Brazil - Country Profile

Full name: Federative Republic of Brazil
Population: 193.7 million (UN, 2009)
Capital: Brasilia
Largest city: Sao Paulo
Area: 8.55 million sq km (3.3 million sq miles)
Major language: Portuguese
Major religion: Christianity
Life expectancy: 69 years (men), 76 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 real = 100 centavos
Main exports: Manufactured goods, iron ore, coffee, oranges, other agricultural produce
GNI per capita: US $7,350 (World Bank, 2008)
Internet domain: .br
International dialling code: +55 

Brazil is the most influential country in South America, an economic giant and one of the world's largest democracy. But some South American neighbors, has been a boom and bust and its development is hampered by high inflation and external debt. Deforestation in the Amazon, much of it is in Brazil, has become a jungle of great concern. Drive to move settlers to the Amazon region, the military regime in 1970 caused major damage to large areas of conflict. Deforestation loggers and ranchers remains controversial, but the migration program is sponsored by the government were arrested. 2005 authorities reported that the Amazon forest of the fifth has been removed from deforestation. 

 

Since then, he has sought to control illegal logging and introduce better certification of land title, as well as environmental reports suggest the reforms have little difference. Brazil's natural resources, particularly iron ore, is very valuable to the major industrial countries, including China. With the development of offshore fields, the nation has become self-sufficient in oil until the decade's dependence on foreign producers of the crisis. Brazil had brought economic times, but the 1990 reforms, including privatization of some financial stability. There is an enormous gap between rich and poor. Much of the arable land was controlled by some wealthy families, a situation where the landless workers (MST) services designed to prevent the redistribution of land by the applicant. It uses direct protest action and land occupation in its quest for social assistance. 

 

Conditions may be blunted in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, in cities where a third of the population lives in slums, or favela in Brazil AIDS. The program was a model for other developing countries. HIV infection has stabilized and death rates associated with HIV / AIDS has decreased. Brazil has avoided the big drug companies to produce cheaper generic AIDS drugs. Brazil is revered its football prowess. Cultural contributions include the classical composer Heitor-Lobos and Bossa Nova icon Antonio Carlos Jobim.