Brazil's Búzios Peninsula
5. Description
The Búzios Peninsula, located near Rio de Janeiro, is a famous resort area and lies in the beautiful country of Brazil. The tourists across the globe visit it but especially the people from Argentina and Brazil frequent it. The area of Búzios Peninsula is somewhere around 69 square kilometers, and is a perfect beach attraction to visit as it provides direct contact with nature, calmness, and scenic views. In the west coast, the waters are usually calm and clear whereas the eastern coast is perfect for the water sports as it is best for the surfers. Rua das Pedras offers the visitors a perfect nightlife and variety of restaurants and shopping opportunities.
4. Historical Role
The area was first occupied by the Tupinamba Indians who settled in the region and, after that, they were followed by the Europeans who invaded the small village areas. As a result, these people developed strained relations with the French, because the pirates were interested in the smuggling of the Pau-Brasil (a threatened tree prized for its timber), as well as the selling of African Slaves. It was in the 18th Century that the gold trade took place from the Minas Gerais and its export to the European land relocated many ships to this area adjacent to the Guanabara Bay. In the year 1850, the people living in the areas switched on to agriculture and fishing occupation instead of smuggling, whale-hunting or the slave-trading. However, the peninsula of Búzios became even more famous after the visit of French actress and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot to this area in 1964.
3. Modern Significance
The Búzios Peninsula is also elected among the 10 most beautiful places in the world, which are famous for its rustic charm, incredible beauty, sophisticated boutiques and restaurants which are mostly frequented by the visitors. It has some 20 beautiful and scenic beaches and out of this, the Geriba Beach is famous amongst the windsurfers, active beach-goers and the surfers as it is filled with the breeze and the positive vibes. The beach water in the area is suitable for scuba diving and swimming and even tourists can get sailing boats, speed boats, kayaks on hire near the Ferradura Beach.
2. Habitat and Biodiversity
The peninsula is also rich in habitat and biodiversity as it has the cleanest marine waters which are ideal for fishing. The view from the Emerencias Trail offers a unique view of the Búzios Peninsula, the native animals and the trees grown in the area . The peninsula also has an Atlantic Reserve Forest which is the home to rare animal or marine species like Golden Lion Tamarin, whales are also found in the Búzios area in varied number, species of turtles like the Hawksbill and the Sea Turtle are also found in the area.
1. Environmental Threats and Territorial Disputes
The beautiful area has faced ample of threats, the most dire of which have been due to whale hunting for their oil and meat. Even some of the sites near the restaurant are being conserved as they are declared the protected zones by the environmental departments. The gold mining was also a threat to the Bay region, which has also lessened down.
