Brazil - BR - BRA - BRA - South America

Quartz, one of the most abundant minerals on Earth, is comprised of silicon and oxygen and is colorless in its natural state. When impurities of iron are added to quartz, the golden-yellow orange of citrine occurs. The stone’s name references the French world “citron,” meaning “lemon,” regarding its color. In ancient times, people believed that citrine gemstones could calm tempers, soothe anger, and make wishes come true. To harness these “powers”, Egyptians used the gemstones as talismans, the ancient Greeks carved images into them, and Roman priests made citrine rings. The majority of citrine is found in Brazil, but it also exists in the Ural Mountains of Russia, France, Madagascar, and Scotland. Darker colors, including medium golden orange, are typically considered rarer and more valuable. The stones for this 18k yellow gold necklace, containing 64 bezel-set cushion-cut citrines with a 177.11ct pear-shaped citrine drop, were mined in Brazil. (Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian)

Whether seen at night or during the day, the capital city of Brazil is unmistakable from orbit. Brasilia is located on a plateau - the Planalto Central - in the west-central part of the country, and is widely considered to be one of the best examples of 20th century urban planning in the world. One of its most distinctive design features - as seen from above - suggests a bird, butterfly, or airplane traveling along a northwest-southeast direction, and is made dramatically visible by city light patterns (image center right, between Lake Paranoa and the airport). Following the establishment of Brasilia in the early 1960s, informal settlements began to form around the original planned city. Ceilandia was one such settlement. In 1970, Ceilandia was formalized by the government and is now a satellite city of Brasilia with its own distinct urban identity. The developed areas of Brasilia and its satellites are clearly outlined by street grids and highway lights in this photograph taken from the International Space Station. The large unlit region to the upper right is the Brasilia National Park. Image courtesy of NASA.

This photograph shows a section of the Negro River in Jau National Park, Amazonas state. Fed by multiple waterways, the Negro River is the Amazon's largest tributary. The mosaic of partially-submerged islands visible in the channel of this enhanced satellite image disappears when rainy season downpours raise the water level. Jau National Park is South America's largest forest reserve, covering 23,000 sq km (8,900 sq mi); it is listed with three other protected areas as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Image courtesy of USGS.

A panoramic view of Iguazu Falls along the Brazil-Argentina border. The falls are shared between Iguazú National Park (Argentina) and Iguaçu National Park (Brazil). The two parks were designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1984 and 1986, respectively. The entire waterfall system consists of some 275 falls that flow over several basaltic layers over an 80 m height and along 2.7 km (1.7 mi) of the Iguazu River. The many cascades producing vast sprays of water to create one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world. The falls are easily reached from either side of the Argentine–Brazilian border.

Another view of Iguaçu Falls (Iguazú Falls) on the Brazil-Argentina border.

The majestic Iguaçu Falls (Iguazú Falls) on the Brazil-Argentine border. The falls are part of a nearly virgin jungle ecosystem surrounded by national parks on both sides of the cascades. The Iguazu River begins in Parana state of Brazil, then crosses a 1,200-km (750 mi) plateau before reaching a series of faults forming the falls.

Trinidade Beach at Paraty, Rio de Janeiro state.

Trinidade Beach at Paraty, Rio de Janeiro state.

The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, standing 30 m (98 ft) tall and its outstretched arms spanning 28 m (92 ft), was constructed on Mount Corcovado in celebration of the centenary of Brazilian independence. Built between 1922 and 1931, the statue is made of reinforced concrete and covered with thousands of triangular soapstone tiles. It is the largest Art Deco-style statue in the world and stands on a square stone pedestal 8 m (26 ft) high that is situated on a deck atop the mountain’s summit. For the statue’s 75th anniversary in 2006, a chapel at its base was consecrated to Our Lady of Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil. The Christ the Redeemer statue became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1973 and was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Close-up of the O Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue overlooking Rio de Janeiro.

