Belem, Brazil

Geography: Belém, the entrance gate to the Amazon River, is the capital of the state Pará in Brazil, which is located on the continent of South America.

Currency:  Brazilian Real (Reais) BRL

National Symbol: Southern Cross constellation

National Anthem: "Hino Nacional Brasileiro"

Language:  Portuguese

Area Comparison: Brazil is slightly smaller than the US

Distance from Pittsburgh:  km or  miles

Terrain: Brazil is mostly flat to rolling lowlands in the North with some plains, hills, mountains and a narrow coastal belt

Highest Point: Pico da Neblina 2,994m

Weather You Should Expect: Belem is a hot and rainy city with very high humidity. It is a tropical rainforest climate, which means there is little variance from day to day, but the wettest months are between January and May.

Average Temperature in January: Low of 72 and High of 88

What You Must See: Ver-O-Peso Market, which is on the dock and is one of the largest in Brazil.  The name "Ver-O-Peso" means "Check Out the Weight"; this is because a few decades ago all products sold were weighted on the spot, in manual balances, and the buyer wanted to check out the weight, to avoid frauds.  Belém is also famous for its Emilio Goedli Museum, which has more than two thousand species of plants and around six hundred animals that are native to Amazonia.  Be sure to check out the street and flea markets at Estacao das Docas and Belem's Old Town of Cidade Velha.

Historical Fact: Belém was founded in 1616 by the Portuguese, although it didn’t become part of Brazil until 1775. The name “Belém” is Portuguese for Bethlehem.

Science Trivia: Belem is built on a number of small islands intersected by channels and other rivers. There are fifty five of these islets, most of which are wild and uninhabited, although some are home to small populations. 

Interesting Fact: Brazil is the largest country in South America and shares common boundaries with EVERY South American country except Chile and Ecuador

Fun Fact: The Amazon River begins in the Peruvian Andes, and winds its way east over the northern half of South America. The Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world, with more than 1/3 all the species in the world living here!  

Everything You Need to Know About the Flag:

It is green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars. The globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress). The current flag was inspired by the banner of the former Empire of Brazil (1822-1889). On the modern flag the green represents the forests of the country and the yellow rhombus its mineral wealth. Whereas, the blue circle and stars, which replaced the coat of arms of the original flag, depict the sky over Rio de Janeiro on the morning of 15 November 1889 - the day the Republic of Brazil was declared. The number of stars has changed with the creation of new states and has risen from an original 21 to the current 27 (one for each state and the Federal District).