BrazilGeography

Two major types of land forms in Brazil Plains Plateaus

Escarpment – steep cliff between two level areas at different heights Located behind the coastal plains is a plateau The escarpment is located where these two

areas meet

Introduction

Escarpment

Northeast Region

Bulges out into the Atlantic Ocean Portuguese colonists in the 1500s

Built sugar plantations Lots of port cities

Lots of slaves were brought to work on plantations

Severe poverty, chronic malnutrition Life expectancy of 49 years

Northeast Region

Sugar Plantations

Southeast Region

40% of population lives here Brazil’s economic heartland Humid, subtropical climate, rich soil

Cash crops cotton, sugar cane, rice, cacao Coffee = most important crop

Brazil grows ¼ of the world’s coffee supply

Southeast Region

Most people live in Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo Beauty, excitement, good economy draw

people to these cities Migrants are undereducated, inexperienced

Many find no jobs, or low paying ones Live in favelas – slum communities

Southeast Region

Favelas

Most people associate Rio de Janeiro with Carnival Famous festival Takes place during the four days before Lent Music, dancing (particularly samba), floats,

costumes Giant parties in the streets

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM0F6O82dSw Samba (in beginning) Serena Cuevas & Jonia

Southeast Region

Carnival

Brazilian Highlands

Lots of hills located on the central plateau Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, is in this area

Capital used to be Rio de Janeiro Government decided to change it in hopes of

developing the interior of the country

Brazilian Highlands

Rio and Brasilia

Cathedral in Brasilia

View of Rio de Janeiro

Amazon River Region

Largest and least explored region Never ending growing season Amazon Rainforest is home to thousands of

species of plants and animals Orchids Palms Monkeys Jaguars Toucans Piranha Dolphins

Amazon River Region

Amazon River

200,00 Indians from 180 different tribes live here Linked through trade networks

There used to be many more (2-5 million), but they were killed by the Portuguese or their diseases

Tribes are often isolated, not always exposed to modern diseases Panara tribe was devastated when a highway was built

through their tribe and they were exposed to disease Government has tried to preserve Indian

communities by setting up reservations Opponents argue that this will CAUSE Indians to lose

their culture as their way of life changes

The Amazon Indians

Amazon Indians