Brazil has been independent since , but still uses the Portuguese name "real" for its unit of currency. At time of publication, the Banco Central do Brasil issued banknotes in seven denominations, worth 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and reais.
The bills share one common side, showing the head and shoulders of a female figure intended to represent the Republic of Brazil. Each denomination shows the image in a different color; the 2 reais note, for example, is predominantly blue and gray while the 20 reais note is yellow and orange. On the reverse side, each denomination displays a different image, showing an animal or bird native to Brazil. At time of publication, six denominations of coins circulated in Brazil, all with a value of 1 real or less.
Each real represents centavos, with the lowest value coin worth just 1 centavo. Values range upward, and you'll see coins worth 5, 10, 25 and 50 centavos in your change. Each denomination shares a common side, showing the same female bust symbolizing the Republic of Brazil displayed on the country's banknotes. The plain design on the reverse sides show only the value of the coin as a number and the word centavos, along with the year of minting.
The Banco Central do Brasil also issues commemorative coins worth 1 real or more to commemorate particular events, such as the soccer World Cup, the centenary of flight in the country and the death of Formula 1 world champion Ayrton Senna.
Visa is the most widely accepted card, followed by MasterCard. Amex and Diners Club cards are less useful. Card cloning clonagem in Portuguese is the preferred method: an entrepreneurial opportunist sticks a false card reader into an ATM that copies your card and steals the PIN when you come along and withdraw money.
To combat fraud, restaurants will bring the credit-card machine to your table or ask you to accompany them to the cashier to run a credit-card transaction. Never let someone walk off with your card. Other tips:. South America Brazil Brazil in detail. Tip: When exchanging money, be it cash or traveler's checks, always keep the receipt. You will need it in case you want to change back any unused Reais at the end of your trip.
See www. Up until , many businesses based their rates on the U. With the dollar's fall, some businesses have lowered their Real prices to keep a steady dollar price, others have increased the Real rate, and still others have switched over to accounting in euros. For U. When prices are listed in U. If in doubt, ask. And though it's a bad idea to carry large wads of cash, it can be helpful to bring a small amount of U.
Even in the smallest towns people will know the exchange rate, and someone will be happy to take the U. Traveler's checks aren't a very good idea in Brazil. Most shops won't accept them, hotels give a miserable exchange rate if they cash them , and many banks have a strange policy that they will not cash your traveler's checks unless you have an account at that branch of that bank.
The best way to get cash at a reasonable exchange rate is by withdrawing money from an ATM. Brazil's financial infrastructure is very sophisticated, and ATMs were common here even before they were used in western Europe. You will find them everywhere in Brazil, even in the smallest towns. The only trick is finding one that works with your card.
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