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General Information
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Index of this page:
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Tourism Agency
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The official tourism agency of the XXVII IAU General
Assembly is
Blumar Incoming Tour Operator & DMC.
Some information like hotel location and
reservation, transfers, general information about Rio de Janeiro city
and Brazil, is being prepared by Blumar for the
XXVII th IAU General Assembly.
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Brazilian Tourism Ministry
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The Brazilian Tourism Ministry keeps a frequently
updated
site in 8
languages (Portuguese from Brazil and from Portugal,
Spanish, American and British English, French, German and Italian) with
touristic information overall in Brazil.
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Some words and facts about Brazil
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You are in one surprise after the other, no matter what your opinion
is about Brazil's tourism attraction, you will be surprised.
There is no sense in trying to define it. Brazil is much more than a
mixture of races, cultures, climates, colors and landscapes that
don't fit into a tourism guide. It is a world of mysteries that
worlds can't define but luckily for you can be revealed live and in
color region by region. All you need to do is travel.
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Brazil in the world
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Brazil's figures are impressive: its population is just over 180
million inhabitants; it has a territory covering more than 8.5
million km2, a 7,367-km coastline, and 5,658 municipal districts.
Although 92% of Brazilian territory is located in an inter-tropical
zone and warm weather predominates (with average temperatures above
20o C), the country also sees occasional snow and has semi-arid regions.
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Democracy and Respect for Differences
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Brazil is undergoing changes. We are one of the biggest democracies
in the world, with more than 115 million voters.
The fairly heterogeneous Brazilian population is made up of native
Indians and Afro-descendants (we have the second biggest black
population in the world) as well as descendants of European, Asian
and Arab origin.
All religions can be found in Brazil, too. They coexist without any
kind of conflict or discord. Religious sentiment is a personal,
individual affair. What is collective and public is the notion that
all citizens, Brazilians and foreigners alike, are entitled to
profess and practice their beliefs in Brazil.
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Diversity renders Brazilian culture one of the richest in the world
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Brazil is renowned worldwide for the creativity of its people. This
is apparent in Brazilian music, in contemporary dance, in film,
painting, literature, in the country's futuristic architecture and
design.
It can equally be seen in complicated samba dance steps, in the
production of handicrafts, in sophisticated, colorful indigenous
artifacts, and in street markets.
The creativity is complemented by a wealth of cultural expressions.
Characterized by diversity and acceptance, Brazil has staked out its
place on the international circuit of major cultural events.
The country offers a wide variety of cultural events, museums, art
galleries and international exhibitions
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Lifestyle and Gastronomy
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We know differences do not have to be conflicting. Quite the
contrary, in Brazil they are cause for celebration. In fact, there is
one particularly significant trait that expresses Brazilian identity
to perfection: the countless popular feasts.
Brazilians love celebrations. It is an integral part of the national
character to celebrate, party, and bring friends together for any reason.
In fact, even a simple roadside meal can be a festival of flavors.
Brazil has a huge variety of fruit, vegetables, meat, flavors,
sauces, seasonings and spices, so the dishes could only be unique!
There is a bit of everything: regional specialties, dishes for
different seasons of the year, some based on religious traditions,
others that came with the immigrants and were adapted to the new country.
The most popular dish is called feijoada, always served piping hot.
It was created by the African slaves from the leftovers of the
Portuguese masters' meals. It goes with both the national spirit,
cachaça, or the drink made from it, caipirinha, blended with sugar
and fresh lemon - and other tropical fruits - another very Brazilian
creation.
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Biodiversity
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The Pantanal marshland is the biggest floodplain in the world.
The Amazon is the biggest tropical rainforest in the world with the
greatest biodiversity on Earth, comprising 34 different ecosystems. A
single hectare of forest may have up to 300 types of trees. One in
every five plant species in the world grows in the Amazon Rainforest.
Some estimates reckon there are more than 10 million living species
in the Amazon, but the actual number is incalculable.
The Amazon River has more than 1,000 tributaries.
Brazil has 53 National Parks. As much as 8.13% of its territory is
protected in the form of conservation units.
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Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro delights people with its scenery, hospitality and
infectious cheerfulness. The "wonderful city" - famous all over the
world for its beautiful beaches, curvaceous geography and way of life
of its people - welcomes visitors with open arms and offers an
infinitive number of attractions throughout the year.
Beautiful nature with the biggest urban forest in the world, 2 bays,
lagoons, 90 Km of beaches and mountains. One of the cultural capitals
of Brazil - museums, cultural centres, historical buildings, musical
events, movies, theatres. Great choice of restaurants, shopping
malls, tourist sights.
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Tours in Rio
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There are many sightseeing options in Rio de Janeiro.
Corcovado Mountain: by car or by electric tram through the Atlantic
rainforest the statue of Christ the Redeemer overlooking an
outstanding sight of the whole city.
Sugar Loaf (Pão de Açúcar): a trip on a cable car to the peak of the
hill. The view is spectacular. Other options include the Botanical
Garden, the historic heart of Rio, museums and galleries, Santa
Teresa with artists studios, old houses and a trolley car, the Lagoa
and beaches with their kiosks and live music.
