Brazil Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral first landed in Brazil on April 21, 1500. In 1824 the U.S. was the first country to recognize Brazil's independence.
Amazon River is the world's second longest river after the Nile and the largest in volume of water.
A new Constitution in Brazil in 1934 gave women the right to vote well before women had such rights in France, Belgium or Switzerland. With 160 million inhabitants Brazil is the fifth most populated Nation in the world. The official language, spoken by the entire population, is Portuguese. A Federative Republic with 4,974 municipalities in 26 states and Federal District, where the nation's capital is located. Brasilia is the capital, and houses the federal government represented by the Executive, Legislative and Judicial bodies.