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Brazil. Geography. Introduction. 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. Escarpment.
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Brazil Geography
Introduction • 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
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
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 • 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
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
Rio and Brasilia View of Rio de Janeiro Cathedral in Brasilia
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
The Amazon Indians • 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