Year 4

Year 4, Brazil Class

Teachers: Mrs C Henderson and Mrs S. Grant

The reason Brazil was chosen for Year 4 was because I (Mrs Grant) travelled around South America for 2 and a half months last year and fell completely in love with Brazil. From the landscapes, to the colour, to the people... it was simply amazing. I wanted to pass on my love for South America and in particular Brazil to Year 4 and hopefully inspire them to one day visit.

Facts about Brazil

• Brazil is the largest country in South America.
• The name Brazil comes from a tree named Brazilwood.
• It is called Brasil in Portuguese, the official language spoken in Brazil.
• Brazil is the only country in South America that speaks Portuguese.
• Portugal claimed the land of Brazil in the year 1500. Independence was declared in 1822.
• Brazil is the 5th largest country in the world by both land area and population.
• The population in 2012 was around 194 million people.
• The capital city is Brasilia, while the largest city is Sao Paulo.
• Other major cities include Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Fortaleza.
• In Brazil they drive on the right-hand side of the road.
• Brazil has a large coastline on the eastern side of South America, stretching 7491 kilometres (4655 miles) in length.
• Brazil shares a border with all South American countries except for Chile and Ecuador.
• Brazil covers 3 time zones.
• Brazil has one of the largest economies in the world.
• Brazil is one of the 77 founding members of the United Nations.
• The Amazon River flows through Brazil, it is the 2nd longest river in the world (after the Nile).
• Around 60% of the Amazon Rainforest is located in Brazil.
• The climate in the majority of Brazil is tropical.
• Brazil is home to a wide range of animals, including armadillo, tapirs, jaguars and pumas.
• Human activities such as logging, mining fishing and agriculture are important to the Brazilian economy but are also a serious threat to Brazil's diverse environment.
• Millions of tourists visit Brazil every year.
• There are around 2500 airports in Brazil.
• Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Brazil with the national team consistently among the best in the world, winning the World Cup a record 5 times.