Brazil–the largestsovereign stateinLatin America. Afederal republic, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country, by both geographical areaandtotal population.It is the largestPortuguese-speaking country in the world, and the only one in the Americas. It is a country of great diversity, and is famous for its football (soccer) tradition and its annual Carnaval inRio de Janeiro,Salvador,RecifeandOlinda. It is alsoa land of profoundeconomiccontradictions.