Brazil
Owing to its size, Brazil sees large variation in climatic conditions and is the only country in the world that lies on both the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn.
Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth largest in the world.
Famous for its white sandy beaches, vast rainforests and its love of the Carnaval, Brazil is a country vast in size and variety.
Covering nearly half of the South American landmass and 35 times the size of the UK, the country is made up of 26 states and 1 Federal district which houses the country's purpose-built capital, Brasilia.
Many of the 6 million tourists who visit Brazil each year head to its natural areas including the Amazon rainforest, the beaches (including the world famous Copacabana and Ipanema beaches), the Lençóis Maranhenses dunes in the north-east of the country and the Pantanal tropical wetlands.
The Iguaçu Falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil and amongst the worlds largest and most dramatic waterfalls. They are 2.7 km wide in total, combining 275 separate falls and are situated in the Iguaçu National Park, one of Brazil's 19 UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Brazil is undoubtedly famed for its many pristine beaches, perhaps none more famous than the Ipanema and Copacabana.
The beach plays a huge role in Brazilian culture with two thirds of its population living near the coast. Its easy to see why with soft, white sandy beaches offering sunshine all year round. After sunset the beaches often continue to be the main place to be with a vibrant nightlife.
Its hard to mention Brazil without thinking about football. They are the most successful World Cup team in the world - winning 5 times in total and creating some of the most well-known icons in the game including Pele, Zico, Ronaldo, Neymar and Robinho