By: Malia Ward

Brazil is a country in eastern South America. It is right on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.

Brazil has a population of 204,259,812 people according to the United States Census Bureau.

Ethnicity Brazil consists of a blend of ethnicities. Mulattoes (people of mixed African & European ancestry) and Mestizos (people of mixed European and Indian ancestry) make roughly a large portion of the population.

Religion Catholicism is the official religion of Brazil. 3 quarters of the Brazilian population are practicing Roman Catholics. This is the famous Christ The Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Currency Brazil’s currency is the Brazilian real.

Time Difference Brazil has 4 different time zones they use.

Greetings/Saying Goodbye Hello - Olá Goodbye - Adeus Good Morning - Bom dia Good Afternoon - Boa tarde Good Night - Boa noite Please – Por Favor Thank You – Obrigado You’re Welcome – De nada

Customs When invited to someone’s home it is expected to bring the host a gift or flowers. Avoid giving anything purple or black because these are mourning colors. Handkerchiefs are also associated with funerals, so these are not goods gifts too.

Business Etiquette Brazilians would rather do face to face business than business through written communication. Communication in Brazil is often very informal. Never rush or appear to be impatient. Punctuality is generally very relaxed. But in corporate situations it is important to be punctual.

Business Dress Men should wear dark colored suits. Three piece suits usually mean someone is an executive. Women should wear elegant and feminine business suits or dresses with nice accessories.

Dinner and Parties When invited to dinner always show up 30 minutes later than the intended time. When invited to a party show up at least an hour late. Brazilian always look their best and dress with a flare so make sure to be overdressed opposed to being underdressed.

Body Language When conversing with someone its important to hold eye contact with them. People in Brazil always shake hands when greeting and departing. A close friendship is between 2 people started by rubbing the their index fingers together. Sticking your thumb between your index and middle finger is a symbol of wishing a person good luck.

Brazilian Myths and Folklore Besta-fera – this beast is believed to be Satan the Devil. Cuca – Cuca is used to scare small children who do not want to go to bed on time. She is a mean old lady that will do evil things to them, or so the tale goes. Saci Pererê – is certainly one of the most popular characters of Brazilian folklore. He is mischievous and is blamed for anything that goes wrong on the farm. The Saci is known as a con artist that can disappear and reappear at will. Whoever can grab his red cap is granted a wish by the Saci, but legend has it that the cap’s smell is so bad, you may never rid yourself of it.

Works Cited Brazil – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette etiquette/brazil-country-profile.html Jan 22, etiquette/brazil-country-profile.html Brazil Jan 22, United States Census Bureau Jan 23, Brazilian Greetings & Responses Jan 25, 2015 Brazil Daylight Savings Time html Jan 25, html