Only slightly smaller in size than the United States, Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world. It is home to exotic Rio de Janeiro, the mighty Amazon River, the world-renowned Carnival, and of course, its shrinking rainforests. A Brief History of Brazil offers a concise yet comprehensive account of the rich and varied history of Brazil, placing the political, economic, and cultural events of today into broad historical context. The book opens with an overview of pre-colonial Brazil and goes on to examine the history of Portuguese exploration, through the early years of the slave trade between Africa and the Americas, and the creation of the largest slaveholding society in the modern world.

Russia is the world's largest country. Nearly twice the size of the United States, it stretches across 11 time zones, from west to east. Russia's unique landscape is made up of several vegetation zones, from forests to deserts. Russia's population is as diverse as its geography. Although Russians make up nearly 80 percent of the population, more than 100 ethnic groups make this vast land their home, the largest groups being the Tatars and Ukrainians.