BRAZIL The Unknown Giant

Luiz Amaral

Geography
Territory: 8,514,215.3 km (3,287 357 mi) Coastline: 7,367 km (4,578 mi) Population: 185,752,945 (03.04.2006) Cities: 5,560 States: 26 + Distrito Federal Regions: 5 (North, North-East, Center-West, SouthEast, South)

Geography
Main cities with population in 2005:

So Paulo SP (10,927,985) Rio de Janeiro RJ (6,094,183) Salvador BA (2,673,560) Belo Horizonte MG (2,375,329) Fortaleza CE (2,374,944) Braslia DF (2,333,108) Curitiba PR (1,757,904) Manaus AM (1,644,690) Recife PE (1,501,008) Porto Alegre RG (1,428,696)

North
45.27% of the Brazilian territory. 7 592 118 inhabitants. It has the lowest demographic density of all the regions. Enjoying an equatorial climate, it is washed by the great rivers of the Amazon and Tocantins basins.

The economy is based on vegetable extraction (e.g. latex, palm tree, timber and chestnut), on mineral extraction (e.g. gold, diamonds, cassiterite and tin) as well as largescale mineral exploration (e.g. iron and manganese).

North-East
18.26% of the Brazilian territory. 45 924 812 inhabitants (28.9%).

The majority of its territory consists of vast and ancient plateau that has been smoothed by erosion (semi-arid climate).
The economy of the region is based chiefly on the agro-industry (sugar and cocoa). Big tourist industry. Oil exploration in Bahia state. So Francisco is the region's largest river and the only source of all-year round water for those who live on its banks.

Center-West
18.86% of the Brazilian territory. 11 048 874 inhabitants (81.3% live in cities). The climate of the region is semi-humid tropical, with frequent summer rain. The economy was initially based on gold and diamond prospecting which was gradually replaced by cattlebreeding. This region has been undergoing significant changes in relation to its vegetation with the cerrado (scrubland) being gradually replaced by plantations or cattle-rearing. Visitors from all over the world come to see the rich fauna and flora of Pantanal.

South
6.75% of the Brazilian territory. 24 223 412 inhabitants (74.1% live in cities). It has a sub-tropical climate, except in the northern region of the state of Paran where a tropical climate predominates.

The region was colonized by German, Italian, and Azorean immigrants.

Initially based on cattle-rearing, the economy of the South has developed a significant industrial base over recent decades. Agricultural production makes use of modern cultivation techniques (wheat, soy, rice, maize, beans and tobacco).

South-East
10.85% of the Brazilian territory. The region has the largest population: 69 174 339 inhabitants (88% live in cities). Its typical landscape consists of rounded mountain formations. Its economy is the most developed and industrialized in the country. Biggest oil basin in Brazil (state of Rio de Janeiro). Car manufacturers (Volkswagen, Ford, Fiat, Mercedes, Chevrolet, Citroen, Toyota, Honda). It is the most visited region in Brazil. Main international airports (Guarulhos SP, Galeo RJ).

So Paulo
Over 34 000 000 inhabitants. Responsible for 35% of Brazilian GDP. Its GDP is bigger than the GDP of any other country in Latin America except Mexico. Its GDP is twice the Argentinean GDP. It has the best research institutions in Latin America (USP and UNICAMP). The state houses many of the largest Brazilian and international companies and foreign banks with head-offices in the country. It is also the headquarters of the eighth largest stock market in the world and the second largest future market.

http://www.latinbusinesschronicle.com/ statistics/gdp/ranking.htm

History
Brazilian History is divided into three periods: Colony (1500 1822) Empire (1822 1889) Republic (1889 present) Brazilian Capitals Salvador (1549 1773) Rio de Janeiro (1773 1960) Braslia (1960 present) Political Organization

Hereditary captaincies (colony) States (previous provinces) with more local power States as part of a federative republic

Brazilian Territory

Democracy and dictatorship in modern Brazilian History

1889 1930: Constitutional Democracy.
1930 1945: Military coup places Getlio Vargas in power. 1930 1937: Vargas interim presidency. 1937 1945: Estado Novo (New State). 1945 1964: Democratic period.

1964 1985: Military Dictatorship.

1985 present: Modern Democracy.

Juscelino Kubitschek (JK)

(1956 1961) Fifty years in five. Building of Braslia. Era of great hope.

Influx of international investments.

The economy boomed, but at some cost. Inflation and devaluation of the currency.

Jnio Quadros
(Jan 31 Aug 25, 1961) Elected with no congressional support. Polemic figure (prohibited bikinis in Copacabana).

Right-wing president who established relations with Cuba and Russia.

Resigned in an attempt to gain political power.

His resignation created a political crisis.

Joo Goulart (Jango)

(1961 - 1964) Left-wing vice president.

1961 1963: Parliamentary system.

1963 1964: Presidential system.

Nationalist reforms to face social problems.

Nationalization of companies.

Increase of organized social groups.

Nationalism vs Imperialism.

Brazilian Military Presidents

Castelo Branco (1964 1967)

Costa e Silva (1967 1969)

Joo Baptista Figueiredo (1979 - 1985) Emlio Mdici (1969 1974) Ernesto Geisel (1974 - 1979)

The Economy
1964 1967: Economic Recuperation
Programa de Ao Econmica do Governo (PAEG) Reduced budget, deficit, salaries, inflation. GDP grew again.

1969 1973: The Brazilian Miracle

GDP grew 11% a year. Growth was based on more debts and external dependency. Salaries were very low, and social benefits were lost.

1973 1979: Economic Problems

Increase of internal and external debts. 1978 : Strikes in So Paulo.

