Brazilian Highlands Facts: Learn All About Brazil's Beautiful Terrain

Brazil holds a unique position within South America because following its independence from Portugal, it did not fragment into separate nations.

Brazil has retained its identity as a region throughout the centuries and changing governments. The Brazilian landscape has many resources and topographically, it is quite diverse.

It is widely recognized for its dense forests, mainly the Amazon, the sector's largest jungle, within the north. Brazil's other topographical features are its unevenly rising mountains, dry grasslands (known as pampas), wetlands spread across a wide region, and large plateau regions. It is also home to pine forests and has a long coastal line.

It shares its borders in the north with Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, and Venezuela. To the south, Brazil's neighbor is Uruguay and further west from the south is Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia. Brazil is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. People in Brazil are welcoming and open; this is something that is Brazil has in common with its neighbors.

Brazilian Highlands: Location

Brazilian Highlands are called 'Planalto Brasileiro' in Portuguese. They have an elevation higher than that of western Brazil.

The exact location of Brazilian Highlands is 22.4 degrees south latitude, and 45 degrees west longitude. These highlands cover large portions of the country stretching in the central, eastern, and southern portions of Brazil.

These highlands are mostly covered with volcanic and rolling hills of sedimentary rocks. It is believed that the Brazilian Plateau rose from the basaltic lava spills. These highlands are an eroded region of the central plateau and southeastern Brazil.

Most of the parts of these lands are found in the states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Goiás, and Mato Grosso. The highlands are divided into three regions, namely the Atlantic plateau, the southern plateau, and the central plateau.

This region covering the country also offers great diversity. These highlands are elevated to 3,280.8 ft (1,000 m) above sea level.

The features that define the highlands are the Brazilian plateau, low-lying mountains, elevated uplands, steep cliffs, and tabletop plateaus. Much of the population of Brazil lives on the highlands or in the coastal region running close to the highlands.

The Brazilian Highlands are identified for their splendid diversity. The unique location of Brazil in South America has led to diverse climates, the presence of different biodiversity zones, different types of soil and has provided shelter to the diverse flora and fauna that define Brazil.

Brazilian Highlands: Climate

Brazilian Highlands are very similar geographically to the Guiana Highlands, which are located near the Amazon basin.

The average climate of Brazilian Highlands in the north to central coast is around 68 F (20 C). It is cooler towards the south because of its high elevation of 3,000 ft (914.4 m).

The average temperature of the south in the month of June and July is 57 F (13.9 C). Basically, the mountain ranges in the vast majority have a temperate climate, whereas Rio De Janeiro has a tropical climate with fertile ground.

The regions in the southeastern edge and south of mountain ranges are covered with basaltic lava which is also known as 'purple land'. Advancing inland, the weather varies from hot and dry to humid and sticky in the interior regions of Brazil.

Brazilian Highlands: Elevation

The highest point of Brazilian Highlands is the Pico da Bandeira inside the Serra do Caparaó with a height of 9,484.9 ft (2,891 m).

Brazilian Highlands, according to the encyclopedia, rise to a mean elevation of 3,280.8 ft (1,000 m) above sea level.The features that define the highlands are the Brazilian plateau, low-lying mountains, elevated uplands, steep cliffs, and tabletop plateaus. However, the rugged highlands' maximum elevations are below 9,842.5 ft (3,000 m).

Brazilian Highlands: Biodiversity

There is a large number of plant species and fauna in the highlands region of Brazil.

Brazil consists of a huge part of the moist evergreen Atlantic rainforest on the eastern edge, in which half of the world's animal species were once present, but today a small portion remains intact.

The common wildlife found on the Atlantic coast are anteaters, jaguars, brocket deer, macaws, parrots, sloths, toucans, and marmosets. The average temperature in the summer of this region stays between 71-75 F (21.7-23.9 C).

These temperatures on average are good to grow crops and for the survival of that region near the Atlantic Ocean and the Amazon basin.

There are about a million plant species present in this narrow coastal region of South America. One of the unique plants found in the biodiversity of Brazil is an epiphyte.

These are present on the top of another plant. These plants are edible and bear fruit and interestingly are not parasites.

There are some other kinds of plants found like rubber trees, banana trees, bamboo, and cassava. Due to the Atlantic Ocean and the Amazon basin in the south of Brazil, people have access to fish species from the oceans and seas. Also, Brazil includes plants that bear a variety of fruits.

Crops that grow in this region are sugarcane, rice plants, and arrowroot in large amounts. Diamonds, emeralds, topaz, and aquamarine are types of gems very popularly found in the east and north areas of South America.

Mantiqueira Main Summits

A range of mountains, the Serra da Mantiqueira is spread over 200 mi (321.9 km) across the three Brazilian states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais. However, the highest elevation in Brazil is Pico da Neblina standing tall at 9,888.5 ft (3,014 m).

Rivers formed in these mountains are a source of water supply for a number of towns in the southeast region of Brazil. The Serra da Mantiqueira in southeastern Brazil is part of the larger mountain chain, the Serra do Mar Mountain Range System or 'Brazilian Cordillera'.

Approximately 30% of the range is placed within the state of São Paulo, 10% in the region of Rio de Janeiro, and 60% in the state of Minas Gerais.

The closest point of contact is the town of São Paulo approximately 62 mi (99.8 km) away. The Serra da Mantiqueira region has altitudes ranging between 3937-9186.4 ft (1,200-2,800 m), and its peaks are suitable for mountain climbing.

There are numerous peaks in the Mantiqueira mountain region such as Pedra da Mina at 9,179.8 ft (2,798 m), Pico das Agulhas Negras at 9,160.1 ft (2,792 m), Black Agulhas Peak at 9,156.8 ft (2,791 m), Pico dos Três Estados peak at 8,743.4 ft (2,665 m) and Pico dos Marins at 7,942.9 ft (2,421 m).