1. Regions:
SOUTH
Brazil
Northern Tropics
Andean Countries
Southern Grasslands
AMERICA

2. Brazil
With a population of over 200
million people, Brazil is the
largest country in South
America and the 5th largest
country in the World

3. Regions of Brazil - Northeast
Fertile Coastal Plain
Sugar Cane Plantations
Port Cities to allow Brazil export
sugar to the rest of the world
Africans brought in to work sugar
plantations
Sertao
Interior plain - wet/dry climate
(drought followed by rain causes
devastating floods)
Poverty is severe
Life expectancy here is 49 years

4. Regions of Brazil - Southeast
11% of the land area;
40% of the population
Humid, Sub-tropical Climate
fertile soil for growing cotton, sugar
cane, rice, and cacao
Coffee is Brazil’s largest cash crop!
Plantations make Brazil the world’s
“coffeepot”
Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo
largest cities
Carnival
4 days of parting preceding Lent
(like Mardi Gras)

5. Regions of Brazil - Brazilian Highlands
Highlands
an interior area of hills
on Brazils central
plateau
Brasilia
national capital since
1960
Brasilia was built in an
effort to draw people away
#om the overcrowded
coastal cities

6. Regions of Brazil - Amazon River Region
Largest and least explored region that covers nearly
half of the country
NE Trade Winds
blow from the Atlantic and drop steady rain
(+80”/year); mild temps and steady rain produce
a growing year ‘round growing season, and large
expanses of Rain Forests
Amazon Basin
home to 1000s of species of plants and animals
Amazon Indians
native Amazonians (~200,000 from 180
different tribes) are linked through trade
networks
Indigenous Population
(originally 2-5 million) was devastated by
Portuguese in 1500s
Reservations
like in the US, many natives are forced to live
on Reservations...

7. Economic Overview
Brazil is considered one of the world’s
leading industrial nations.
Growth in industry and manufacturing
have led to the development of a true
Middle Class because of the need for
management. As cities have grown, so has
the need for doctors, teachers, and
government workers to serve larger urban
populations.
However, Poverty does exist. In urban areas, the poor live in
favelas. In rural areas, many poor farmers live in the Sertao of
the Northeast Region. Also, large commercial plantations rely
on an abundance of low wage workers.

8. Economic Success
Gasohol
fuel that includes ethanol which is a made from Sugar Cane, a
staple product in Brazil. The country no longer imports
foreign oil...
In 1940
Two thirds of the work force was employed by agriculture.
By 2000
Over one third of the work force worked in manufacturing,
construction, and mining.
Currently
About half of the labor force now works in service industries
like hotels, restaurants, retail and government.
As a result...
Brazil now has a skilled, educated and growing middle class.

9. Environmental Challenges
Deforestation
clearing of rain forest for farming or ranching destroys
rainforest areas. Clearing these areas removes the vegetation
that held the soil and nutrients in place during the steady
rains. As erosion depleted the thin soil, more land was
cleared to keep farms running -- a Catch 22.
Rain Forest Deforestation
threatens not only the immediate residents, but people world wide
on atmospheric and scientific levels.
Enforcement Policies and Taxation
help discourage the logging and “slash and burn” clearing
practices in the Amazon Basin.
Ecotourism
provides a way for locals to make money and raises
environmental awareness.