It seems that the cities of tropical Northeast Brazil have been gaining popularity in the international tourism circuit. Natal, Fortaleza, Recife, and Salvador are now fighting to be crowned as the most visited city in Brazil.

Squeezed between Pernambuco, and Ceará's Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba remains off the radar, which is fortunate because the beaches there are virtually untouched.  Therefore it is clean and quiet. There are only a few hotels to choose from, but nevertheless they all can accommodate holiday makers comfortably. The culture is rich and its people are friendly.

The city of Teresina was named after Empress Teresa Cristina. She was so venerated in Piaui that two other cities were named after her. Teresina's claim to Brazil's history was in 1852, when it became the first city ever to be planned. The checker board like city is also the only city in the north east of Brazil that does not hug the coast line.

Every street in Teresina is lined with mango trees, which is why it has earned the moniker of being the greenest city in Brazil, albeit the hottest. Although located inland, Teresina has mini beaches of its own.  This is due to the two rivers that border the city itself. Poti and Parnaiba provides Teresina with something like a beach during the months of drought, when the waters retreat and sand banks form lakes.

Maceió is a city that results if you add all the wonderful things about other coastal cities in Brazil like food, quality of life, safety, charm, sultry night life, beaches, and azure waters minus the overcrowding. In fact, if you ranked the most beautiful places in Brazil you might even be surprised that Maceió beats them all.

Many travelers are surprised to see that Maceió can offer all the things that Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo combined. The crystal clear water of the city gets even more so the farther south or north you go. Swimming and snorkeling are the main activities the coastline is encompassed by reefs that prevent fierce waves from breaking on shore.  Maceió is the scuba diving capital of Brazil.

Well known beaches are dotted with hotels, restaurants, beach bars, and boat excursions, but incase you prefer the quieter places there are remote and nearly deserted beaches.

So, you're in the tube riding happily on your way back to your flat, when suddenly you hear two people talking about how drab the weather in London can be, and how they wished they could go somewhere tropical. Then you can't help but overhearing that you could purchase an idyllic home with a pool sitting on 10 acres of gorgeous land for £50,000 and maybe even under.

Of course, you'll be flabbergasted, where in the world can you find such a steal? So you continue to eavesdrop, you hear the words Brazil, Bahia, and Salvador. In a trance, you get home and immediately look those places up on the internet.

In the 17th century a French naval officer named Daniel de la Touche de la Ravardihre founded the city and named it after Saint Louis, in honor of King Louis XIII of France.  Although it is the only city originally established by France, the Portuguese captured Sao Luis and then the Dutch followed, but it was the Portuguese that made a lasting impression making São Luis the most Portuguese city in the land of Brazil.

To the west of Sao Luis is the São Marcos Bay, to the east is the São José Bay, and to the north is the Atlantic Ocean, so in essence Sao Luis is all but an Island. São Luis is considered the main seaport of Maranhao and another state: Piaui. It principally produces and then exports, corn, cassava, rice, sugar, cotton, lumber, animal skins and hides, balsam, castor oil, and a kind of palm oil called babassu.

Recife is the Venice of Brazil, a mixture of ancient churches, old buildings and skyscrapers that make up for an interesting combination that is Recife. Although considered as the fifth largest city in Brazil, Recife is a little less cosmopolitan and modern than Sao Paolo and other famous areas in Brazil. It was only recently that Recife was thrust into recognition.  This made foreigners more of a novelty to the citizens.

With Recife's rising popularity and potential for investment, should foreigners and investors be welcomed with open arms, in order to promote Brazil's economy and tourism as a source of business?

Fortaleza is the capital of the Brazilian state, Ceará. For decades, Fortaleza has been one of the most well known tourist destinations in Brazil. Recently Fortaleza's popularity has been arousing the attention of the British, European and even their neighbors; along with the American travelers, and financiers.

So, what makes Fortaleza so attractive? Perhaps, it’s a combination of the people, culture, food, sunny beaches and the sexiness of Brazil itself. To top that off, Brazil is very peaceful, has a low cost of living and is not plagued with natural disasters.

Fortaleza is a city that is surrounded by miles and miles of endless sandy beaches and azure waters. It is located in the northeast side of Brazil. Its clear waters stay warm all year round. Fortaleza has nearly 3 million people who are friendly and welcoming to tourists. With the sun, sand, hot nightlife and great food - what more can you ask for

The Capital of Rio Grande do Norte is Natal. It is situate 2600km to the North of Sao Paolo. The population today reaches up to 710,000 residents.  The population is still increasing due to the influx of real estate developers and overseas investors. If you're one of those who wants progressive growth and stability coupled with unending access to miles of untouched beaches then Natal is the perfect spot for you.

Billions of dollars are being poured in from foreign financiers in an effort to develop as well as profit from Natal's natural appeal. As a matter of fact residential resorts, residential areas, flats and condominiums are currently being constructed, as well as 10 golf courses and resort hotels. The City's increasing popularity in the tourism industry is no coincidence as Brazil is Marketing Natal as the ultimate Holiday destination, foreign investment opportunity as well as possible residential address.

By 2050, Goldman Sachs envisions Brazil to be the 5th largest global economy.  When it comes to the property market, it is slated to be the next scorching commodity.

When You Say Investment Market?

Mention Brazil to any savvy investor and he’ll tell you that Brazil is the finest when it comes to emerging property markets. Brazil is said to be the World and human kind’s rescuer. While every country is emitting carbon dioxide, Brazil is producing oxygen. In the future, no one in Brazil has to work due to Carbon Credit. Brazil has all the resources with so small a population. A huge oil field has just been discovered, and this will surely bolster Brazil’s economy and appeal even more.

A rising number of foreign investors are looking in on the prospect of getting a tidy profit from real estate acquisition in Brazil. The major changes in rules regarding property purchases made by the Brazilian government further increased the clamor for assets, both from local and foreign entities. Aside from the economic growth which the region has been enjoying since 2001, the government mandate on real estate in 2005 has proven to be a stepping stone in attracting investors into the Brazilian real estate market.

The financial stability of Brazil, especially on the southern end of the region, is due to foreign investors flocking into the country and grabbing properties left and right. Many foreign investors who enter the city provide more job opportunities for the locals.  This is which, in turn, boosted significantly the revenue of the entire region. For one, the Brazilian Central Bank (BCB) reported an 8% jump in the region's overall revenue, most of which is attributed to real estate.

It seems that Brazil is certainly welcoming 2008 with a bang. Despite recent bad press due to Investor skepticism over the viability of Brazil’s property market, the country has fought back and emerged scathed but bearing good news, proving that they are still a hot commodity.

A Discovery to Carry a Nation

Last January 21st one of Brazil’s energy giant, Petrobas announced that they have discovered a large gas reserve in the Tupi oil field. As a result, Brazil’s already sizable oil reserve is becoming bigger. Petrobas will also rise higher in rankings as one of the world’s largest oil company. More financial capability is now at the country’s finger tips; priority programs such as socially and economically targeted agendas are easier to implement; the resources of this breakthrough is providing Brazil with the means to augment the country’s long term growth.