Brazil
Welcome to Brazil!
I dare to say this is the best country in the world.
You may say I affirm that only because I am Brazilian and
this actually could be true. But you have to go there and find out.
Background:
Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal,
Brazil became an independent nation in 1822.
By far the largest and most populous country in South America,
Brazil has overcome more than half a century of military intervention
in the governance of the country to pursue industrial and agricultural growth
and development of the interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and
a large labor pool, Brazil became Latin America's leading economic
power by the 1970s.
Economy Overview:
Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining,
manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that of
all other South American countries and is expanding its presence in
world markets. The country's population is approximately 175 million
and the economy is market-based and diversified.
Industrial production, including mining operations and a large and
diversified capital goods sector, accounts for 36 percent of gross
domestic product (GDP), agriculture contributes 7 percent, and services
account for 57 percent. Exports consist of both manufactured and primary goods.
Among the principal exports are iron ore, coffee, airplanes, soybeans, footwear,
automobiles, and telecommunications equipment.
Per capita GDP in 2000 was approximately $3,600, and the economy
grew by 4.5 percent. Income distribution remained highly skewed:
In 2000 the poorest half received only 10 percent of national income while
the richest tenth received 48 percent.
São
Paulo
Above: São
Paulo, the capital of the state of São Paulo, is the largest city
in Brazil with over 22 million people in its metro area. Founded in 1554 by
the Jesuits,
the city bloomed to gigantic proportions in the 20th century.
Money from coffee exports, once the main activity of the State,
boosted industrialization and attracted immigrants from many
countries, especially Italy. Japanese immigration is also very important
with the local colony being the world's largest outside Japan.
Like any
big city in a developing country, São Paulo is constantly
jammed by its 7.5 million cars; but for the fortunate the helicopter is
becoming an alternative, with a fleet of nearly 500 choppers!
This leads to a distinctive characteristic of the city's architecture,
for most of the new skyscrapers include helipads.
There are
more than 600 high-rise buildings in the city.
Rio de
Janeiro
Here you see
my sister Claudia (left) and my ex-girlfriend Monica in Rio.
The picture below shows a beach many people don't know, even in Brazil.
Located between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo States it's a perfect
picture of
the paradise. I'm from Rio but I love the whole country.
I was reading the newspaper today when I saw it was snowing in the
southern States. People usually don't believe it snows sometimes in
Brazil because everybody has lots of stereotypes about the country:
tropical weather, mulatas, samba, poverty, sexy girls and so on.
In fact, this stereotypes are just a tiny part about what
this continental country is.
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