Trifter

MARAJO ISLAND

Sitting almost directly on the equator, just north of the city of Belem, and with a land area of nearly 50,000 square kilometres, the Brazilian island of Marajo is the world’s largest island surrounded on all sides by fresh water. Even though part of its north eastern edge forms a coastline with the Atlantic, the force of the outflow from the Amazon River in which it lies is so great, that fresh water is propelled far out to sea forming a barrier against the briny ocean.

Savannas, forests and palm swamps cover the island and it is dotted with lakes and cut with river courses. Prone to flooding, many settlements are built on stilts. Farming is the main occupation on the island, with small subsistence enterprises existing alongside the more commercial farming of large herds of domesticated water buffalo.

As well as being the world’s largest fresh water island, it is reputed to be the only area of major human population not to have recorded any incidence of the Spanish flu which decimated world population at the end of World War 11.

And yes, of course there is a tourist industry on Marajo, the major attraction being the long, wide and mostly empty beaches around the coast. Mercifully the natural beauty of the island has not been over-exploited by commercial tourism, even though it is so easily accessible from cities like Belem.

BANANAL ISLAND

Another world record here – the world’s largest fluvial river. At 350 Km long and 55 Km wide it weighs in at twice the size of countries like Lebanon and Jamaica, with a land area of very nearly 20,000 square kilometres.

One third of the island is given over to conservation in the form of a national park. The remaining two thirds are devoted to conservation of a different kind – the preservation of indigenous tribes – and both these are insisted upon by the constitution of Brazil.

Ecotourism on a relatively small scale has been introduced, respecting the needs of the conservation projects that dominate the island. Access to Bananal is restricted by the dearth of bridges across the Araguaia River. Arrival by boat is the usual way in, however in the dry season when the river is low it is possible in places to drive through the shallows by car and make use of the few narrow roads that criss-cross the island.

http://purpleslinky.com/humor/travel/okay-brazil-you-can-have-the-island-no-one-else-wants-it/

http://www.trifter.com/Caribbean-&-Latin-America/Brazil/Fernando-De-Noronha.768269