In our last lesson, I shared with you 5 foods you have to try out here in Brazil. However, I mentioned that we have a very diverse culture (after all, the country is huge) and it is hard to keep track of all the differences.
However, there is one thing that can help you to know where to expect certain things: knowing the five regions of Brazil
Regions
Brazil is divided in federal states, which belong to five big regions, as you can see in the map. Using this regions, you can identify the most dominant cultural “trait” you will find there, although you will still find significant differences between states. This can also help you decide where you want to go if you come to Brazil.
5 Regions
There is A LOT to say about each region, but I will just give you a very rough overview for the sake of brevity. This information should be enough to have a glimpse of how each place looks like and what you are going to find there.
1. North: Where most part of Amazonia is located. Very umid region, lots of rain and rainforest. Strong presence of indigenous culture. It’s your place if you like adventures, exotic fruits and food.
2. Northeast: Beautiful and even paradisiac beaches (look up Fernando de Noronha). Extremely hot temperatures and where Sertão is located (it’s similar to a wasteland, very dry and extremly poor region). Presence of African culture and religions is remarkably strong there. The food there is usually really spicy and heavy.
3. Central West: It is where Brazilian capital, Brasília is located. It is widely known for livestock and agriculture. It is also where the Pantanal is located. Lots of options if you love adventures, hiking and the like.
4. Southeast: The states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are here, together with Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais. Beautiful beaches and big metropoles. The cultures of each state differ grealtly. It’s a great place to come if you are more of a city person. There are several historical cities in Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais. You can also find beaches, options for adventures in the nature, more reserved cities in the mountains and more.
5. South: In the south you are going to find the coldest Brazilian cities. I think it’s the only place where you can find a real winter around here. The culture in the south of Brazil is strongly influenced by European immigrants, as you will easily notice in the architecture. There are also several wineries there. Quick fact: In some states in the south, people drink chimarrão (hot mate tea) all the time.
Cool, right? Those are the 5 regions in which Brazil is divided.
Well, I live in the southeastern region and I will share with you about my hometown, Vitória, so that you can learn how to talk about your city/country!