1980s: The lost decade

Inflation soared, the debt destroyed the Brazilian economy. IMF imposed a painful austerity program on Brazil.

Redemocratization
1974: Gen. Geisel becomes president and promises democracy. 1979: Gen. Figueiredo becomes president and promises to finish Geisels work. 1979: General amnesty (including those who tortured civilians). New political parties are allowed to exist. 1982: General elections for governors and state representatives. 1984 Diretas J! Direct (vote) now! A civil movement for direct presidential elections.

Tancredo Neves
(1985)

Minister of Justice during Getlio Vargas government (1935). Prime Minister of Jango (1961). Jan 15, 1985: elected president by the congress.

Died in Mar 15, 1985.

Tancredo was the hope for a new country.

Jos Sarney
(1985 - 1990)

Ex-member of the ARENA, vice-president of Tancredo. His government faced several economic problems: huge foreign debt, and inflation. Plano Cruzado (economic plan) did not work. 1986: Elections for congress. 1988: New constitution.

Fernando Collor de Melo

(1991-1992)

First president democratically elected since 1961. He was a good looking candidate that promised to end corruption and to modernize the country. Involved in many scandals, he was impeached in 1992. Several rallies occurred throughout the country against him.

Itamar Franco
(1992 - 1994) Vice-president of Collor; formally took office in Dec 1992. Inflation reached 6000% in 1993. Franco managed to unite several political parties and create a successful economic plan (Plano Real) in 1994 that reduced inflation to a single digit.

His minister of Economy was elected president in 1994.

Fernando Henrique Cardoso

(1995 - 2002)

FHC consolidated the political and economic stability. He privatized several companies (including CSN, and EMBRATEL). After some years of economic growth, Brazils economy suffered the consequences of world economic crisis. FHC was reelected in 1998.

Luiz Incio Lula da Silva

(2003 - present)
He had a very poor childhood. At age 12 he worked as a shoeshine boy and street vendor. In 1978, he was elected president of the Steel Workers' Union of So Bernardo. In 1980, he and a group of academics, union leaders and intellectuals founded the Labor Party (Partido dos Trabalhadores PT). During the 1990s PT shifted from a leftwing party to more center-left position. LULA was elected president in 2002. Instead of deep social changes (as proposed in the past) his government chose a reformist line, passing new retirement, tributary, labor, and judicial laws, and discussing a university reform.

Social Issues in Brazil

The Brazilian economy had a belated flourishing, even for Latin American standards. During the 19th century Brazil was poorer than Peru and growth was slow. During the 20th century the South and South-East regions developed much faster. This created the migration problem. In the 20th century an educational system had to be built. The quality of public education is still questionable in some areas. Before 1950 there were no good public hospitals, and very few public health campaigns.

Racial Issues in Brazil

Brazil has a multi-racial society.
Mulatos Caboclos Cafuzos

Brazil was the last country in the Americas to end slavery (1888). Social integration of African-Brazilians and other minorities (caboclos, cafuzos, etc) has been a slow process. The first affirmative action policies were introduced in the last ten years. Racial minorities still have less access to good school, and good health system. Different developing rates among different geographic regions increased the problem.

Improvements in Social Issues

Infant mortality rates dropped from 41.1% in 1992 to 27.5% in 2003 (15.18% in Argentina; 5.7% in USA, but 14% among African Americans). 97.3% of children (7 to 14) in school in 2003. 99.5% of homes have access to electricity, 89.6% receive public clean water. 17.5% have a computer at home, 13.2% have internet access (although Brazil represents 32% of internet access in Latin America). Fome Zero (Zero Hunger) A social program that distributes money to selected regions and cities whose inhabitants suffer severe difficulties. Bolsa Famlia (Family Aid) the program consists primarily of financial aid to families with incomes of less than US$40.00 per month. It demands that the families send their children to school and keep their vaccines up to date. Aids program - Brazil's guarantee of access to free antiretroviral (ARV) drugs since 1996. The government promotes public campaigns to educate the population.

CURIOSITIES:
Orange Pipeline (Sucoduto) 30% of the orange produced in the world (USA 18%).

Brazil exports to Europe, USA, China, Japan, Russia, India (among others).

CURIOSITIES:
How do we vote? 100% electronic voting.

We vote using electronic voting machines.

Each candidate has one number. We enter the candidates number and see his/her picture and name on the screen.

Official results in less than 24 hours.

Elections in Brazil are considered the most well organized in the continent.

www.tse.gov.br/eleicoes/urna_eletronica/simulacao_votacao/UrnaApplet2.htm

CURIOSITIES:
EMBRAER Embraer has become one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world by focusing on specific market segments with high growth potential in commercial, defense, and executive aviation. Embraer was Brazils largest exporter from 1999 to 2001 and the second largest in 2002, 2003 and 2004. It currently employs more than 16,500 people, 85.5% based in Brazil.

CURIOSITIES:
BOSSA NOVA (The new beat) Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music invented in the late 1950s by a group of middle-class students and musicians living in the Copacabana and Ipanema beachside districts of Rio de Janeiro. The music derives from samba but is more complex harmonically and less percussive.

Perhaps the best known bossa nova song is Antonio Carlos Jobim's The Girl from Ipanema. Bossa Nova was popularized in the US by Stan Getz, Joo Gilberto, Tom Jobim, Frank Sinatra, and Vinicius de Moraes.

Web resources

http://www.mre.gov.br/cdbrasil/itamaraty/web/ingles/index.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Brazil
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/br.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luiz_In%C3%A1cio_Lula_da_Silva http://www.ibge.gov.br/ (not everything is available in English) http://ww2.aegis.com/news/ct/2003/CT030601.html http://www.embraer.com.br/english/content/home/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bossa_nova