Australia is diverse
Australia doesn’t have one uniform national culture because the country is made up of so many different cultures thanks to waves of migration following European colonisation in the late 18th century. Joining the hundreds of Indigenous groups are those early British and Irish settlers, European immigrants following World War Two, then growing Asian and African communities in recent decades. In fact, a quarter of Australians were born overseas, and another quarter has at least a parent born abroad, too.
n overseas and another quarter have at least a parent born abroad, too.
Australia is home to the oldest surviving civilisation on Earth
One of the most significant components of this multicultural milieu is Australia’s First Peoples, who represent the oldest continuously existing culture anywhere in the world. Archaeological evidence proves that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have inhabited the continent for 60,000 years, and today there are 650,000 Indigenous people in Australia, roughly 2.8% of the national population.
Australians eat their national symbol
Such vibrant multiculturalism means that Australia doesn’t really share one cohesive cuisine — lamb roast is as common as fettuccine or pho or falafel. But there is one quirky feature of Australian food: kangaroo regularly finds its way onto the menu. With 50 million roos hopping around the country — twice the population of humans — Australia’s national icon is a common meal, in the form of steak or sausages (known as ‘kanga bangers’).
Australians love a drink
On the World Health Organisation’s table of the thirstiest nations on earth, Australia is the third booziest country outside Europe (and 19th overall), guzzling down 12.2L of alcohol per capita each year. And with a world of wonderful wineries dotted all over the countryside as well as a booming brewery scene developing in our cities, it’s no mystery why we’re so fond of a tipple. Cheers!
Australians are obsessed with the sport
Aussies might not take themselves too seriously, but the same can’t be said when it comes to sport. From massive international events like the Australian Open tennis and the Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne, to local leagues like the AFL and the NRL, along with the beloved summer of cricket to all the water sports that miles of golden coastline affords, Australia is a sports lover’s paradise.
Australians are city slickers and beach bums
Despite that stereotypical image of Crocodile Dundee roaming the Outback, Australia is actually one of the most urban nations on Earth. Around 85% of the 25 million population live within 50km of the coast, including 10 million in the two biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne. Maybe the allure of Australia’s 10,685 sparkling beaches is just too much to resist.
Australians are tolerant
Study after study after study has shown that Australia is among the most open-minded nations on Earth, and it was put to the test last year with a postal survey on the issue of marriage equality. Despite months of distasteful public debate, 62% of Australians voted yes to legalising same-sex marriage — a thumping (and long overdue) victory for a country so proud of its progressive values.
Ask the UN’s Human Development Report or the Economist Intelligence Unit’s quality-of-life index and they’ll tell you that Australia is fortunate enough to be one of the most prosperous nations on earth. ‘The Lucky Country’ has become an oft-used nickname for Australia since the term was coined half a century ago, and it’s an accurate moniker for a nation that enjoys such an enviable climate, stable political system, and wealth of natural resources.
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The diversity of Brazilian people
Being a vast country consisting of multiple cultures and ethnicities, Brazil has many traditions and customs, as a result of the native Brazilians, Europeans and Africans cultures miscegenation. The outcome is an enormous historical and culture diversity with different accents scattered throughout the country and a spontaneous, cheerful and welcoming people.
The Brazilian Language
Brazil’s official language is Portuguese, which is spoken by the overwhelming majority of the population, although there are some very small pockets of indigenous peoples and immigrants that do not speak the language.
Brazil is also home to over 180 indigenous languages, though these are mostly only spoken in remote areas, and the numbers of speakers are on the decline. There are also communities speaking other European languages, including German and Italian, though in these cases the dialects spoken have been influenced by the Portuguese language.
Etiquette & customs
Brazilians are typically open and friendly people, and this is reflected in their behavior when dealing with others. When having a conversation with a Brazilian, expect them to be animated and engaged. Interruptions and interjections when someone else is speaking are not necessarily considered rude, as they demonstrate that you are engaged in what is being said. Bear in mind that physical contact and close proximity are both common, particularly between men, and that you will be expected to maintain good eye contact whilst speaking to someone.
Music and dance are very important in Brazil, and Brazilians are generally very proud of their musical heritage. Few events in Brazil encapsulate the countries culture more than the famous Carnival, a very popular annual festival which takes place to mark the beginning of lent each year. Exact customs vary from region to region across the country, but samba dancing and exuberant colorful parades in the streets are common in the larger cities.
Religion
The majority religion of Brazil is Christianity, with around 60% of the population identifying themselves as Catholic, and a further 20% identifying as protestant. Being a diverse country, there are also a range of other minority religions.
Food and Economy
Food in Daily Life: Rice, beans, and manioc form the core of the Brazilian diet and are eaten at least occasionally by all social classes in all parts of the nation.
Traditionally the most important meal of the day is a multicourse affair eaten after midday. It consists of a pasta dish, a meat or fish course accompanied by rice, beans, and manioc and a sweet dessert or fruit followed by tiny cups of strong Brazilian coffee.
While the main foods consumed in Brazil are fairly uniform across the country, there are regional specialties, according to the region: Palm oil, dried shrimp, malagueta peppers, peanuts, seafood stew and black-eyed pea fritters in the Northeastern, fruit and fish native to the Amazon are featured in that region, and in southern Brazil, an area of extensive cattle ranches, meals of grilled meat are favored.
Brazilians and soccer: a love story
The tradition of soccer in Brazil is treated as nothing less than a religion—something sacred for women and men, young and old. Soccer is the sport of the masses, and the passion for the game brings everybody together.