178

SOUTH AMERICA

Brazil
Covering almost half of South America, Brazil is the site
of the worlds largest and ecologically most important rainforest.
The country has immense natural and economic resources.

GEOGRAPHY
Rainforest grows around the
massive Amazon River and its delta,
covering almost half of Brazils total
land area. Apart from the basin of the
River Plate to the south, the rest of the
country consists of highlands. The
mountainous east is part-forested
and part-desert. The coastal plain
in the southeast has swampy areas.
The Atlantic coastline is 1240 miles
(2000 km) long.
CLIMATE
Brazils share of the Amazon
Basin has a model tropical equatorial
climate, with high temperatures and
rainfall all year round. The Brazilian
plateau has far greater seasonal
variation. The dry northeast suffers
frequent droughts, though coastal
regions are occasionally flooded by
bouts of torrential rain. The south has
hot summers and cool winters.

PEOPLE & SOCIETY

Diverse population includes
Amerindians, black people of
African descent, European
immigrants, and those of
mixed race. Amerindians suffer
prejudice from most other
groups. Shanty towns in the
cities attract poor migrants
from the northeast. Urban
crime, violent land disputes,
and unchecked development in
Amazonia tarnish Brazils image as
a modern nation. Catholicism and
the family unit remain strong.

Equatorr

COLOMBIA

PERU

THE ECONOMY
Dominant regional economy.
Huge potential for growth based on
abundant natural resources. A leading
exporter of coffee, sugar, soybeans,
and orange juice. Social tension
threatens stability. Infrastructure
needs investment. Downturn in 2014.

FACTFILE

LANGUAGES: Portuguese*, German, Japanese,

OFFICIAL NAME: Federative Rep. of Brazil

DATE OF FORMATION: 1822
CAPITAL: Braslia
POPULATION: 200 million
TOTAL AREA: 3,286,470 sq. miles

Italian, Spanish, Polish, Amerindian languages

RELIGIONS: Roman Catholic 74%, Protestant
15%, atheist 7%, other 4%
ETHNIC MIX: White 54%, mixed race 38%,
Black 6%, other 2%
GOVERNMENT: Presidential system
CURRENCY: Real = 100 centavos

(8,511,965 sq. km)

DENSITY: 61 people per sq. mile

SOUTH AMERICA

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INSIGHT: Since 1900, a third of

Brazils indigenous Amerindian groups
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starvation, or the forceful taking of land
by miners, loggers, and settlers

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VENEZUELA

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500 km
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