Brazil’s Rain Forests and Highlands Brazil—Emerging Giant 8 Brazil’s Rain Forests and Highlands The second-longest river in the world, the Amazon River winds almost 4,000 miles and drains water from a wide, flat basin.  Up to 120 inches of rainfall each year support the growth of the rain forests, known as selvas, in Brazil’s Amazon Basin.  The Brazilian Highlands cover about one-half of the country and drop sharply to the Atlantic Ocean. (pages 232–233) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Brazil’s Rain Forests and Highlands Brazil—Emerging Giant 8 Brazil’s Rain Forests and Highlands (cont.) This drop is called the Great Escarpment.  An escarpment is a steep cliff between higher and lower land. (pages 232–233) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Brazil—Emerging Giant 8 Brazil’s Economy In the mid-1800s, the world discovered the “secrets” of the Amazon Basin.  Rubber, bauxite, tin, iron ore, mahogany, and other woods are mined and harvested there.  Farmers use cleared rain forest land for soybeans, tobacco, and cattle.  Brazil produces more coffee than any other country. (pages 233–235) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Brazil’s Economy (cont.) Brazil—Emerging Giant 8 Brazil’s Economy (cont.) Coffee is grown in the Brazilian Highlands.  Huge cattle ranches are also located there.  Tourists flock to coastal Rio de Janeiro.  São Paulo, one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the world, is Brazil’s leading trade and industrial center. (pages 233–235) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Brazil’s Economy (cont.) Brazil—Emerging Giant 8 Brazil’s Economy (cont.) Despite Brazil’s strong economy, as many as one-fifth of the people live in extreme poverty.  The poor continue to stream into slum areas called favelas.  To increase jobs and exports, Brazil’s government promotes farming, logging, and mining in the Amazon rain forest. (pages 233–235) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Brazil’s Economy (cont.) Brazil—Emerging Giant 8 Brazil’s Economy (cont.) Deforestation, however, leads to soil erosion and the destruction of the rain forest’s ecosystem and biodiversity.  In addition, the rain forest is very important in regulating the earth’s climate. (pages 233–235) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Brazil’s History and Culture Brazil—Emerging Giant 8 Brazil’s History and Culture Brazil’s culture is largely Portuguese.  Although sometimes combined with Native American and African practices and beliefs, Roman Catholicism is the primary religion of Brazil.  In the 1500s, the Portuguese forced Native Americans to work on plantations.  Many died from overwork and disease. (pages 235–237) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Brazil’s History and Culture (cont.) Brazil—Emerging Giant 8 Brazil’s History and Culture (cont.) Slaves were then brought from Africa.  Although slavery was banned in the late 1800s, African traditions heavily influenced Brazilian religion, music, dance, and food.  In order to promote job opportunities, the government has tried to move people away from crowded coastal cities to inland areas. (pages 235–237) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Brazil’s History and Culture (cont.) Brazil—Emerging Giant 8 Brazil’s History and Culture (cont.) This included moving its capital in 1960 to the newly built inland city of Brasília.  Brazil is a democratic republic, in which people elect a president and other leaders.  Brazil’s citizens, ages 18 to 70, are required by law to vote for candidates from more than a dozen political parties. (pages 235–237) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Brazil’s History and Culture (cont.) Brazil—Emerging Giant 8 Brazil’s History and Culture (cont.) The national government is much stronger than state governments, and the president is very powerful.  Brazil has one of the largest television networks in the world.  Soccer is an extremely popular sport, and Brazil is famous for Carnival, a spectacular festival celebrated before the Christian Lent. (pages 235–237) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Argentina to Venezuela 8 Argentina Nearly reaching the continent of Antarctica, Argentina is approximately the size of the United States east of the Mississippi River.  The Andes tower over the western part of Argentina.  South and east of the Andes is Patagonia, a dry and windswept plateau. (pages 239–241) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Argentina to Venezuela 8 Argentina (cont.) More than two-thirds of Argentina’s population lives in the region known as the pampas, an area with fertile soil and mild climate similar to the Great Plains of the United States.  Farmers grow grains and ranchers raise livestock here.  Ranching and farming are critical to Argentina’s economy. (pages 239–241) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Argentina to Venezuela 8 Argentina (cont.) Gauchos, or cowhands, work on large estancias, or ranches.  These are found on the pampas of Argentina.  Beef and food products are Argentina’s main exports.  