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Brazil is located in the central-eastern part of South America.
It makes up nearly one-half of South America and is the fourth largest
country in the world. To the north and west, it is bordered by all of the South
American countries, except Chile and Ecuador. To the northeast, east, and
southeast, lies the South Atlantic Ocean. Brazil has 7400 kilometres of
Atlantic coastline and many beautiful beaches. There are five major regions in Brazil. The north is almost entirely covered by the Amazon rainforest, the largest rainforest in the world. Heavy rainfall and high temperatures characterize the climate in the north. The northeast, Sertao, is made up of rocky plateaus and scrub vegetation. The climate is semi-arid and the weather is much harsher than in the Amazon region. Dry spells can last for three to four years. When the rains come, a heavy downpour can last for weeks, causing serious flooding. The more humid coastal area, Zona da Mata or forest zone, has numerous sugar cane and cacao plantations. The southeast consists of huge plateaus bordered in the east by the Serra do Mar mountain range. The region has a subtropical climate. Coffee, cotton, sugar cane, soybeans and wheat are grown here. In the south, the four seasons are clearly defined. Wooded mountains and grassy plains dominate this region. The central western region includes towns and cities as well as vast plains where cattle-raising predominates. The region is called the Mato Grosso for its thick scrub forest.
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