The spoken language in Brazil is Portuguese, however Spanish and English are also widely used in the cities.
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The Brazilian monetary unit is the real (BRL), plural reais. There are 100 centavos to the real and notes come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50 and BRL100. The US dollar is also welcome in most tourist establishments. In the main cities foreign currencies and travellers cheques can be exchanged at banks or
cambios. There is an extensive network of ATMs in the country and most major international credit cards are accepted.
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The international access code for Brazil is +55. The outgoing code depends on what network is used (e.g. 0014 for Brasil Telecom), which is followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 001444 for the United Kingdom). The area code for Brasilia is 61, but the access code to make a call within the country from anotherarea also depends on what network is used (e.g. (014)61 for Brasil Telecom).
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Nearly all hotels add a service charge to the bill, usually 10 per cent. Most restaurants also add 10 per cent or more to the total of the bill, but must make it clear that they have done so; waiters appreciate another five per cent if their service has been good. Brazilians don't normally tip taxi drivers, except if they handle bags, although they may round up the total. Hotel staff expect small tips and most services expect 10-15 per cent.
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Brazil is politically stable with no natural enemies and no terrorist activities. In metropolitan areas, however, petty crime is a fact of life. Rio in particular is regarded as one of the most crime-ridden cities in the world and, although violent crime is generally limited to the slum areas, foreign businessmen and tourists are advised to take precautions. Visitors should not attempt to visit slum areas unless on a guided tour. However, violent crime is on the increase due to the establishment of drug and criminal gangs around Rio and Sao Paulo. Muggings, often involving firearms, are high and visitors should avoid wearing jewellery and expensive watches, dress down and conceal cameras. Valuables should be deposited in hotel safes. The threat of personal attack is lower outside the main urban centres, but incidents do occur, and women should be aware that sexual assaults have been reported in coastal holiday destinations. Beware of unofficial taxis and those with blacked-out windows and be particularly careful on public transport in Rio, Recife and Salvador. Travellers to Sao Paulo should be cautious, as attacks by the PCC are being directed primarily against civilian targets, including banks, supermarkets and public transport.
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A yellow fever vaccination is recommended for those travelling to rural areas and parts of Sao Paulo and Parana. Those travelling from infected areas require a yellow fever certificate. Typhoid and Hepatitis A immunisation is also recommended. Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever and malaria are prevalent and insect protection is strongly advised. Malaria exists below 900 metres (2,953ft) in most rural areas, and outbreaks of Dengue fever occur frequently.
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Brazil has a variety of electrical voltages, sometimes within the same city, the better hotels offer 220 volts. If not, transformers are available in electrical stores. Outlets often accept a variety of plug types but the two-pin type is standard.
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