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Surroundings
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There is a variety of choices in neighboring cities: Buzios with
paradisiac beaches, guest houses with rustic decoration and a
sophisticated nightlife; Angra dos Reis, surrounded by 365 islands;
Paraty, a national heritage for its colonial architecture;
Teresópolis, Friburgo and Petrópolis with its cool mountain climate
and historical Palace, now an Imperial Museum.
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Vaccination
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For tourists who have been in transit over the past three months, or
who are coming from certain countries - Angola, Benin, Bolivia,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Colombia, Ecuador, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana,
Guinea Bissau, French Guiana, Liberia, Nigeria, Peru, the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leon, Sudan, Venezuela and Zaire -,
an International Certificate of Vaccination against yellow fever is required.
The yellow fever vaccine is also recommended for all national and
international tourists who intend to visit the following Brazilian areas:
North (Acre, Amazonas, Rondônia, Roraima, Amapá, Pará,
Tocantins States) and Mid-west (Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul,
Goiás e Distrito Federal States) Regions of Brazil, to all
municipalities of Maranhão and Minas Gerais, to the
municipalities located in the South of Piauí, West and South
of Bahia, North of Espírito Santo, Northwest of São Paulo
and West of the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul.
The vaccine should be taken ten days before your trip - that is how long
it takes for you to be protected against the disease. The reason for this
is that, in some forest areas of the country, there is the possibility
of people not having taken the vaccination becoming contaminated and
getting sick with yellow fever. The Brazilian coast is free from the
disease in the strip that goes from Rio Grande do Sul to Piauí.
The forests in the coastal strip ranging from the North of Espírito
Santo to the South of Bahia have not registered the circulation of the
wild yellow fever virus. It is important to remember that no cases of
urban yellow fever have been seen in Brazilian cities since 1942.
Doubts and Other Vaccines -
Consult the
Brazilian Official representative
(Consulate, Embassy, Mission, etc.) nearest you to explain any doubts and
to obtain any other information concerning vaccinations in Brazil.
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About Dengue Fever in Rio
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- Epidemiology: Dengue mosquito lives during summer and rain stations
(warm weather and out-door collected water make a good environment for
them). This season ends in Rio de Janeiro by April, and this results in
fewer cases from June-December. Looking at the
number of cases (updated nearly dayly)
in the
entire State of Rio de Janeiro in 2008, it is clear that this epidemic is
mitigating. The numbers by March 3rd, 2009 were: January = 707, February = 355.
The corresponding
numbers only for the central part of Rio de Janeiro city are: January = 4,
February = 3.
(Note that the total population for the State is more then 15.383.000
and about 6.094.000 for the city).
- Rio's central zone, the site of XXVII GA IAU 2009, has had very few
cases. The SulAmerica Convention Center itself has no dengue or mosquito
detected.
- The Government has taken many measures to minimize this epidemic
which is also resulting in a reduction in the numbers of new cases (see graph,
and note the dramatic decrease, when comparing 2008 with 2009).
- Transmission: Mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti). There is no
vaccine for preventing dengue. The best preventive measure for residents
living in areas infested with Aedes aegypti is to eliminate the
places where the mosquito lays her eggs, primarily artificial containers
that hold water.
Even though the epidemic is not gone in 2009, what we trully hope to happen,
the danger of contamination is very low during August month, when the
XXVII GA IAU is held.
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Useful Information
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Visas and Passports - An entry visa is not required for holders of
passports from European or South American countries. As a matter of
reciprocity, a visa is required for those from the United States.
Tourist visas can be renewed for a period of 180 days per year.
Passports must be valid for at least six months after the planned
date of arrival in Brazil. Visit our page with more
Visa information.
Voltage - In the majority of Brazilian cities the electric current is
either 110 or 220 volts, although it is advisable to confirm the
voltage before plugging in any appliances.
Car rentals - Rental cars, with or without a driver, are available
for tourists at the main airports and in city centres.
Taxis - There are large fleets of taxis in most cities. Regular
taxis, with a meter, can be hailed in the street. Radio-taxis can be
called by phone. They have air-conditioning, and are more expensive.
Tipping - Most restaurants and bars include a 10% service charge in
the bill. It is usual to leave a little more if the service was good.
When it is not included in the bill, the general rule is a tip of
between 10% and 15%. Taxi drivers do not expect to be tipped.
Currency - The currency in Brazil is the Real (abbreviated to R$).
Dollars and traveller's cheques can easily be exchanged at hotels,
authorised banks and travel agencies. International credit cards are
accepted in most hotels, shops and restaurants. On average, tourists
can consider an exchange rate of around USD 1 = R$ 1.85 (by September,
2007).
Transport - The bus is the most popular form of transport for
travelling between states. For air travel, the main national airlines
cover most domestic flights. There are also regional airlines,
offering high levels of comfort and safety.
Communications - Any part of the world can be reached in real time by
phone, fax or e-mail. The Brazilian cell phone market is the second
largest in the world, with 650 thousand new lines sold every month.
Language - Portuguese is the national language, but the Portuguese
spoken in Brazil is quite different, in accent and intonation, from
the language spoken in Portugal. English and Spanish are widely
spoken by hotel staff.
Time Zones - Brazil covers three time zones. The time in Brasilia (the
capital city) is the official time in Brazil, three hours behind GMT
(London) for most of the year.
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National Organizing Committee - NOC
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www.astronomy2009.com.br
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