BBC NEWS | In Pictures | In pictures: Carnival in Brazil

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Wednesday, 1 March 2006, 08:29 GMT

In pictures: Carnival in Brazil

A female dancer in an elaborate gold costume

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Brazil's famous carnival has seen four days of celebrations across the country.

A female dancer

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The spectacle draws hundreds of thousands of locals and tourists each year.

A reveller of the Mangueira samba school in Rio

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Few countries can match the sheer exuberance of Rio.

A carnival dancer applies make-up

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The elaborate costumes and make-up are devised far in advance.

A sculpture of a man made from leaves on a float in Rio de Janeiro

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Eye-catching floats are also a key part of the carnival tradition.

Two men wearing headdresses made of tropical fruits

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Street carnivals take place all over the city, like this one in the Ipanema district earlier in the week.

Homeless man in the Sambadrome

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Reminders of Brazil's poverty occasionally surface during the celebrations.

A float with dancers on it at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro

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The Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro hosts the country's grandest celebrations and parades.

A costumed male dancer performs in Rio de Janeiro

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Dancers from rival samba schools parade competitively...

A carnival dancer

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But for the winners and losers, the end of this year's party is just the beginning of the hard work preparing for next year.

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Related to this story:
Brazil carnival enters final day (28 Feb 06 | Americas )
Rei Momo opens Brazilian carnival (25 Feb 06 | Americas )
Fatboy and Bono at giant carnival (24 Feb 06 | Entertainment )

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