Mini Guide to Brazil

Brazil is the largest country in South America and also the most populous. It has an intricate history of monarchy, slavery, immigration, and dictators, and therefore it’s a melting pot of cultures, religions, and races.

Although native Brazilians have inhabited the land for over 20,000 years, it was only in the 16th century that the Portuguese arrived in Brazil and decided to create a colony. For the next 300 years, it became a source of commodities such as sugar cane, precious metals, and pau Brasil (a prized type of wood from which the country’s name originated).

History

Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a pretty history. Portugal was one of the first European countries to buy slaves from Africa and use them for hard work in its colonies. They suffered for nearly four centuries as Brazil was the last country in the world to abolish slavery in 1888. Even though they were free, the black population carried on struggling and racial discrimination is still a big problem nowadays.

During the 19th century, hundreds of thousands of European immigrants (Italians, Portuguese, Germans) came to Brazil to work within agriculture. The country became a republic in 1889 and at the beginning of the 20th century, there was a surge in Asian immigration, especially Japanese people due to the First World War. Brazil’s history also involves a bloody military dictatorship (1964-1985) where many innocent people suffered and died.

Recently, the country hosted the World Cup and the Olympics, but it’s now struggling politically and economically. Despite its tempestuous past, Brazilians are extremely welcoming and always find creative ways to bring happiness to their lives.

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