Landforms

Some great landforms of Brazil include the many rivers that it contains. Most of these rivers exist because they originated in the Andes Mountains or some other highland (like the Brazilian Highlands or Guiana). From their high elevation they flow down towards a lower elevation and usually wind up in the Amazon Basin and let out in the Atlantic Ocean. The many highlands that are in Brazil seem to be randomly placed; however, they are actually located in a plateau. Lastly, something I noticed was the delta near Marajó Island. The reason it happens to be placed there is because the many rivers that are a part of the Amazon Basin converge in the low valley and create the delta-like landform, with small semi-islands created from deposited sediments.

Climates

The prominent climate of Brazil would be Tropical Wet and Dry. This is occurs right below the Equator (about 5 degrees south and lower). Most of the contributing factors include the low latitude where this climate exists, and the elevation ranging from 700 ft. to 7,000 ft. A close second largest climate would be the Tropical Wet climate. This climate is located right around the Equator, and lies in a very low and fertile valley, also known as the Amazon Basin. This area receives a ton of precipitation a year and maintains a constant warm temperature. The other few climates in Brazil consist of Humid Subtropical, Semiarid, and Marine West Coast. The main out of the three, Humid Subtropical, is located around the Tropic of Capricorn and the southern tip of the continent. Latitude plays a role in this climate because it is remain in the Mid-Latitude range.

Ecosystems

Throughout most of Brazil, there are tropical grasslands that consist of vast open land with various trees, under a warm climate. This ecosystem remains there because it matches the tropical wet and dry climate, and reaches an elevation that is high enough that it isn’t a tropical rainforest. Also the latitude is midway between tropical and temperate latitude resulting in the tropical wet and dry ecosystem.

Right around the equator, within the tropical rainforest climate, there is the Brazilian tropical rainforest ecosystem. In this ecosystem, it provides numerous species of animals, which are attracted to the warm and moderate climate. The tropical rainforest contains many types vegetation which are able to grow in this area because of fertile soil that are usually located in low elevated river valleys, just like the area around the Amazon river. The latitude contributes to this ecosystem because it must be positioned right along the equator, or at some low latitude.

Lastly there lay the less substantial ecosystems like the temperate grassland and the mixed forest. Reaching just below the Tropic of Capricorn, the ecosystems have a mid-latitude status where the mixed forest matched the randomly placed marine west coast climate and the temperate grassland matched the humid continental climate.

Natural Resources

The many rivers of Brazil greatly benefit the country in providing a great source of energy, specifically hydroelectric energy. In the more industrialized part of Brazil (the south), the rivers flowing from the Brazilian Highlands are abruptly occupied by many hydroelectric power sources. This large portion of energy is good for the nearby metropolitan areas, and the hydroelectric dams were clearly successful in their mission to encourage industrialization and economic improvement. A negative factor to the series of hydroelectric dams in the south, and limited amount in the north creates a sense of division between the two areas. The dam holding back the water in the fertile valley could irritate farmers by not irrigating the area.

Mining has become a larger occupation in Brazil because they have numerous resources in which the country is rich in. Uranium, coal, copper, and tin, all major resources have attracted a larger workforce and impacted their 1/3 of population in manufacturing. These resources, specifically, have developed the economy of Brazil and increased the level of development of the country.

Human Environment Interactions

In the northern, fertile valley of the Amazon Basin in Brazil, many farmers of the area grow enough crops and food for their families, thus participating in subsistence farming. This type of farming is found usually in lesser developed areas which matches the less urban northern part of Brazil. Where the tropical grasslands lay, livestock grazing is a popular environmental interaction. Livestock or cattle are favorable to vast land and feed off the tall grasses. This activity is easy to complete because the farming in this area supports livestock which are stimulated in this sort of area. Commercial farming captures the predicament where Brazil is in between. Brazil comes from an agricultural based history but is arising into a more developed country. Commercial farming highlights this issue because it still belongs to an agricultural based society but uses the products created and markets them for a profit. Commercial farming in Brazil is also near the more developed coastal area which lies in a tropical grassland, good for farming. Forestry occurs in the southern area where a small area of mixed forests is. Deforestation is a common problem found in Brazil but usually occurs in the Amazon Rainforest. It is interesting that the south more than likely doesn’t import forestry from their own Amazonian area, but probably uses the mixed forest. This mixed forest can supply the more developed part of the continent, coincidently being the south and right around the exact area. The little areas that participate in manufacturing and trade occur in the metropolitan areas located on the coasts. These areas are the more developed parts of Brazil and have the materials and resources available to manufacture. The reason trade is popular in these areas is because they are on the coast which makes dispersing items to other countries via the Atlantic ocean very resourceful and profitable.

Political Boundaries

Info: Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world by both population and geographical size. It is bordered on the north by Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guyana; on the north-west by Colombia; on the west by Bolivia and Peru; on the south-west by Argentina and Paraguay, and on the south it borders Uruguay. The Atlantic Ocean is bordering the nation on the east. Brazill’s largest cities, Rio and Sao Paul are located on the coast off the Atlantic ocean. The nation’s capital Brasillia is located in the middle of Brazil



Analysis: Brazil large size comes from the Eurpoean colonizers. A lot of people moved from Portugal and other parts of Europe to the coast of Brazil because they saw that as the most inhabitable area. That is the reason why even today most of the activity of Brazil takes place on the coast in cities like Sao Paul. The government upon independence divided Brazil into 26 separate states with 1 national district.