Gauchos are the national symbol of Argentina. (pages 239–241) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Argentina to Venezuela 8 Argentina (cont.) Argentina is one of South America’s most industrialized countries.  Most factories are located near the capital city of Buenos Aires.  Petroleum is a valuable mineral resource.  Other minerals include zinc, iron ore, copper, tin, and uranium. (pages 239–241) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Argentina to Venezuela 8 Argentina (cont.) Military leaders ruled Argentina in the first half of the 1900s.  A revolt in 1955 against dictator Juan Perón returned Argentina to a democracy.  The military again took control in the 1970s.  After losing the Falkland Islands to the United Kingdom in 1982, the military stepped down and again Argentina became a democratic republic. (pages 239–241) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Argentina to Venezuela 8 Argentina (cont.) Argentina’s society, culture, and language (Spanish) are largely influenced by European ancestry.  The predominant religion is Roman Catholicism. (pages 239–241) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Argentina to Venezuela 8 Uruguay and Paraguay The grassy plains of Uruguay are perfect for raising livestock.  Top exports include the animal products of meat, wool, and hides.  Most of Uruguay’s people live in cities and towns, with half living in the capital city of Montevideo.  Spanish is the official language, and Roman Catholicism is the major religion. (pages 241–242) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Uruguay and Paraguay (cont.) Argentina to Venezuela 8 Uruguay and Paraguay (cont.) Uruguayans have one of the highest standards of living in South America.  The eastern third of Paraguay has rich soil and grasslands and was settled by the Spanish.  The western two-thirds is a great forest area called the Grand Chaco.  The world’s largest hydroelectric power generator lies on Paraguay’s Paraná River. (pages 241–242) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Uruguay and Paraguay (cont.) Argentina to Venezuela 8 Uruguay and Paraguay (cont.) It is the Itaipu Dam.  This allows electricity to be one of Paraguay’s major exports.  Paraguayans are mostly of mixed Guaraní and Spanish ancestry. (pages 241–242) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Argentina to Venezuela 8 Venezuela Lowland coastal areas along the Caribbean Sea and Lake Maracaibo, the largest lake in South America, are found in the northwest part of Venezuela.  Towering oil wells are also found here.  Caracas, the capital, lies south of Lake Maracaibo in the Andean highlands. (pages 242–244) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Argentina to Venezuela 8 Venezuela (cont.) Across Venezuela’s grassy plains, known as the llanos, lie ranches, farms, oil fields, and the Orinoco River.  This river is Venezuela’s most valuable source of hydroelectric power.  The Guiana Highlands lie south and east of the llanos.  Venezuela’s temperatures and rainfall differ with altitude, or height above sea level. (pages 242–244) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Argentina to Venezuela 8 Venezuela (cont.) Venezuela is a world leader in oil production and a primary supplier of oil to the United States.  Other minerals produced by Venezuela include iron ore, limestone, bauxite, gold, diamonds, and emeralds.  In the early 1800s, Simón Bolívar led a rebellion that freed Venezuela and neighboring regions from Spanish rule. (pages 242–244) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Argentina to Venezuela 8 Venezuela (cont.) During most of the 1800s and 1900s, the country was under the harsh rule of military rulers called caudillos.  Since 1958, Venezuela has been a democracy.  The country prospered when oil prices rose in the 1970s, but suffered when they dropped in the 1990s.  A former military leader, Hugo Chávez, was elected president in 1998. (pages 242–244) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Argentina to Venezuela 8 Venezuela (cont.) In 2002, there was a nationwide strike that failed to remove Chavez from office.  The strike further weakened the economy.  Most Venezuelans are Roman Catholic and live in cities.  Spanish is the major language, and most of the people have a mix of European, African, and Native American backgrounds. (pages 242–244) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Argentina to Venezuela 8 The Guianas The countries of Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana are located north of Brazil on the Caribbean coast.  The climate is hot and tropical.  People from India make up most of Guyana’s population.  Another one-third are of African ancestry.  Asians form a large part of Suriname’s population. (pages 244–245) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Argentina to Venezuela 8 The Guianas (cont.) About half of Suriname’s people practice Christianity.  The rest follow Hinduism or Islam.  The main language is Dutch.  Most people in French Guiana are of African or mixed African and European ancestry.  They speak French and are Roman Catholic.  French Guiana is still a French colony. (pages 244–245) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.