5 mind-blowing places in Brazil you might not have heard of
CNN
Brazil offers a whole lot more than Rio. Discover rare animals, diverse cultural influences and stunning waterfalls at five mind-blowing places.
(CNN) — Brazil is famed for its thundering Iguaçu Falls in the south, the crescent-shaped Copacabana neighborhood with its dazzling white sand beach in Rio de Janeiro and the towering Cristo Redentor -- Christ the Redeemer -- whose outstretched arms embrace that seaside city.
But there is so much more to this colossal South American country, which is nearly the size of the United States and the world's fifth largest country by area.
When Kenyan President William Ruto touched down in Beijing seven months ago, he was welcomed on the tarmac with a red carpet and cordons of Chinese troops standing at attention. Among the goals of his three-day state visit in October: Securing another $1 billion in loans from China to help complete infrastructure projects.