In 1494 the Treaty of Tordesillas ended the argument over who got what in the new world. Pope Alexander VI drew a line down the map, giving what was west of the line to Spain, and what was east to Portugal. Shortly afterward Portugal sent someone over to check out what exactly was east of that imaginary line, making Pedro Alvares Cabral the first European explorer of Brazil and a well-loved national icon.

By the mid-16th century an administrative center had been established in the city of Salvador, but conflict erupted in the young colony between Jesuits and the colonists over what to do with the millions of native people already living in the area. In the end a middle ground was reached: Christian Amerindians were under the jurisdiction of the Jesuits, while the other colonists were free to keep any people captured in war.

But the colonists felt that this didn't provide them with quite enough manpower, so they began importing slaves from Africa during this time as well. The slaves were used to farm sugar cane, the main crop of Brazil, as well as tobacco, coffee and cotton, until the 19th century. Latifundios, huge tracts of land larger than some European countries, were given to colonists and remained in the hands of very few, very rich people, much to the detriment of the rest of the population.

In 1555 and 1557, first the French and then the governor of Brazil established settlements in Rio de Janeiro. Once they had established themselves along the coast, European settlers began exploring the interior during the 1600s. A gold and diamond rush at the end of the century brought huge numbers of people into the interior, especially to the area of Minas Gerais.

In 1822 Pedro I, governor of Brazil, declared independence from his father King Joao VI and made himself emperor. Not being very well liked, he quickly abdicated, but not in time to stop numerous rebellions that took place during the mid-19th century. As the century progressed, the population skyrocketed from 4 to 14 million (not counting undiscovered Amazonians). It wasn't until 1888 that slavery was finally outlawed completely after a number of lesser reforms, making Brazil the last country in the western hemisphere to do so.

The 1890s brought Brazil's first election as well as lots of money to the city of Sao Paulo thanks to its coffee trade. Democracy lasted until 1930 when the military installed Getulio Vargas as president. During his term Brazil became the only country in Latin America to actively participate in World War II. In 1950 Vargas was re-elected legitimately but doesn't last long in office. A much-needed morale boost comes to Brazil in 1954 when it wins the World Cup with world famous Pele.

The 1950s and 1960s saw Brazil making major attempts toward industrialization, the founding of the national oil company, and the creation of a new, futuristic capital, Brasilia (sorry Rio). Military dictatorship under various generals meant that Brazil labored under severe repression while the economy soared. By the late 1970s the government started relaxing and allowing dissenting political parties to re-form, but Brazil joined the rest of Latin America in the economic crisis of the 1980s. New, democratically elected presidents tried to curb inflation but made little progress. In 1994 Brazil took the World Cup again, and in that same year president Fernando Henrique Cardoso got inflation under control. In 2002 da Silva became Brazil's first leftist president in 40 years, and the progress that the country strives for continues to this day.

 The tradition for which Brazil is most famous is, of course, Carnival. Every February in Rio de Janeiro samba schools compete in a huge parade, hoping to produce the best performance centered around each year's special theme. The week leading up to Lent is filled with dancers in immense feather headdresses, parade-goers in drag, people drinking, dancing, and celebrating the chance to forget one's troubles, and all social convention, for a brief moment.

Though the internationally known celebrations are in Rio, cities and towns all over Brazil hold their own unique festivities, with some travelers finding the less crowded celebrations in Salvador and Recife better than the chaos of Rio. The East African religion of candomble, and umbanda, a unique blend of European, African and Amazonian beliefs and practices, are especially popular in the state of Bahia and celebrate colorful rituals of their own in February (in addition to Carnival), as priestesses mediate between our world and the world of the orixas (guardians) and exus (demons).

Brazil's other great tradition is more spontaneous than a festival and can be enjoyed by people of any social class any time of the year-a day at the beach. Most cities in Brazil are built along its gorgeous coastline and everyone from businessmen to young children can be found on the sand at all times of day, escaping from the bustle of city life.

There is usually little mentioned about the role of Amazonians in everyday life in Brazil. This is not due to their diminished populations but because at present they live on huge reserves of land not visited by outsiders and are free to life their lives according to their rules.