Culture

Language: The official language of Brazil is Portuguese. There is Spanish spoken in the border towns of Brazil. English is also widely taught.

Religion: Roman Catholic is the official language of Brazil with 73.6% of the population practicing it. The second most common religion is Protestant and 15.4% of the total population practices it.

Food: 

 Intro:  Brazil has different foods from every region. It varies by region.

 

Official National Dish: Feijoada a mixed stew of beans with beef and pork

Northern:

  Vatapá - a spicy, delicious mixture of bread, shrimp, red pepper, ginger, peanuts, coconut milk,   palm oil and onions.

Tacacá - a popular soup made from jambú, a type of paracress (Brazilian herb), dried shrimp, yellow pepper and tucupi, a broth made of manioc root.

 Maniçoba - a dish made with the leaves of the manioc plant that is often eaten during religious festivals. Leaves are ground to a pulp and then boiled for a week, and added to dried, salted or smoked meats and served with rice and farinha or cassava meal, which is also known as manioc root or macaxeira.

South:

  Arroz Carreteiro - the literal translation is "Rice Wagoner" or "Cart Riders", and it is a mixture of meat, rice, tomato, onions and spices.

 Barreado - is a very popular meat stew that is simmered with spices for up to 18 hours and then served with rice, mandioca flour and fried bananas.

Desserts:

• Bolos - cake with fillings of many flavors
• Pe de moleque - main ingredients are peanuts and molasses
• Quindim - dessert made with butter, egg yolks, coconut, and sugar
• Bejinho - small candy dessert
• Brigadeiro - chocolate dessert similar to truffles
• Cuscus branco - coconut milk, tapioca, and sugar
  

Popular Activities:

  

Holidays:

 Carnival in Brazil is one of the world's most famous festivals. It is celebrated for the five days preceding Ash Wednesday. Carnival virtually brings the country to a halt as Brazilians take off work to join street festivals, dance contests, and other activities. The major Carnival parade takes place in Rio de Janeiro. Elaborate costumes and floats are the result of many months' preparation. During Carnival, dance balls and samba contests are held.

Clothing:

  Brazilian dress in urban areas is very modern. Young people wear jeans and skirts. Among women short skirts and dresses are also very common. Business attire is very similar to that worn in the United States.

Dress varies more widely outside of urban areas. In the south plains regions near the border with Argentina, the gaucho (cowboy) style is still worn. This includes ponchos, wide straw hats, baggy pants known as bombachas, and boots. In the Amazon, native Amerindians wear face paint and traditional tunics.

Recreation:

   Soccer is the most popular sport and is played by most Brazillians. Brazil is amazing at soccer. Also in Rio de Janeiro and other seaside cities, the primary form of recreation is beach-going, including sunbathing. Brazil is the nation with the largest coastline in the world. People from all social and economic backgrounds flock to the beaches in the summer.

Analysis: The reason that Brazil’s official language is Portuguese and the most widely practiced religion is Roman Catholicism because Portugal colonized Brazil. Portugal diffused the language and religion and it stuck.  Food wise Brazil was influenced by both European settlers and it’s neighobrs. Brazilians love to eat food, which is why there is so much diversity in the regions. The clothing is based off of wear the people live. Because the cities are modern, many of the citizens dress in modern clothing. This is the opposite of the more traditional clothes in the rural areas. Brazilians in the late 1800’s adopted soccer because of their European counterparts. The beliefs of Brazil vary from region to region based on the indigenous people that live there. All in all Brazil is a blend of modern and traditional culture.

 

Curent and Future Problems

Problems:   

 Even though Brazil has been making a lot of progress, poverty especially in the cities is very visible.  Social equality is the main reason that there is so much poverty in Brazil. The gap between the rich and the poor is very significant because it decreases the opportunity for the poor to move up the ladder.  This led to a hike in crime. Brazil has as huge homicide rate and is one of the most crime ridden countries in the world. Brazil has a large drug trade. This has caused a spike  in the number of gangs and drug lords in the city. The slum’s provide recruiting opportunities to these criminals. Even though Brazil offers a free education, many of the kids in the slum’s don’t  go because either they are malnuritioned or they are needed to help their family. This, is not stopped will cause a never ending cycle of Poverty. Living in these favelas and areas creates a lot of health problems for the people.

Analysis:

     A lot of the poverty stems from the favelas in cities like Sao Paul and Rio de Janeiro.  A lot of the people from rural areas in Brazil come to the cities looking for opportunities. Because of the lack of jobs, many are not able to afford shelter so they move to the favelas.  This causes a lot of the problems.  The government is working to fix the problem. Programs like Bolsa Familia are offering aid to the poor. The Brazilian government has also worked to make the free market more fair to the poor, to reduce the income disparities.  Social spending has gone up, and this has resulted in a major reduction in poverty, and is still reducing poverty today.

