp soup.