Brazil Natural Environment

Brazil is on the eastern part of South America bordering the Atlantic Ocean.  It is the largest country by area and population in South America, and is the fifth large country by area and by population in the world.  It shares borders with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador.  The coordinates of the capital city are 10 degrees south and 55 degrees west.

It has an area of 8.8 million sq. km. (3.3 million sq. mi.), slightly smaller than the U.S.  The capital is the inland city of Brasilia (population - 2.5 million); other big cities are Sao Paulo (10.9 million) and Rio de Janeiro (6.1 million).

The north is mostly flat to rolling lowlands, with dense forests including the Amazon Basin.  The northeast coast is semiarid; in the southwest are mountains, hills, and rolling plains, including Mato Grosso; midwestern savannahs.  The country has the world's largest wetland area; and coastal lowland.  The highest point is Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

Brazil is rich is natural resources.  Mineral resources include bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum and hydropower.  Agricultural produce include timber, coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus and beef.

The country has mostly tropical or semitropical climates in the north, whereas the south is in the temperate zone.  There are recurring droughts in the northeast and occasional frosts in the south.