Brazil

Why it sticks

1. 1

   Brazil is the fifth-largest country in the world and borders every South American country except Chile and Ecuador.

2. 2

   It is named after the brazilwood tree, whose red dye was its first major export.

3. 3

   The flag’s blue globe shows the night sky over Rio de Janeiro on 15 November 1889, with one star for each state and the Federal District.

4. 4

   Brazil is the largest Portuguese-speaking country in the world. About 60% of the Amazon rainforest lies within its borders.

• Signs in Portuguese, with words using -ão, -nh and -lh. Every neighbour except Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana uses Spanish.
• White Mercosur plates with a blue strip on top since 2018. Older plates are plain grey or white, and commercial plates are red.
• Ladder-like rectangular concrete poles and black-painted backs on road signs.
• Yellow chevrons on a black background, the opposite of most of South America.
• Double yellow centre lines, white edges and white-painted kerbs.
• Red soil across much of the country, and orange tiled roofs.