Brazil - Geography & Environment
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Amazonian rainforest |
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As Brazil is so vast, covering almost half of South America, there
are big regional differences in climate and soil conditions. Most
of Brazil has tropical or sub-tropical weather; high temperatures
and high rainfall, but the North East is prone to drought following
deforestation. The El Niņo
weather phenomenon contributes to a now unbalanced ecosystem, as
was seen in 1998’s drought, the worst in living memory.
Brazil’s landscape consists of low plateaux, surrounded by
plains. The Amazon rainforest is the largest in the world covering
3.3 million square kilometres. It is home to two million species
of animals and birds (over half of the worldīs species), and unique
indigenous communities. If the destruction of the forest is not
halted, it will all have disappeared by the year 2020.
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Brazilian skyline |
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Brazil has natural resources such as gold, minerals, oil, and natural
gas. Mis-management of these resources has resulted in serious air
and water pollution, an unfair distribution of land and wealth,
and strong criticism from around the world.
Misuse of natural resources is an ongoing problem in Brazil. In
1998, 10 million people were affected by forest fires in Roraima
in the Amazon.
Five million families are landless, while a wealthy few control
50 per cent of Brazilīs territory.
Photo: Mike Goldwater and Jenny Matthews/Oxfam
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