Brazil Justin Bollman

Basic Geography  Size: 8.5 million sq Km or 3.3 million sq miles  Capital: Brasilia  Important Landforms: Amazon Basin (River and Rainforest), Pico de Neblina (3014 m or 9888 feet)  Important cities in brazil include Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo (one of the world’s largest cities in population).

Basic Geography (Cont.)  Natural Resources: Gold, Iron ore, Manganese, Nickel, Phosphates, Platinum, Tin, Uranium, Petroleum, Hydropower, Timber.  Climate: Ranges from Semiarid to Marine West Coast and Humid Subtropical. Majority is Tropical Wet and Dry which are hot areas that experience seasonal rains. Note: These areas contain rainforests (Tropical Wet) and savannas (Tropical Wet and Dry)

Demographics  Population: 198,739,269  Literacy Rate: 88.6%  Mortality Rate:  GDP: $1.665 trillion (U.S.:$13.84 trillion, Avg. Latin Am. Rate:$5.26 billion)  GNP:  Currency: Real (Pl: Reais) ( 1 Real: Dollars)

Demographics (Cont.)  Government: Brazil is a “Federal Republic” consisting of 26 states and 1 federal district. Voting is voluntary between the ages of and over 70, and “compulsory” from  Current President (Executive): Luiz Inacio “LuLa” Da Silva  Legislative: 81 seats (3 from each state 1 federal district)  Judicial: Supreme Federal Tribunal (STF) 11 life-long appointments by president, confirmed by senate. (Most retire at age 70)

Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva Brazilian Flag

History  Portugal gains Brazil in 1492 from Treaty of Tordesillas  Coast is settled by prospectors who couldn’t defeat the forest  Independence: Dom Pedro, a prince of Portugal, agrees to rule Brazil separately from Portugal in September 7 is Brazil’s independence day.

History (Cont.)  Brazil abolished slavery in 1888, and this reform led to the formation of the Brazilian republic in  Brazilian coffee exporters have strong influence in Government and political actions until Gefulio Vargas rises to power in He lessened the power these people held.  The country was under a populist/ military government until 1985 with a peaceful hand- over to civilian rule.

History (Cont.)  Brazil hosts many immigrants and refugees from other countries but there are few disputes in this area.  The main conflicts between other countries and Brazil are boundary claims. Uruguay (Isla Brasilera) Paraguay (Guaira Falls, Rio Parana) and Bolivia (Isla Suarez, Rio Mamore)

Society  Languages: Mainly Portuguese but some Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese and English.  Religions: Roman Catholic (73.6%) Protestant (15.4 %) other religions include “spiritualists” and “none”.  Customs: Gifts are given when invited to a home, casual dress is common but many take pride in dressing well, if something is admired by a guest it tends to be given by the host.

Society (Cont.)  Foods: Main meal consists of rice, beans and a red meat. There are many restaurants offering anything from snacks to buffets.  Dating Customs: “Group dating” begins around 15-16, couples emerge from the group. A boy asks girl’s father’s permission to become the girl’s boyfriend.

Important Issues  Education: Only elementary education required, standards repeatedly drop in public education.  Deforestation: From farmers to lumberjacks, Brazil’s rainforest is in duress.  Drugs: 2 nd largest cocaine consumer in the world and a large producer of cannabis

Deforestation: The Problem  Referred to as “the lungs of the world” Brazil hosts much of the world’s rain forest. As you may or may not know, trees produce oxygen vital to humans. With the lessening of our forests, we are depleting our planet’s ability to support us.

Deforestation: The Farmer’s Perspective  Owning livestock requires land open for grazing, which means that forested areas do not help the farmers.  Agriculture is a main source of income in Brazil and without it the country would flounder.  Expanding deforestation occurs mainly during periods of greater economic success because farmers and other workers are able to afford expansion.

Deforestation: The Opposition  As previously stated, trees provide oxygen that is essential for humans. However many scientists and environmentalists are opposing deforestation for another reason.  Brazil’s rain forest contains millions of species of insects and other wildlife. They remain largely unexplored and could contain cures or new vital species. Deforestation destroys the possibilities of finding some of those things.

Deforestation: My Solution  This problem has no clear-cut solution because both sides have arguments that prove their answer is necessary. I feel that there needs to be a balance between the farmers and the environmentalists on this issue, if the government can help regulate how much land is cleared then both sides can have an agreeable outcome.

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