Brazil is currently divided in five regions, by the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE). These divisions are composed by states with similar cultural, economical, historical and social aspects, and although through the scientific point of view information given by this type of division is not very accurate, because official information given by the IBGE uses this system, this division is the most widely used in Brazil.
North Region
· Area: 3.869.637,9 km²(45.28%)
· Population: 12.833.383 hab (3,31hab/km²; 6.2%)
· GDP: ~9.6bi US$ (2%)
· HDI: ~0,750
· Climate: Equatorial (high temperatures and high annual precipitation)
· States: Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima and Tocantins
· Largest Cities: Manaus (1.403.796); Belém (1.279.861); Ananindeua (392.947); Porto Velho (314.525); Macapá (282.745); Santarém (262.721); Rio Branco (252.885); Boa Vista (220.383); Palmas (208.000).
· Economy: Iron, Energy production, electronic manufacturing, latex, tourism.
· Transport: Mainly rivers (which are abundant in the region). Highways are scarce and present mainly in the east. Airplanes are commonly used in small remote communities and sometimes in the larger cities
· Vegetation: Almost the entire region is covered by the Amazon Rainforest, except the state of Tocantins, with a savanna-like vegetation (cerrado). Although most of the native vegetation still remains, the region suffers critical problems from deforestation occurring quickly in the area.
· Highlights characteristics: Presence of the Amazon Rainforest that is the vegetation dominant in every state but Tocantins. Cities are all spread apart in the region that has the lowest population density of the country. Very few paved highways pass the region that is almost isolated from the rest of the country. It is also the biggest region of Brazil, being responsible for almost half of the Brazilian territorial extension. Economic growth above national average (especially in Amazonas and in Tocantins).
The economy of the North Region is essentially based on the vegetal plantation and extraction, such as latex, assai, woods and nuts; and mineral extraction of gold, precious stones, cassiterite and tin (metal); as well as mining exploitation, mainly iron, at Carajás Mountain Range (in the State of Pará) and manganese, at Navio Mountain Range (in the State of Amapá).
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North Region
· Area: 3.869.637,9 km²(45.28%)
· Population: 12.833.383 hab (3,31hab/km²; 6.2%)
· GDP: ~9.6bi US$ (2%)
· HDI: ~0,750
· Climate: Equatorial (high temperatures and high annual precipitation)
· States: Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima and Tocantins
· Largest Cities: Manaus (1.403.796); Belém (1.279.861); Ananindeua (392.947); Porto Velho (314.525); Macapá (282.745); Santarém (262.721); Rio Branco (252.885); Boa Vista (220.383); Palmas (208.000).
· Economy: Iron, Energy production, electronic manufacturing, latex, tourism.
· Transport: Mainly rivers (which are abundant in the region). Highways are scarce and present mainly in the east. Airplanes are commonly used in small remote communities and sometimes in the larger cities
· Vegetation: Almost the entire region is covered by the Amazon Rainforest, except the state of Tocantins, with a savanna-like vegetation (cerrado). Although most of the native vegetation still remains, the region suffers critical problems from deforestation occurring quickly in the area.
· Highlights characteristics: Presence of the Amazon Rainforest that is the vegetation dominant in every state but Tocantins. Cities are all spread apart in the region that has the lowest population density of the country. Very few paved highways pass the region that is almost isolated from the rest of the country. It is also the biggest region of Brazil, being responsible for almost half of the Brazilian territorial extension. Economic growth above national average (especially in Amazonas and in Tocantins).
The economy of the North Region is essentially based on the vegetal plantation and extraction, such as latex, assai, woods and nuts; and mineral extraction of gold, precious stones, cassiterite and tin (metal); as well as mining exploitation, mainly iron, at Carajás Mountain Range (in the State of Pará) and manganese, at Navio Mountain Range (in the State of Amapá).
Northeast Region
· Area: 1.561.177 km² (27.50%)
· Population: 47.700.000 hab (30.55 hab/km²; 16%)
· GDP: ~48.1bi US$ (~12%)
· HDI: ~0.715
· Climate: Very hot all the year long, Tropical near the coast and semi-arid in the interior; semi-equatorial in the far west of the region.
· States: Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Sergipe
· Largest Cities: Salvador (4.011.828); Fortaleza (2.138.234); Recife (1.421.993); São Luís (868.047); Maceió (796.842); Teresina (714.583); Natal (709.536); João Pessoa (595.429); Jaboatão dos Guararapes; (580.795); Feira de Santana (481.137); Aracaju (461.083); Olinda (368.666); Campina Grande (354.546).
· Economy: Tourism, cocoa, machinery manufacturing, textiles.