Demographics

Total Population

203,429,773 (July 2011 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 26.2% (male 27,219,651/female 26,180,040)
15-64 years: 67% (male 67,524,642/female 68,809,357)
65 years and over: 6.7% (male 5,796,433/female 7,899,650) (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

1.134% (2011 est.)

Birth rate

17.79 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Death rate

6.36 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 87% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 1.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 21.17 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 24.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy

total population: 72169,872,855; that figure was about 3.8% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census

.53 years
male: 68.97 years
female: 76.27 years (2011 est.)

Ethnic groups

white 53.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black 6.2%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2000 census)

Religions

Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4% (2000 census)

Languages

Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language)
note: less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor Amerindian languages

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.6%
male: 88.4%
female: 88.8% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy

total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 14 years (2008

Expenditures:

Education: 5.08% of GDP (2007)

Health: 9% of GDP (2009)

Analysis: According to the Brazilian census most of Brazil’s population was born from the baby boomer area. This indicates that Brazil will need to spend a lot of money in the future taking care of their older generation. We can see that Brazil is a developing country. The birth rates are relatively high and the death rates are low. The infant mortality is fairly high which shows  that Brazil isn’t fully developed yet. All of this is probably due to the fact that Brazil spends 9% of it total GDP on the healthcare industry.  Brazil is becoming a lot more urban. This is because a lot of the population looks to cities for modern and new opportunities. However there is a lack of jobs in the cities which means that the growth of the slums in Brazil has increased. Brazil was colonized by Portugual in the 1500's. This is the reason that more than half the population is white and mulatto, speaks portugese and  is Catholic. Brazil's educational expenditure attests to it's moderately high literacy rate. This is another supporting factor to Brazil's status as a developing nation.

Government of Brazil

Executive Branch: The government of Brazil is a Federal Republic. It almost follows the same basic principles of the democracy in the United States. The executive branch is made up of the chief of state and the head of the government. Currently these positions are held by President Dilma Rouseff.  

Legislative Branch: The legislative government is a Bicameral National Congress. The congress is made up of Federal States. There are 81 seats in the congress with 3 members from each state. They reveal districts according to the majority. Each member serves 8 years.  The meeting take place in the capital of Brazil, Brasília.

Judicial Branch: 11 judges appointed for life. Appointed by the standing president and approved by congress. Judges are made to retire by the age of 70

Analysis: Brazil is a very democratic government. It allows the people a lot of power. It's government is based off the national constitution. The Brazillian government goes as far as to mandate that everyone over 18 be required to vote. At first Brazil was a monarch. Then the country transitioned to a constitutional monarchy. A military coup then kicked out the king and took power of brazil. Finally a democratic party won in the 1950's and now Brazil is democtratic.

Economic Activity- Past and Present

Brazil has traditionally been a very agricultural society. Their main cash crop and export was sugar from the extraction of their sugar cane. However during the 1940’s the government built steel mills and refineries around the country. It also started building many hydroelectric dams to produce power for industrial expansion. The government also started setting up a national bank. This loaned money to people that wanted to start their own businesses. Manufacturing started thriving in the 1950’s and the result of this was the growth of huge metropolitan areas around the coast. However this rapid economic growth led to runaway inflation. This led Brazil with a budget deficit of over 200 billion dollars. The IMF bailed Brazil out on a loan. To pay the debt, many government enterprises were privatized, and Brazil by 2006 was able to pay the IMF back completely. The result of this was a diversified Brazil. There is a lot of tech and science companies based mainly in Sao Paul and Rio de Janeiro. There is also a lot of energy companies that provide energy through the dams. There are also many companies that are implementing and creating gashol, as sugar based energy source that is being promoted as a better alternative to gas .The exports area has also experienced a growth. 30.8 % of Brazilian exports is made up of industries such as computers, aerospace, petrochemicals and automobiles.

Analysis: Brazil has grown from a very agricultural economy. The growth of these industries has helped Brazil become a economic leader Latin America, however there are some downsides. The creation of these new industries has shifted the population to the coast. Cities like Sao Paul and Rio de Janeiro are experiencing huge population growths. These cities are unable to meet the demands of all of these people. This caused the growth of favelas, AKA slums. Brazil is a growing economy, and even though it is diversifying its economy the exports of beef and sugar and such as dominant. Another problem that is coming from the economic growth is deforestation.

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Geography and Economic of Brazil

This video gives good visual insight to what the country Brazil is actually like. The video separates the country into its distinct regions, and gives a concise and informative summary of each regions.

Citations

Prentice Hall- World Geography Textbook
CIA World Factbook
Youtube
Google Images
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1910234457
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http://www.mapsofworld.com/brazil/brazil-political-map.html http://www.celebratebrazil.com/brazil-food.htmlhttp://www.everyculture.com/wc/Brazil-to-Congo-Republic-of/Brazilians.html http://www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/populacao/condicaodevida/indicadoresminimos/sinteseindicsociais2010/SIS_2010.pdf (translated)

http://www.indexmundi.com/brazil/economy_profile.html http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35640.htm http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1061&context=focus

Brazil