Culture: Mix of Africans (slave trade) and European (Portuguese) Colonialism Language: Portuguese Religion: Roman Catholic Carnival: a festival celebrated 46 days prior to Easter (Roman Catholic influence) by Brazilians…..people stop eating meat and huge parades of dancing samba groups dressed in elaborate costumes (African culture of rhythms)compete for national awards.
Economy Major Industries:
7th largest economy in the world
Oil and gas—government owned; drilling is taking place off the Atlantic coast
Leader in the world in ethanol production using sugarcane
Tourism—particularly in Rio de Janerio with the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics. Eco-tourism in the rainforest.
Large wealth gap has developed in Brazil. A few very rich people and lots of very poor (favelas)
Wealth Gap
The Rich
The Poor
Favelas
Favelas
Economy (cont.) Importance of Coffee: Brazil = “Coffee Pot of the World”
Coffee originated in Ethiopia / Arabian peninsula
Introduced in 1727 illegally into Brazil (Columbian Exchange)
Flourished in Brazil’s highland areas (Andes Mts.) and tropical climate conditions
What climate zone?
Coffee cont.
There was a need for a source of labor on coffee plantations originally because Native Americans died due to diseases ….. Africans
Brazil’s major CASH CROP
Responsible for 1/3 of the world’s production (22.5 million bags a year)
Globalization of coffee in Brazil:
Folgers (American) owns land in Brazil
Other international companies as well own land in Brazil
Coffee @ nationalgeographic.com
Effects on Population Brazil USA
Though it still has a mixed economic system, Brazil has increasingly shifted to a free enterprise-type economic system since 1980.
1980
2010
Per Capita GDP - $3,600
Per Capita GDP - $10,800
Amazon Rainforest
Half of Brazil is covered in forests
One of the “world’s environmental treasures.”
Helps control the world’s climate…cools the Earth
Helps absorbs carbon dioxide
Amazon Rainforest
Activity