Geography, climate and calendar

Geography

Brazil is composed of 26 federated states. Those states are regrouped within 5 regions: North, Northeast/Nordeste, Central-West region, Southwest region and South.

Regarding its population, Brazil has 200 million inhabitants. The most populous cities are São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, with half the population of São Paulo, and Salvador.

Climate

In tropical countries, seasons are not as recognizable as in Europe for instance. The year is divided between rainy-season and dry-season. In Northeast Brazil, temperatures vary between 25°c and 35°c all year long.

See below the best period to visit each region:

• Bahia – April to October
• Sergipe and Alagoas – August to March
• Pernambuco, Parnaíba and Rio Grande do Norte – August to March
• Ceará, Piauí and Maranhão – June to January
• Amazonia – June to October.

Festivals and events calendar - 2017

February the 2^nd: Iemanjá Day (festa de Iemanjá) – Salvador. Offerings are made at Praia Rio Vermelho to the Afro-Brazilian Sea and fertility goddess Iemanjá.

February the 28^th: Carnival – The most famous celebrations take place in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Olinda.

June festival (festa junina) – Northeast Brazil inlands. During the entire month, lots of celebrations are organized. The biggest celebrations taking place on Saint John’s day, June the 24^th.

June 25th: São Paulo Pride. São Paulo hosts the biggest Gay Pride in the world, with around 4 million people attending.

June 30^th: Bumba meu Boi folk theatrical tradition – the most famous ones taking place in São Luís and Parintins (North and Northeast Brazil).

October the 8^th: Christian procession of Círio de Nazaré celebrating a Marian apparition – Belém.

October: Oktoberfest – Blumenau (South). Blumenau is the most famous Oktoberfest organized in Brazil. South Brazil is known for its people of German ancestry.