The Northern region takes up most of the national territory, encompassing the states of Acre, Pará, Roraima, Amazonas, Amapá, Rondônia, and Tocantins. It is the region in which the largest tropical rain forest in the world, the Amazon, is located. The Amazon has such a wide variety of plants and animals that scientists believe there are many species yet to be discovered.
The
Northeast region was the first to be discovered by the Europeans.
It consists of the states of Maranhão, Bahia, Pernambuco, Ceará, Alagoas,
Piauí, Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte, and Sergipe, plus a small portion of
the Amazon rainforest. This region's cities consist of remarkable colonial
architecture -- especially São Luís and Salvador. The Northeast region is
known for its strong, folkloric heritage. It is in the state of Ceará that
the sister city of Aquiraz is located.
The Central-Western region is comprised of the states of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás and the Federal District (in which Brasilia, the capital, is located). This region is the home of the Pantanal (swamp), an ecological sanctuary that is the second-most bio-diverse spot in Brazil.
The Southeast region is the most industrialized and populous. Here you'll find the biggest cities in the country - São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. São Paulo is the largest city and the greatest economic hub in Latin America. In addition to being the home of the world's largest soccer stadium, Rio de Janeiro is famous for its carnival and beautiful beaches. The four states in this region are Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Espirito Santo and Minas Gerais.
The Southern region features a strong influence of European settlers. Because of its mild climate, many of them -- especially Germans and Italians -- made this area their home. This region consists of the states of Santa Catarina, Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul. In the South you'll find extensive grape plantations aimed at the production of wine.