The Area > Brazil

Brazil is South America’s largest economy, the world's ninth largest economy, and fifth most populous nation.

Brazil has the widest biodiversity in the world and has many natural attractions that are beyond compare. It has arguably some of the most stunning beaches globally, the Amazonian Forest, the Atlantic Bush, and the Prairies of the South, not to mention urban gems such as Rio de Janeiro.

The history

Brazil is a unique American Latin nation that developed its language and culture from Portugal. Brazil was discovered by Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500. The first explorers took large amounts of wood from Brazil that produced a red dye called Pau-Brasil, which gave the land its name. The Portuguese started settling in 1532 and made the area a colony in 1549.

Starting in the 17th century, millions of African slaves were imported to work on the sugarcane plantations. This accounts for a great number of African-based influences in Brazil, including cuisine (especially seen in Bahia), Capoeira (the Brazilian martial art developed by African slaves), religion (e.g. Candomblé), and dance. Slavery was abolished under Pedro II in 1889.

In the late 19th century, coffee started to replace sugar as the country's main export crop. The coffee trade caused Brazil to thrive economically, attracting many European immigrants—particularly from Italy and Germany. This influx of labour also allowed the country to develop an industrial economy and expand away from the coast.

The politics

From 1889 to 1930, the government was a constitutional democracy with a presidency alternating between the dominant states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais. A military junta took control in 1930. Getúlio Vargas took power and remained as dictatorial ruler until his suicide in 1954. After 1930, the successive governments continued industrial and agriculture growth and development of the vast interior of Brazil.

Brazil completed its transition to an elected popular government in 1989 when Fernando Collor de Mello won in the first direct presidential election in 29 years.

Fernando Henrique Cardoso became president on January 1, 1995. President Cardoso looked to establish stability and long term growth and to reduce the extreme economic imbalance of Brazil. He wanted greater foreign participation and implantation reforms - including the administration of the social security of the government and valuation - to reduce the high expenditure of the public sector and to improve the efficiency of the government.

In 2002, Luis Inácio Lula da Silva assumed the presidency of Brazil. Lula was a metallurgist and leader of the union for several years. He became the first president of the working class people of Brazil. It took Lula three attempts before becoming President and his success was seen as proof that Brazil was now a democracy.

Contradicting the expectations of many, particularly those of his own party, the new president kept faith with the majority of his predecessor’s economic policies. On the other hand, however, Lula directed larger financial benefit for the less wealthy families; during Lula’s first term, the minimum wage increased from R$200 (£50) to R$350 (£87.50). It is now R$380 (£95).

In 2006, Lula was reelected until 2010, at which time his presidency will end.

The economy

Brazil has a free market and export-oriented economy. It is a relatively self-sufficient country, in terms of its abundance of natural resources, including natural gas and agricultural bounty.

Roughly one third of the workforce is involved in agriculture. The major commercial crops are coffee (Brazil is the world's largest producer and exporter), citrus fruit (especially juice oranges, of which Brazil also is the world's largest producer), soybeans, sugarcane, rice, corn, cocoa, cotton, tobacco, and bananas. Cattle, pigs, and sheep are the most numerous livestock.

Brazil has vast mineral wealth, including iron ore (it is the world's largest producer), quartz, chrome ore, industrial diamonds, gem stones, gold, nickel and platinum. The leading manufacturing industries produce textiles, chemicals, shoes, food products, steel, motor vehicles, ships, and machinery. Most of Brazil's electricity comes from water power and it possesses extensive untapped hydroelectric potential, particularly in the Amazon basin.

With a sophisticated technological sector, Brazil also develops projects that range from submarines to aircraft and is involved in space research: the country possesses a launching center for light vehicles and was the only country in the Southern hemisphere to integrate the team responsible for the construction of the International Space Station (ISS). It is also a pioneer in many scientific fields, including ethanol production.

Brazil’s major trading partners include the United States, Argentina, China, Netherlands, Germany, Mexico, Nigeria, and Japan.

The climate

The climate of Brazil is predominantly tropical (it is the largest tropical country in the world), with exception of the South of Brazil which is subtropical with defined seasons. The Northeast enjoys warm weather all year round. The winter months (May through July) see some rain, but the rest of the year is generally bright, sunny and beach-worthy.

For more on Brazil’s weather, check out

• http://www.inmet.gov.br/
• http://br.weather.com/

Click here for North East Brazil