Aquamarine, often called the treasure of mermaids, is mostly found and mined in Brazil, as well as in countries that fall along the Mozambique geological belt in Africa. The biggest aquamarine ever found was in Brazil in 1910, it weighed 110 kg ( 243 lb) and was cut into smaller faceted stones for jewelry. The “Dom Pedro,” the largest single piece of cut-gem aquamarine in the world, was found in a Brazilian pegmatite mine in the late 1980s and is named after Brazil’s first two emperors (both named Pedro). The original crystal weighed roughly 45 kg (100 lb), but during excavation it shattered into three pieces. The largest section, approximately 27 kg (60 lb), was sculpted into an obelisk shape. The obelisk, 35.5 cm (14 in) tall, measuring 10 cm (4 in) across the base and weighing 10,363 carats or 2.1 kg (4.6 lbs), is part of the permanent collection of Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian/ Greg Polley.

Rocas Atoll, here viewed from the International Space Station, is the only atoll in the South Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, it is located approximately 260 km (160 mi) off the northeastern coast of Brazil. The image clearly captures the defining boundary between the outer algal ridge, the open ocean, and the sandy bottom closer to the atoll’s center. In 1978, Rocas Atoll was named a national biological reserve due to its large populations of migratory and resident seabirds. As the first marine reserve to be established in Brazil, the remote, uninhabited atoll is used strictly for scientific research. An atoll is usually a circular or oval-shaped reef structure with a lagoon in the center. These structures typically form around a volcanic island that has subsided while the coral continues to grow upward. Photo courtesy of NASA.

Sloths, adorable docile animals, spend most of their lives hanging upside down in trees. They are masters at slowing their metabolism, using their energy frugally, and capable of holding their breath under water for 40 minutes (they can swim three times faster than they can walk on land). Sloths are nocturnal and sleep 15 hours a day. This animal faces endangerment by deforestation, vehicle collisions, electrocutions, poaching, and trafficking. The sloth’s natural habitat is Central America and northern South America especially the tropical rain forests of Brazil.

Amethyst is the most valuable gem variety of quartz, one of the most abundant minerals on Earth. Quartz is normally colorless, but when iron replaces some of the silicon the end result is a purple stone. In Roman mythology, amethyst was colored purple by the god of wine, to offer protection against drunkenness. The stone’s name derives from the Greek word meaning “not to intoxicate.” Most gem quality amethyst is found in Brazil and Uruguay. The amethyst pictured here was mined in Brazil and is 401.52 carats (photo courtesy of Smithsonian Museum of Natural History/ Ken Larsen)

Brasilia is a planned city designed in the 1960s to be a modern Brazilian capital. The center of the city hosts a long mall with fountains and parks. From the hill at the center of the mall, you can see all the way to the Brazilian Parliament Building.

The Brazilian Parliament in Brasilia sits at the end of the central mall. It was designed to be an iconic centerpiece for government in this planned city.

During the construction of Brasilia in the 1960s, the Paranoa River was dammed creating an artificial Lake Paranoa. Today its shores contain governmental buildings (the presidential residence, embassies, and consulates), the University of Brasília, sports clubs, restaurants, residential areas, and walking trails.

Paulista Avenue (Avenida Paulista ) is an important avenue in São Paulo, the most populous city in Brazil and one of the most populous in the World. The thoroughfare is the headquarters of many Brazilian financial and cultural institutions. Multilevel roadways help keep traffic moving.

Quartz, one of the most abundant minerals on Earth, is comprised of silicon and oxygen and is colorless in its natural state. When impurities of iron are added to quartz, the golden-yellow orange of citrine occurs. The stone’s name references the French world “citron,” meaning “lemon,” regarding its color. In ancient times, people believed that citrine gemstones could calm tempers, soothe anger, and make wishes come true. To harness these “powers”, Egyptians used the gemstones as talismans, the ancient Greeks carved images into them, and Roman priests made citrine rings. The majority of citrine is found in Brazil, but it also exists in the Ural Mountains of Russia, France, Madagascar, and Scotland. Darker colors, including medium golden orange, are typically considered rarer and more valuable. The stones for this 18k yellow gold necklace, containing 64 bezel-set cushion-cut citrines with a 177.11ct pear-shaped citrine drop, were mined in Brazil. (Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian)