English 'Brazil' comes from Portuguese Brasil, named after the brazilwood tree whose red dyewood resembled burning coals (brasa) — the only country in the world named after a tree.
The largest country in South America and the fifth-largest in the world, known for the Amazon rainforest and diverse ecosystems.
English 'Brazil' derives from Portuguese 'Brasil', named after the brazilwood tree ('pau-brasil') found abundantly along the coast. The tree was so valuable for its red dye that it became the country's primary export and eventually its name. The word 'brasil' comes from Portuguese/Spanish 'brasa' meaning 'ember, glowing coal' — the tree was named for the red colour of its wood, which resembled burning embers. Before Columbus, medieval European legends