 Brazil is huge and covers a number of different ecosystems each with its own distinct weather pattern. However, most the country falls between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, so don't worry about trying to fit that parka into your suitcase. Environments range from the world's greatest rainforest to the dry, lifeless plains of the northeastern sertao. Most of the country's development, urban centers, and people are concentrated in a comparatively small area in the south, along the coast.

Brazil's ecological diversity, unlike some other Latin American countries, is pretty spread out. So unless you have a ton of time, or love being on the road, you may want to focus your itinerary on one or two main areas. In terms of weather, the daily rains of the Amazon Basin peter out as you leave the interior. Average temperatures on the coast range from 70-80' F (21-24' C), but during the summer Rio sometimes passes the 100' F (40' C) mark. And don't forget that the seasons are reversed, or feel embarrassed when you test out the direction of the toilet flush upon arrival.

 In Brazil, everything is art. Half of the literature produced in Latin America comes from there, and writers like Jorge Amado are creating a national literature by focusing on the culture and social development of modern Brazil. This is part of a larger trend toward establishing a national artistic identity begun by the Week of Modern Art in 1922, when artists came together to create a vision for the future. Musically, Brazil is shaped by all of its European, African and native influences, and is best known for samba and bossa nova, a melding of samba with American jazz developed in the 1950s.

But not all Brazilian art is so intellectual. In Brazil, the human body is a much-appreciated art form that many people put a great deal of care into maintaining-a fact that one day at the beach will quickly confirm. It makes sense, then, that the song that introduced Brazilian music on the world stage was about a girl in a bikini ("The Girl from Ipanema"). National blood also heats up for soccer, elevated to art by a country that boasts five World Cup championships, often conveniently timed with serious political crises. Even capoeira, the national form of martial arts, is as much about grace and beauty as it is about the fighting.

The people may be spicy, but outside of the state of Bahia and its African- and Caribbean-influenced cuisine, the food of Brazil goes easy on the chile. Feijoada, the national dish of black beans and salted meat, originated as a meal of given to slaves and is now consumed everywhere. Tropical fruits and the fruits of Brazilian labor, coffee and sugar cane (sold in small, peeled chunks), are also ubiquitous as well as delicious. Bahia boasts the country's most famous regional cuisine that emphasizes seafood, coconuts, chile, and dende oil, a key component to almost every dish.

 From the Amazonian rainforests in the north to the majestic Igacu Falls on the border with Argentina, Brazil is filled with natural wonders just waiting to be discovered. Feel free to participate in all the outdoor activities you can think of, plus some you didn't. Spelunking is a great way to fill your adventure quotient and learn about the diverse cave ecosystems that run beneath many states, including Sao Paulo, Bahia and Minas Gerais.

Divers should consider the island Fernando de Noronha. Though a bit of a trek from the northeastern coast, it is an unspoiled island where you can swim with large sea turtles while exploring the sunken ships and coral reefs waiting just below the surface.

 * Be sure to get a yellow fever vaccine before you go to Brazil. If you are entering from some African and Latin American countries, proof of the vaccine is required upon entry, but it is highly recommended for all travelers no matter where you are coming from.

* Do not drink the tap water in Brazil, and make sure the bottles are properly sealed before you drink. When possible, eat fruits and vegetables that you peel yourself.
* Bring sunscreen, and use it. Liberally.

* Tipping is common and much-appreciated. Tip what you would at home.

* Brazilians can be at times quite conservative, in spite of how you see them portrayed in popular culture. Use the formal titles senhor and dona when addressing people (men and women, respectively). 

* Kissing is a common greeting (except between men). Nude bathing is not done, nor is it looked well upon.

 * Insight Guides: Brazil, 2004, Apa Publications.

* A Concise History of Brazil by Boris Fausto, translated by Arthur Brakel, published in 1999 by Cambridge University Press.

* Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands by Jorge Amado, originally published in 1969, followed by later translations into English. A fantastic metaphor for the state of modern-day Brazil that paints a rich picture of the culture of the author's home state of Bahia and its cult of candomble.

* Futebol: The Brazilian Way of Life, by Alex Bellos, published by Bloomsbury in 2002.