Brazil - Nuts and Bolts

Brazil has a population of 155 million and possesses the world's largest rain forests. The population is 80 percent Roman Catholic and speaks Portuguese, Spanish, English and French. The climate ranges from tropical to semitropical with a temperate zone in the far south. The literacy rate is about 81 percent.

Air service runs efficiently throughout the country, as does railroad service. The telephone system is adequate, particularly in the major cities, including Rio, Brasilia, S

Don't wear the colors of green and yellow, the colors of Brazil's flag. You'll be instantly pegged as a tourist. Taking the Metro isn't advised. Credit cards are widely accepted except for the remote boonies. The currency is the real, which is roughly equal to the U.S. dollar. The electrical current is 126V throughout most of the country and 22V in Brasilia. The local time is 3 hours behind GMT.

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Emergency Numbers

Local 911-type police numbers include the following:

Rio tourist police

Tel: 511-5112

Fire

Tel: 193

Military police (patrol)

Tel: 190

Civil police (investigations)

Tel: 147

The U.S. embassy is located in Brasilia:

Avenida das Nacoes, Lote 3

Tel: [55] (61) 321-7272

There are consulates in the following:

Rio de Janeiro

Avenida Presidente Wilson 147

Tel: [55] (21) 292-7117

Porto Alegre

Rua Coronel Genuino 421 (9th floor)

Tel: [55] (51) 226-4288

Sao Paulo

Rua Padre Joao Manoel 933

Tel: [55] (11) 881-6511

Recife

Rua Goncalves Maia 163

Tel: [55] (81) 221-1412

There are also consular agencies in the following:

Belem

Avenida Oswaldo Cruz 165

Tel: [55] (91) 223-0800/0413

Manaus

Rua Recife 1010, Adrianopolis

Tel: [55] (92) 234-4546

Salvador de Bahia

Avenida Antonio Carlos Magalhaes S/N Edificio Cidadella Center, Suite 410

Candeal

Tel: [55] (71) 358-9195

Fortaleza

Instituto Brasil-Estados Unidos (IBEU)

Rua Nogueira Acioly, 891

Aldeota

Tel: [55] (85) 252-1539.