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Introduction
| What is it Like? | History | My Home | Ribeirao
Preto General Info and Climate Brazil is the world’s sixth most populous country, with a population of almost 155 million people. Still, it is one of the least densely populated nations, averaging only 15 people per square km. The USA, by comparison, averages 25 people per square km. The population is concentrated along the coastal strip and in the cities, especially in the Southeast (over 65 million people) and Northeast (42 million). Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are located in the Southeast and are the most famous cities in Brazil. Sao Paulo alone has more than 17 million inhabitants. Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo are also part of the Southeast. Those states are considered to be the economic powerhouse of Brazil, representing 60% of the country’s industry, 50% being in the state of Sao Paulo alone. Minas is also very well known for its historic colonial towns such as Parati and Ouro Preto and for its cattle industry. The Northeast is a complex region when it comes to vegetation and climate; divided into four areas: Zona da mata (Forest zone), Agreste (semi-fertile land) Sertao (very dry) and meio norte (transition to the Amazon region). The region has higher temperatures than the rest of the country and it can be very dry depending on the area. The Northeast has fascinating 16th and 17th century cities like Recife, Olinda, Fortaleza, Sao Luis and Salvador (the center of Afro-Brazilian culture - afoxe, capoeira, candomble and carnaval being some examples of it). The Northeast is also famous for its beautiful beaches and cocoa cultivation. Amazon (the largest state in the country) is one of the seven states in the North and it is very well known for its rain forest. The Amazon River has the world’s largest river basin, 12 times that of the Mississippi. Even though is very hot in the North, there is no dry season; it rains most of the time. The North is the region with the least number of inhabitants or cities. The Central West where Brasilia, the capital, is located is also a sparsely populated state. The cattle industry is very big in that state. The Central West is very well known for Pantanal, where you can find the greatest concentrations of fauna in South America. The South is known as the European part of Brazil because the immigrants there (mostly Germans, Italians and Swiss) kept their customs alive. The architecture and climate is very different from the rest of the country. Snow is not uncommon, even though it is nearly non-existent in all the other parts of Brazil. The climate changes from region to region but in most of the places it rains in the summer more than any other time and temperature is in the high 30C (90F). In the winter, temperatures range from 20C (70F) to low 30C (90F), although some states can reach lower temperatures in the winter; Minas Gerais is one example. Some regions also reach higher temperatures in the summer such as 40C (110F). The heat is more brutal in the upper part of the country when compared to the lower part. Coastal cities tend to have a breeze from the sea that helps with the heat. In Northern states the rain is pretty much constant. The cooler season is almost always a dry season. It’s also important to note that Brazil doesn’t have four seasons as is common in the USA. The trees keep their leaves throughout Fall and there are flowers the entire year around. Except for the most southern areas, cold temperatures are very mild. Because most of Brazil is situated on the southern side of the equator, the seasons are reversed and distributed throughout the year like this: Fall: March - June
Culture Brazil is made up of so many other cultures, with a great deal of diversification. This diversification may be responsible for the warmth and loving characteristics of Brazilians, not to mention their celebrated sensuality. Brazilians also seem to have much more acceptance of other cultures than most other people do. The Portuguese gave the country its language (the only country that speaks Portuguese in South America) and religion (predominantly Catholicism ). After the end of slavery in 1887, millions of Europeans were recruited to work in the coffee fields, the majority coming from Italy. There were also small groups of Germans and Russians. Even though the Portuguese and other European influences can be considered the strongest ones, Native Indians, black Africans and other settlers from Middle East and Asia also played a big part. Diversification is definitely one of the factors that make Brazil beautiful and interesting. Cultural diversification mixes with the impressive and also diverse natural beauty of the country. The natural resources have a very important part in Brazilian culture as well. Several natural areas are completely preserved and actually represents a large part of the country, based on area. Parts of the Amazon are an exception and there is much debate about the logging and destruction of the forests, but Brazilians shouldn’t be the only ones to blame. After all, Brazil usually exports their natural products, a fact historically imposed on the country. Changes are on their way, not only in this area but also in many others. It's important to remember, however, that change is often a very slow process. The lands away from the cities would be defined as countryside but it is very different from the concept of countryside in the USA. In Brazil, people usually don’t live in the country unless they have a farm or some business there. Two out of three Brazilians live in cities. This was not always the case, however, and the shift from rural to urban life was very drastic; so much so, that to this day, large cities still cannot accommodate the people that want to live in them. This is a big problem because homeless people still live around the big cities, in terrible conditions. The groups of small and precarious houses they build by themselves are called "favelas". Have and Have-nots The sad part of Brazil is the poverty. Brazil is a country of contrasts, incredibly rich people and incredibly poor people living at the same place as if they were in different countries. There are a lot of people and institutions trying to help but the situation is too complex to be handled by a few. It's a massive social problem and Brazil's history of leaders hasn't helped much. As money rules every country and shapes its culture, Brazil is shaped by the lack of it, while the USA is shaped by the abundance of it. Brazilians (even the ones who have money) view family as the most important thing probably because money is not seen as being as reliable as it is in the USA. On the other hand, the USA seems to be lacking family values or something more important than money and work. Abundance of money can be as much of a problem as the lack of it. The social problems in Brazil come from the fact that importance of family and friends cannot keep Brazilians from starving and stealing to survive. Being a survival necessity for many people in Brazil, crime assumes huge proportions. It seems that in the USA criminality could be linked to the fact that work/career is taken as much more important than family and children are. Both cultures have crimes and problems related to drug use, although sometimes for different reasons. The ideal society once again lies in between. In any case, the only way to understand the unfair poor vs. rich situation in Brazil's society is to take a look at its history on the next page. Introduction
| What is it Like? | History | My Home | Ribeirao
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