Why Study Portuguese?

• The Portuguese language is spoken by over 200 million people in over 4 continents.
• Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world in both area and population.
• Brazil is the industrial and economic super power of Latin America.
• Brazil is a multiracial melting pot. Brazilians are people of European, Native American, African and Asian descent.
  
• Brazil 's economy is expanding its presence in world markets.
• Brazil is rich in culture, history, music, and art and is world-famous for Carnaval, samba, bossa nova, capoeira, and its 5 World Cup titles in Soccer.
• Brazil is a natural paradise and is considered by many scientists to be the country with the most important biological diversity in the world.
• VCU's new partnership with Universidade de São Paulo (USP), will allow VCU students new opportunites to study in São Paulo, Brazil in 2008.