NUTSHELL BRAZIL

BRAZIL

Location:             Latin America/ South America

Square Miles:      Over 3 Million

Nickname:                   Sleeping Giant

Native Language: Portuguese

Government:       Presidential system, Federal republic, Constitutional republic

Known For:         Peaceful acquisitions/ Environmental Challenges

FACTS

-Brazil initially struggled with political legitimacy when trying to become independent.

- Brazil’s economy was mainly agricultural and sugar was the largest commercial crop. 4 million inhabitants which included about half were slaves. This was in danger.

- Their social order was divided by two sides 1- was the land owning aristocrats and then the lower levels of the 2- product producing slaves. The landowning aristocrats ran Brazil’s economy only.

-Brazil did become independent at 1822 but was trying to establish centralization and decentralization of authority and executive versus legislature power.

- Brazil faced slavery issues

DOM PEDRO II

During the rein of Dom Pedro II The Brazilian government was concerned about the intentions of Juan Manuel de Rosas who was claiming to control of the Rio de la Plata, which is their main source to get good and ship goods out. Brazil was also facing a political battle with Uruguay where there was financial stability. They would only regain access to the Rio after the Paraguayan war 1865. Brazil enlarged her army. Slavery was also an issue until 3 laws were passed. It took seven years for slavery to be abolished.

Deforestation

Because of the economy rise and fall since Brazil has become an independent, the only way to keep it steady was to plant crops, harvest them and then break new ground to plant more. This happens because the soil that is used is hard to reestablish right after a harvest, t took too long and the economy wasn’t waiting for the goods to be produced, they wanted instant. They figured the tearing apart of new land would put production at it’s highest. Agriculture is a main reason among others that deforestation is happening in present day Brazil. They also use timber, which can cause greenhouse gases to rocket and end with climate change. And they develop. Because of rapid growth of industries and major production plants air pollution has been identified as a serious environmental problem in Brazil as well. Cities were forced to expand because of growth in population but are also seeking ways to better their pollution and industrial waste.

Endangered Species 

Brazil has an abundant amount of species that are limited. Hunting and the destruction of the animals habitat has caused endangerment to happen as well as introducing species of animal that is not originally from Brazil has caused rapid increase of endangered species. Animals foreign to Brazil cause a shift in the natural ecosystem because they may eat another native species or the require a lot more vegetation