Brazil: A country unites the cultures of the world

You will quickly feel that Brazil consists of a colorful mixture of different cultures during your Brazil vacations. The influences of the African way of life in the north or the European influenced regions in the south of the country remind us of an eventful history. Brazil is a country that knows how to surprise above all with its diversity. You will not only encounter varying landscapes and climate zones, but also inhabitants with the most diverse backgrounds during your journey. Immigration has always played an important role here, because without the streams of new arrivals, for example, agricultural development would hardly have been possible.

It all began over 500 years ago with the arrival of the first Portuguese sailors in Brazil. Here they found themselves in a flourishing paradise with rich mineral resources. Little by little, the Portuguese finally began to cultivate the fertile soil with sugar cane plantations and settled the coast of Brazil. To be able to cope with the hard work on the plantations, mainly slaves from African countries were brought to Brazil to work in the fields. From 1850 onwards, however, the import of slaves to Brazil was strictly prohibited and the Brazilian government had to create incentives for the arrival of new workers.
Here we finally have the explanation for the large number of European immigrants, because the promise of land and work made them leave for faraway Brazil. Thousands of immigrants set out in hope of a prosperous future.

Italians, Germans, and Spaniards, in particular, left their homeland behind and ventured to travel to an unknown country. The majority of Italians settled in the region of Sao Paulo and found work on the coffee plantations. The Spaniards, on the other hand, penetrated a little further inland and the German immigrants settled mainly in the southern region around Santa Catarina. In addition to the European immigrants, it was mainly Japanese immigrants who entered Brazil at the beginning of the 20th century with great hopes. They also moored at the ports in Sao Paulo and found a new home there.

For centuries people from all over the world reached the coast of Brazil and enriched the country with their customs and traditions. The mixture of different cultures made Brazil a colorful country it is today. African dances, Italian cuisine, and Portuguese architecture amidst green landscapes and a tropical climate. Brazil's diversity is indescribable and everyone will have their personal story to tell. However, the immigration flows of the last few years are rather concentrated on Brazil's neighboring countries, as mainly Argentineans and Bolivians emigrate to Brazil.

Also Raquel, an Argentinean living in Brazil today, left her homeland 25 years ago to make a new start in Brazil. She and her husband moved to Florianopolis in southern Brazil. Today, the island is a hub for tourists from all over the world. But where now apartments, stores, and restaurants can be found, a few years ago there was a yawning emptiness. "At the beginning, I missed Argentina very much," Raquel remembers. No wonder, because she had lived in Buenos Aires until then and was used to a completely different rhythm from the lively capital. "Of course I was impressed by the beaches and nature, but I felt very isolated from everything. Here I couldn't just walk down the street and meet my friends in a cafe. In Florianopolis, I was suddenly dependent on the few buses that drove occasionally and all that surrounded me were meadows and fields". Together with her husband, however, Raquel realized her dream and cultivated a piece of land just a few meters from the sea. Today you have to walk down the road to see the sea. Multi-story apartments and single-family houses block the view of the water. In recent years, the neighborhood has developed rapidly, as new construction projects are constantly being realized here. In the meantime, the Argentinean has found her second home in Brazil and communicates with her neighbors and friends in perfect Portuguese. Once a year Raquel visits her family in Argentina and spends a few days in the capital. Instead of the Atlantic rainforest, she makes her way through the urban jungle. "I always enjoy the days of my visit very much, but afterward I am drawn back to the island.

A house on the beach on a Brazilian island. What may sound like a dream for many, is in reality connected with a lot of courage. Leaving everything behind to build a new life in an unknown country is no easy undertaking, but the necessary perseverance seems to pay off. Like Raquel, everyone has their own story to tell and the subject of immigration is always present. German grandparents, African ancestors, or your immigration. On your Brazil trip, you will listen to some interesting stories and experience the fascinating mix of cultures directly on-site.

Source: ibge.gov.br