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