Brazil is one of the largest countries in South America (equivalent in size to Australia), its geographical area accounting for nearly half of the continental land mass. Brazil does not, unlike most of its neighbours, include any part of the Andes Mountains and therefore has no permanent snowfields.

The majority of Brazil falls within the tropics and can be divided into two discrete geographical areas: the Amazon Basin which occupies most of the northern half of the country and the Brazilian plateau which spreads east and south from the Amazon Basin. These two areas, along with the coastal regions and the southern states form the 4 broad climatic areas of Brazil.

The Amazon basin has a tropical climate with average temperatures of 27°C during the daytime. The area is humid and has a high level of rainfall. Temperature and humidity vary little throughout the year, although occasional colder nights are noted through the May to September period, caused by cold air from the south of the continent.

By contrast the Brazilian plateau has a much more varied climate, due to its more southerly position and increased altitude. The area has wet and dry seasons and temperatures have a much greater range. The wet season runs from October to April with the residual months being dry.

The eastern coastal regions enjoy a pleasant, warm year round climate, with the wet season running from May to August. The daytime temperature frequently in the high twenties never becomes uncomfortable due to the ever present sea breeze. The area rarely sees any frost and during the dry season enjoys between nine and ten hours of sunshine per day.