Brazil's physical features are characterized by its highlands, plateaus and river basins. The region is not mountainous, but it is very diverse and typically has a humid tropical or subtropical climate.
The defining feature of Brazil is the Amazon River basin, which covers more then 60 percent of the country. This area dominates the northern and western part of the country. To the south and east are the Brazilian highlands. The highlands and plateaus in the region average less than 4,000 feet in elevation and extend all the way to the coast, where they drop off sharply. The area of the dropoff is known as the Great Escarpment and resembles a large wall when viewed from the ocean.
