Brazil has declined to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), making it the second BRICS member, after India, to opt out of the project.

About Brazil

• Location & Size: Brazil is located in central-eastern South America, is the fifth largest country globally.
  • It is positioned in the Northern, Southern, and Western hemispheres, crossing both the Equator and Tropic of Capricorn.
• Borders: Brazil borders every South American country except Chile and Ecuador.
  • It shares boundaries with Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.
• Geography of Brazil: 
  • Brazilian Highlands: Occupies eastern, central, and southern areas, including Sao Paulo and Brasília.
  • Amazon Rainforest: Covers nearly half of Brazil in the north, housing the Amazon River and rich biodiversity.
  • Pantanal: One of the world’s largest wetlands, located in the west.
• Major Water Bodies:
  • Amazon River: Second-longest river globally, flowing through the rainforest.
  • Sao Francisco River: Brazil’s longest entirely domestic river, located in the northeast.
  • Iguacu River: Site of the Itaipu Dam in the south.
• Highest Point: Pico da Neblina, at 2,999m (9,823ft), is Brazil’s highest peak.
• Coastline: Stretching about 7,491 km along the Atlantic Ocean, featuring islands like Fernando de Noronha and the Abrolhos Islands.

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About Amazon River Basin

• Amazon River: Largest river by discharge volume of water in the world.
  • Begins in the Andes Mountains and drains into the Atlantic Ocean.
• Amazon basin is Part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries.
  • Located in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.
  • Most of the basin is covered by the Amazon Rainforest, also known as Amazonia, the largest rainforest in the world.
  • The Basin is bordered by the Brazilian Highlands on the south and the Guyana Highlands on the north.