Climate
During the dry season (April to October) temperatures in the Pantanal range from 68 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 24 degrees Celsius). The hottest months in the Pantanal are December to February when 100 to 112 degrees Fahrenheit (38 to 44 degrees Celsius) is common. During the dry season it is important to drink a lot of liquids so as to avoid dehydration. Starting in November, the weather alternates between torrential rains and scalding sun.
Geographical Facts
Capital: Brasilia
Official Language: Portuguese
Official Religion: None
Founding Date: 1822
Founder: King John IV of Portugal
Government: Federal Republic
Chief of State: President
Area: 3,300,171 square miles (8,547,403 square kilometres)
Bordering Countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Highest Waterfall: Iguaçu Falls 237 feet (72 metres)
Longest River: Amazon River 1,960 miles (3,154 kilometres within Brazil). The Amazon is the second longest river in the world after the Nile.
Widest Distance East to West: 2,689 miles (4,328 kilometres)
Longest Distance North to South: 2,684 miles (4,319 kilometres)
Population (est. 2006): 188 million
Currency: Real (plural Reais)
Adult Literacy Rate: 88%
Health Risks
In the Pantanal, dengue fever, for which there is no vaccination available, is a worry from November to March. The best way to prevent dengue fever and malaria is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Lodgings in the Pantanal have screened windows, doors and verandas. Use strong insect repellent. There have been some cases of cholera in the Northeast and Yellow Fever occurs in areas of the North and West of Brazil. It is advisable to consult your doctor at least two months before departure to verify all vaccination requirements. Tap water in Brazil is heavily treated and you are advised to stick to bottled mineral water.
Holidays:
1 January: New Year's Day
February/March: Carnival (five days from Saturday to Ash Wednesday)
March or April: Good Friday (Friday before Easter)
21 April: Tiradentes Day (named after the revolutionary leader, an amateur dentist, hence the name “Tiradentes,” which translated literally means “tooth puller,” who first attempted independence in 1789.)
1 May: Labour Day
Forty days after Easter: Ascension Day
May or June: Corpus Christi (62 days after Good Friday)
7 September: Independence Day (celebrating the foundation of the nation in 1822)
12 October: Our Lady of Aparecida (Brazil's Patron Saint)
2 November: All Souls' Day
15 November: Day of the Republic
25 December: Christmas
Language: Portuguese - English Words
|
|
| Sim |
Yes |
| Não |
No |
| Por favor |
Please |
Obrigado (if the speaker is a male)
Obrigada (if the speaker is a female) |
Thank you |
| De nada |
You're welcome |
| Tudo bem? |
Everything OK? |
| Con licença |
Excuse me |
| Desculpe |
I'm sorry |
| Olá or Oi |
Hello |
| Adeus or tchau |
Good-bye |
| Bom dia |
Good morning |
| Boa tarde |
Good afternoon |
| Boa noite |
Good night |
| Como vai? |
How are you? |
| Eu não entendo |
I don't understand |
| O que é isto? |
What is this? |
| Quanto custa? |
How much does it cost? |
| Onde é...? |
Where is...? |
| Banheiro |
Toilet |
| Hoje |
Today |
| Amanhã |
Tomorrow |
| Ontem |
Yesterday |
| Quando? |
When? |
| Por quê? |
Why? |
| Como? |
How? |
| Você fala inglês? |
Do you speak English? |
| Meu nome é... |
My name is... |
Passports and Visas:
Tourists from the United Kingdom and other EU countries (except nationals of Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia and Malta) do not need a visa for holidays of less than 90 days, but residents of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, (and Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia and Malta) do and must obtain one before they leave home. Anyone entering the country must have a passport that is valid for at least six months from the date of entry.
