Car Hire in Brazil

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Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem.

Brazil is just huge, larger than the USA if you don't count Alaska. A good chunk of it is inaccessible Amazon rainforest but with 7000km of beaches to choose from it's hard to feel short-changed. As a rough guide, most of the top half of the country is pretty much third world with widespread poverty and illiteracy, whilst in the south of the country there are some of the largest metropolises in the world - although there's just as much poverty alongside the skyscrapers.

In many ways Brazil offers the traveler the best of the Latin Dream. It's tropical and stunning with happy, spontaneous people. It's sexy and upbeat and is stuffed with physical culture of dance and music. Behind the clichés of sex, football and beaches though there are horrendous social realities with the worst distribution of wealth in the world. Some of the cities can be thoroughly dangerous and the social divides are gaping.

Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are the two biggest cities with the latter home to around 23 million people. The money is in Sao Paolo but the glamour will always belong to Rio. This is where you'll find the most educated, English speaking people who set the beach fashion worldwide.

The southern states get really European with whiter skin and blonde hair, legacy of the German and Dutch genes. It gets cold here in winter and isn't the Brazil of the picture postcards. There are cool towns though like Curitiba and Floreanopolis.

Mina Gerais is about as near as you're going to get to mountains with some nice hills in the historic mining district. The people here are smart and lively but speak so fast it's hard to understand much.

Once you hit Bahia going north then the second half of Brazil really begins. This is a laid back state that is being devoured by tourism. The population is heavily African, especially in the capital, Salvador. This is a claustrophobic city where they prey on tourists. Good place for capoeira studies though.

North East Brazil is poor but has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Little fishing hamlets get transformed into vibrant beach scenes in the space of a few years with Brazilian tourists in force at weekends and holidays. You can get rooms at guesthouses and flirt in the bars. There are beaches with surf and dolphins.

The Amazon is a big favourite with tourists though if you want to see anything interesting you have to get off the main track of the big river. Traveling by boat from Belem to Manaus is not really to be recommended as it's something of a hell trip. Fly straight to Manaus and try your luck on small boat excursions into the jungle from there.

Towns in Brazil