Brazil is the fifth largest territory in the world in terms of the size of its geography and population (around 200 million inhabitants) and is also the seventh largest economy in the world. Over the last decade, Brazil has consolidated its position as an influential economic leader in Latin America. However, in 2012 the country was ranked 85th by the UNDP (United Nations Development Program) on the Human Development Index, behind many other Latin American countries such as Argentina, Mexico and Costa Rica.
The culture of Brazil is the result of the mixing of influences from the different peoples and ethnic groups which made up the population of Brazil. Diversity is the essence of Brazilian culture and is the outcome of the process of colonization, when Europeans and Africans arrived in what is now Brazil. Immigration also played an extremely important part in the formation of the national culture, since characteristics from different parts of the world, including Asian countries, were integrated over the years into the country. The indigenous peoples have also made an extremely important contribution to Brazil’s ethnic composition.
Over the years, these different cultures established a process of exchanges with each other, giving rise to an intensely dynamic mixing of the people of Brazil. You can see the various influences of this mixture in varying proportions across different parts of the country. Running north to south, you can notice the influence of indigenous cultures, African traditions and of the immigrants from Italy, Scandinavia, Japan and Germany.
Social conventions
Brazilian people are used to physical contact. Throughout most of the country, men greet women and women greet each other with one or two kisses on the cheek. The common greeting among men is a handshake or a hug.
In formal situations, in which you do not know the person or the person is older than you are, it is customary to use “senhor” (Sir) or “senhora” (Madam) to address them. In all other situations, the use of the informal “você” is common. As regards dress, in Brazil clothes may be less conservative in casual settings, although people dress more formally in offices and places of worship, among others.
A frequent habit of Brazilians observed by foreigners is the lax approach to timekeeping: people are not always punctual in Brazil. Generally, Brazilian people are open; they like foreigners and are always willing to speak to them and offer help, even though the majority of Brazilians do not speak any language other than Portuguese.
Workplace behavior in Brazil
For job interviews in Brazil, you should dress in formal western attire (for example, pants or trousers, dress shoes and a shirt). The most appropriate greeting is usually a handshake, and when addressing the person conducting the interview (the interviewer), you should use “senhor” or “senhora”, unless the interviewer displays a greater degree of informality. In Brazil, it is common for women to have supervisory responsibility.