Brazil - Chapter 12

a country of extremes:

huge country rich in natural resources...but much poverty Government taken steps to modernize and improve lives -

plantation

large estate farmed by many workers

How has the government encouraged urbanization in the southeast region?

- Rural Brazilians migrate to cities looking for a better life. - Many find no jobs or low-paying jobs, and most end up in slum communities called favelas. - Some favelas are being torn down and replaced with affordable public housing.

Southeast Region

- Smallest region - Economic heartland: 10.9 % of area of Brazil but 40% of population - Humid subtropical climate + fertile soil Cotton, sugar, rice, cacao, and COFFEE - Most people live near Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro

What environmental and economic challenges exist in the northeast?

1. Sugar plantations on the coastal plain have made Brazil the world's largest exporter of sugar. 2. The sertão, or interior plateau, has hard soils and bakes through year-long droughts. 3. Life expectancy is short because of low incomes and poor nutrition.

What effects has economic growth had on the labor force in Brazil?

Brazil ranks among the world's leading industrial nations - because of gasohol. The development of gasohol, a mixture of gasoline and alcohol made from sugar cane that is used as fuel, meant Brazil no longer needed to import expensive foreign oil. The majority of the work force has moved from agriculture to manufacturing and service industries. Brazil now has a growing skilled, educated middle class.

How have Brazilian government policies affected the economy?

Economic Activities: During the the 1940s and 1950s, the Brazilian government began building steel mills, oil refineries, and hydroelectric dams. Brazil's economy grew tremendously in 1950s as manufacturing increased and Brazilians began to move from rural to urban areas. Patterns of Settlement: The government began a program to develop the interior, "planting" Brasília in the Brazilian Highlands. A massive road-building project, with Brasília at its center, connected many areas of the country. New roads and land grants drew many settlers to the Brazilian Highlands and Amazon regions.

Brazil's development programs have resulted in

Growth of industry/manufacturing growth of middle class

Brazilian Highlands

Interior area of hills on central plateau Government moved capital of Brazil 600 miles inland to Brasilia in 1960 to draw people away from the crowded coastal cities & to boost development of the interior region

what economic challenges are faced by the urban and rural poor?

Most of Brazil's poorest live in urban favelas or the rural northeast. Urban poor: Many parents in favelas cannot afford to feed or house their children. Homeless children work in menial jobs or beg for coins. Rural poor: Many people in rural areas work on plantations or become subsistence farmers. The harsh conditions of the sertão contribute to the poverty of farmers living there.

Northeast region

Northeast bulges out into Atlantic Coastal plain + interior plateau Coastal plain and port cities for shipping Brazil the world's largest exporter of sugar. Interior plateau or sertão: tropical wet/dry climate, hard soil bakes through year-long droughts Poverty is severe. Impoverished lives + malnutrition Life expectancy of 49 years

What are results of development of Amazon basin?

Settlers moving to the Amazon region found that only the thick vegetation kept the soil from washing away. In order to continue farming, farmers needed to clear more land. New Efforts: Deforestation threatens the biological diversity of the Amazon region. The Brazilian government is working to combat deforestation and to promote ecotourism, tourism that encourages environmental awareness.

What are the main characteristics of the Amazon River basin ecosystem?

The Amazon River basin is the largest and least explored region in Brazil. 1. The Amazon River basin spreads across more than half of Brazil. One of the longest river system in world 2.Temperatures are constant at 80º F (27º C) or higher. 3. The region receives heavy rainfall: more than 80 inches (200 cm) per year. 4.The rain forest is home to a wide variety of plants and animals.

How has economic development affected poverty in industrialized cities?

The majority of the work force has moved from agriculture to manufacturing and service industries. Brazil now has a growing skilled, educated middle class.

Why has the government encouraged urban growth and economic development in the Brazilian Highlands?

The national government hoped to boost development of the interior region. The Brazilian government also hoped to draw people away from the crowded coastal cities. The new capital of Brasília, located 600 miles inland, was officially "inaugurated" in 1960.

gasohol

a fuel mixture of gasoline and ethanol

favela

a slum community in a Brazilian city

escarpment

a steep cliff that separates two level areas of differing elevations

sertao

an interior plateau in Brazil with poor soil and uncertain rain

deforesatation

process of stripping the land of its trees

ecotourism

tourism that encourages environmental awareness and has little effect on the ecosystem