1. Brazil Follow the PowerPoint to fill in your guided notes sheet.

2. Land A.Because it’s so large, it has many different types of landforms. I.It’s the world’s 2nd longest river. The Amazon II.Creates a basin that covers most of Brazil III.Heavy rainfall promotes the growth of selvas- Brazilian tropical rain forests

3. Lowlands They exist along the Pirana and Sao Francisco Rivers

4. Highlands I.Cover about 1/2 of all of Brazil II.The highland drops sharply to the Atlantic Ocean III.This drop is called the Great Escarpment

5. Climate Many different climates exist because of its large size. Elevation affects climate

6. Economy A.The North I.Most resources in the Amazon Basin were undiscovered until the mid-1800’s II.World demand for rubber, made from trees in the region, skyrocketed III.Mining and logging companies dominate the regions economy-but at what cost???? IV.Along the coast farmers grow sugarcane, bananas, and cacao (the bean that chocolate comes from) The South I.Rich mineral resources II.Most major cities, financial/tourist center

7. Economic Challenges I.Growing economy has brought a lot of wealth, but not to all. About 1 out of 5 live in poverty II.Many cities are surrounded by favelas- slum areas

8. History I.Unlike the rest of Latin America, Brazil’s culture is influenced by Portuguese, not Spanish II.The Portuguese brought many slaves to the colony to work on plantations III.Declared independence in 1822. Has had many different governments since then. Today Brazil is a democratic republic. Citizens choose their leaders, and voting is mandatory for ages 18-70. It is the law!

9. Moving to Cities I.Large population, but most of it is concentrated along the coasts II.The government encourages people to move inland to relieve the overcrowding (tax breaks, free land, etc.) III.In 1960 they moved the capital from Rio de Janeiro to new city- Brasilia, inland

10. Leisure Time I.Brazilians are obsessed with outdoor activities, especially futbol otherwise known as soccer II.Brazil is famous for hosting Carnival. This activity attracts millions of tourists to Brazil each year to mark the beginning of the Christian holy time, “Lent” before Easter. Almost all Brazilians are Roman Catholic.