Exploitation of Brazilians

Return to the Amazon: 8pm Wednesday April 2 & 9 – a PBS show about rediscovering the Amazon River of today

Area: land area 8,456,510 sq km - comparative area slightly smaller than the US 

Agriculture (largely in the south): coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus, beef

Size: largest country in Latin America, covers nearly half of South America, 5^th largest country in the world, consists of 26 states and 1 federal district

Water: from the Amazon River, source of 20% of world’s fresh water

Debt: as of 1993 – external: $119 billion

International disputes: Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay border is an area of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking

Issues: deforestation in Amazon Basin; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining activities; recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south
Trade (major partners): United States, Argentina, China, Netherlands, Germany, Mexico, Nigeria, Japan

Facts location & CIA World Book