· Transport: Mainly highways, which are more abundant along the coast, although transport by sea is also important
· Vegetation: Desert-like vegetation mainly, with tropical forests along the coast and in the west, and savanna-like vegetation in the southwest .
Remarkable characteristics: This region was the first found by the Portuguese, and the first Brazilian capital, Salvador, was founded here. Lowest social indicators of the country, but had the best economic growth (above national average) between 2000 and 2003 . Its economy is mainly based on the production of sugar, cocoa and cotton; as well as the extensive cattle breeding. Some time ago, at São Francisco River Valley (between States of Bahia and Pernambuco), fruits for export started being produced too. At the seaside and the continental platform of the Region, the main activity is the exploitation of oil, which is later processed in the State of Bahia. Major industries (clothing, food, small machinery) are in the main metropolitan areas of Northeast.
In São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, as well as many other parts of the metropolitan areas of Brazil outside of the Northeast, nordestinos are often not well liked by people of the middle and upper classes, who claim that the nordestinos are responsible for many of the social problems of the city.Generally, nordestinos in hope of a better life come without much money, and are rejected by most employers due to their low or nonexistent education. Quickly realizing that the big city is as bad or worse than the sertão, they end up in favelas (slums). Many of them then return to their former hometowns in the Northeast once they've collected sufficient money to do so. Conversely, many Brazilians who live outside the Northeast often go there to vacation on the beaches. The Northeast is the poorest region of Brazil, with the worst Human Development Index rates of the country, mainly in the rural areas, which suffer from long periods without rain.
This is somewhat ironic since the Northeast, during Brazil's colonial era when sugar production was higher, was the most prosperous region in all of South America. Education and health care are very bad when they exist, malnutrition is common in people living in these areas, literacy is about 78% and child labor is a concern, as is child prostitution in major cities. Prostitution in the major cities has become an enormous problem, caused largely by the low Brazilian minimum wage as well as sexual tourism. In contrast to the situation occurring in the other Brazilian regions where social problems are worse in bigger cities, social problems in the Northeast regions are worse in the rural and small communities of the interior, lessening in bigger cities near the coast. Some diseases are still common such as tuberculosis and yellow fever and there have been several recent outbreaks of widespread dengue fever especially along the eastern seaboard and otherwise near watery areas where the Aedes aegypti mosquito breeds. Brazil's Ministry of Health, with limited resources, has tried to combat these outbreaks.
· Area: 1.561.177 km² (27.50%)
· Population: 47.700.000 hab (30.55 hab/km²; 16%)
· GDP: ~48.1bi US$ (~12%)
· HDI: ~0.715
· Climate: Very hot all the year long, Tropical near the coast and semi-arid in the interior; semi-equatorial in the far west of the region.
· States: Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Sergipe
· Largest Cities: Salvador (4.011.828); Fortaleza (2.138.234); Recife (1.421.993); São Luís (868.047); Maceió (796.842); Teresina (714.583); Natal (709.536); João Pessoa (595.429); Jaboatão dos Guararapes; (580.795); Feira de Santana (481.137); Aracaju (461.083); Olinda (368.666); Campina Grande (354.546).
· Economy: Tourism, cocoa, machinery manufacturing, textiles.
· Transport: Mainly highways, which are more abundant along the coast, although transport by sea is also important
· Vegetation: Desert-like vegetation mainly, with tropical forests along the coast and in the west, and savanna-like vegetation in the southwest .
Remarkable characteristics: This region was the first found by the Portuguese, and the first Brazilian capital, Salvador, was founded here. Lowest social indicators of the country, but had the best economic growth (above national average) between 2000 and 2003 . Its economy is mainly based on the production of sugar, cocoa and cotton; as well as the extensive cattle breeding. Some time ago, at São Francisco River Valley (between States of Bahia and Pernambuco), fruits for export started being produced too. At the seaside and the continental platform of the Region, the main activity is the exploitation of oil, which is later processed in the State of Bahia. Major industries (clothing, food, small machinery) are in the main metropolitan areas of Northeast.
In São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, as well as many other parts of the metropolitan areas of Brazil outside of the Northeast, nordestinos are often not well liked by people of the middle and upper classes, who claim that the nordestinos are responsible for many of the social problems of the city.Generally, nordestinos in hope of a better life come without much money, and are rejected by most employers due to their low or nonexistent education. Quickly realizing that the big city is as bad or worse than the sertão, they end up in favelas (slums). Many of them then return to their former hometowns in the Northeast once they've collected sufficient money to do so. Conversely, many Brazilians who live outside the Northeast often go there to vacation on the beaches. The Northeast is the poorest region of Brazil, with the worst Human Development Index rates of the country, mainly in the rural areas, which suffer from long periods without rain.
