1. 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)
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2. 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)
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3. Brazil—Emerging Giant8
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)
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4. 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)
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5. 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)
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6. 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)
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7. 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)
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8. 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)
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9. 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)
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10. 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)
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12. Argentina to Venezuela8
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)
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13. Argentina to Venezuela8
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)
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14. Argentina to Venezuela8
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)
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15. Argentina to Venezuela8
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)
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16. Argentina to Venezuela8
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)
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17. Argentina to Venezuela8
Argentina (cont.)
Argentina’s society, culture, and language (Spanish) are largely influenced by European ancestry. 
The predominant religion is Roman Catholicism.
(pages 239–241)
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18. Argentina to Venezuela8
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)
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19. 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)
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20. 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)
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21. Argentina to Venezuela8
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)
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22. Argentina to Venezuela8
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)
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23. Argentina to Venezuela8
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)
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24. Argentina to Venezuela8
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)
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25. Argentina to Venezuela8
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)
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26. Argentina to Venezuela8
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)
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27. Argentina to Venezuela8
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)
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