An amazing country, Brazil occupies almost half of South America and is roughly the size of the USA excluding Alaska. Much of Brazil remains covered by the Amazon, a vast wilderness of which legends are still made. The Amazon remains partially unexplored, and with the estimated 15,000 species there, it is no surprise that many go unidentified. São Paulo is actually the world's second most populous city with 17 million people, many of them immigrants or descendents of immigrants. Not surprisingly, Brazilian culture therefore is a mix of influences shaped by the original inhabitants, the Portuguese, the Africans, and the settlers from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. In music, food, dance, art, and religion, Brazil embraces the various traditions that have fed its history and affected its development. And you might want to brush up on your soccer (futeball) skills before going as you are bound to get on well with the natives if you can play!