This is somewhat ironic since the Northeast, during Brazil's colonial era when sugar production was higher, was the most prosperous region in all of South America. Education and health care are very bad when they exist, malnutrition is common in people living in these areas, literacy is about 78% and child labor is a concern, as is child prostitution in major cities. Prostitution in the major cities has become an enormous problem, caused largely by the low Brazilian minimum wage as well as sexual tourism. In contrast to the situation occurring in the other Brazilian regions where social problems are worse in bigger cities, social problems in the Northeast regions are worse in the rural and small communities of the interior, lessening in bigger cities near the coast. Some diseases are still common such as tuberculosis and yellow fever and there have been several recent outbreaks of widespread dengue fever especially along the eastern seaboard and otherwise near watery areas where the Aedes aegypti mosquito breeds. Brazil's Ministry of Health, with limited resources, has tried to combat these outbreaks.
Center-West Region
· Area: 1.612.077, 2 km² (28, 3%)
· Population: 11.616.750 hab (7, 2 hab/km²; 6, 4%)
· GDP: ~40bi US$ (8%)
· HDI: ~0.775
· Climate: Savanna climate (hot, with relative few precipitation during the year) in the northeast and the east; Tropical in the east and in the west; Equatorial in the north
· States: Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul; along with Distrito Federal (Federal District), where Brazil's national capital, Brasília, is situated.
· Largest Cities: Brasília (2.043.169); Goiânia (1.090.737); Campo Grande (662.534); Cuiabá (483.044); Aparecida de Goiânia (335.849); Anápolis (287.666).
· Economy: Pecuary, Soybeans, tourism.
· Transport: Highways where they are present (mostly in the center and east regions); transport by rivers is common in the north and in the east; airplanes are used in remote and smaller communities.
· Vegetation: Mainly savanna-like vegetation, including the Pantanal (Chaco, in Paraguay), flooded areas in the west, equatorial rainforests in the north.
· Remarkable characteristics: Low population density, Remarkable presence of pecuary instead of agriculture - The region is the least industrialized in the country, based mainly in food & meat processing.
The economy in the Central-West Region is essentially based on cattle breeding, which took the place of gold and precious stone prospecting, which were local activities in the past.
The Brazilian largest manganese reserve is in the Central-West Region, at Urucum Woods. Pecuary, "politic business" and tourism are very important to the region. Located in the State of Goiás, in a region called Planalto Central, the Brazilian Federal District is divided in 19 administrative regions.
Brasília - place where the three branches of the Federal Government are located - is the main attraction of this dry area and climate with only two seasons. The raining season from October to March. During the dry season, the humidity can reach critical levels, mainly in the pick hours of the hottest days. The artificial lake of Paranoá, with almost 40 km² and 500 million m³ of water, was built exactly to minimize the severe climatic conditions of the winter. The region also attracts mystics and in its surroundings you find many temples of different religions and sectarian groups.
· Area: 1.612.077, 2 km² (28, 3%)
· Population: 11.616.750 hab (7, 2 hab/km²; 6, 4%)
· GDP: ~40bi US$ (8%)
· HDI: ~0.775
· Climate: Savanna climate (hot, with relative few precipitation during the year) in the northeast and the east; Tropical in the east and in the west; Equatorial in the north
· States: Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul; along with Distrito Federal (Federal District), where Brazil's national capital, Brasília, is situated.
· Largest Cities: Brasília (2.043.169); Goiânia (1.090.737); Campo Grande (662.534); Cuiabá (483.044); Aparecida de Goiânia (335.849); Anápolis (287.666).
· Economy: Pecuary, Soybeans, tourism.
· Transport: Highways where they are present (mostly in the center and east regions); transport by rivers is common in the north and in the east; airplanes are used in remote and smaller communities.
· Vegetation: Mainly savanna-like vegetation, including the Pantanal (Chaco, in Paraguay), flooded areas in the west, equatorial rainforests in the north.
· Remarkable characteristics: Low population density, Remarkable presence of pecuary instead of agriculture - The region is the least industrialized in the country, based mainly in food & meat processing.
The economy in the Central-West Region is essentially based on cattle breeding, which took the place of gold and precious stone prospecting, which were local activities in the past.
The Brazilian largest manganese reserve is in the Central-West Region, at Urucum Woods. Pecuary, "politic business" and tourism are very important to the region. Located in the State of Goiás, in a region called Planalto Central, the Brazilian Federal District is divided in 19 administrative regions.
Brasília - place where the three branches of the Federal Government are located - is the main attraction of this dry area and climate with only two seasons. The raining season from October to March. During the dry season, the humidity can reach critical levels, mainly in the pick hours of the hottest days. The artificial lake of Paranoá, with almost 40 km² and 500 million m³ of water, was built exactly to minimize the severe climatic conditions of the winter. The region also attracts mystics and in its surroundings you find many temples of different religions and sectarian groups.
Southeast Region
· Area: 927.286 km² (12%)
· Population: 72.300.000 hab (42.7% of Brazil’s population) (77,96 hab/km², 38%)
· GDP (nominal): ~320bi US$ (58, 5%)
· HDI: ~0,820
· Tropical in the northwest (warm, relatively dry in the winter and wet in the summer); Semi-arid in the north; Temperate in the south
· States: Spirit Santo, Minas Geris, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo
· Largest Cities: São Paulo (10.405.867); Rio de Janeiro (5.851.914); Belo Horizonte (2.232.747); Guarulhos (1.071.268); Campinas (968.172); Nova Iguaçu (915.366); São Gonçalo (889.828); Duque de Caxias (770.865); São Bernardo do Campo (701.289); Osasco (650.993); Santo André (648.443); Contagem (600.236); São José dos Campos (538.909); Ribeirão Preto (505.053); Uberlândia (500.488); Sorocaba (494.649); Niterói (458.465); Juiz de Fora (456.432); Santos (412.243), Vila Velha (357.952), Jundiaí (340.907), Bauru (310.000), Vitória (291.941) .
· . Economy: Machine and electronic manufacturing, automobile and aviation industry, coffee, soil, sugar cane, tourism, oil&sub-products (gasoline, diesel, etc), textiles, energy production (not sufficient, however, to attend its demand); it is the business-economic center of Brazil, most bigger Brazilians companies and foreign companies installed in Brazil have their headquarters installed in this region
· Transport: The region is heavily covered by highways, and in a somewhat extent, railways. Railways and rivers are used mainly for freight, and used when they are present. Regional, domestic and international air routes connects larger cities, with the main hubs for airlines in the country
· Vegetation: Mainly tropical-like semi deciduous forests (Mata Atlântica), semi-arid in the north, with almost no vegetation, savanna-like vegetation in the west and in the northwest (cerrado). Very little of the native vegetation still remains (~2%, mostly in parks)
· Remarkable characteristics: The southeast region is the major powerhouse of the Brazilian economy, being responsible for 58% of the Brazilian GDP (~320 bi US$). It is also the most populated region in the country, where the two national metropolitan regions of the country are located (São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro), among other three regional metropolitan regions, Belo Horizonte, Campinas and Santos.
· Area: 927.286 km² (12%)
· Population: 72.300.000 hab (42.7% of Brazil’s population) (77,96 hab/km², 38%)
· GDP (nominal): ~320bi US$ (58, 5%)
· HDI: ~0,820
· Tropical in the northwest (warm, relatively dry in the winter and wet in the summer); Semi-arid in the north; Temperate in the south
· States: Spirit Santo, Minas Geris, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo
· Largest Cities: São Paulo (10.405.867); Rio de Janeiro (5.851.914); Belo Horizonte (2.232.747); Guarulhos (1.071.268); Campinas (968.172); Nova Iguaçu (915.366); São Gonçalo (889.828); Duque de Caxias (770.865); São Bernardo do Campo (701.289); Osasco (650.993); Santo André (648.443); Contagem (600.236); São José dos Campos (538.909); Ribeirão Preto (505.053); Uberlândia (500.488); Sorocaba (494.649); Niterói (458.465); Juiz de Fora (456.432); Santos (412.243), Vila Velha (357.952), Jundiaí (340.907), Bauru (310.000), Vitória (291.941) .
· . Economy: Machine and electronic manufacturing, automobile and aviation industry, coffee, soil, sugar cane, tourism, oil&sub-products (gasoline, diesel, etc), textiles, energy production (not sufficient, however, to attend its demand); it is the business-economic center of Brazil, most bigger Brazilians companies and foreign companies installed in Brazil have their headquarters installed in this region
· Transport: The region is heavily covered by highways, and in a somewhat extent, railways. Railways and rivers are used mainly for freight, and used when they are present. Regional, domestic and international air routes connects larger cities, with the main hubs for airlines in the country
· Vegetation: Mainly tropical-like semi deciduous forests (Mata Atlântica), semi-arid in the north, with almost no vegetation, savanna-like vegetation in the west and in the northwest (cerrado). Very little of the native vegetation still remains (~2%, mostly in parks)
· Remarkable characteristics: The southeast region is the major powerhouse of the Brazilian economy, being responsible for 58% of the Brazilian GDP (~320 bi US$). It is also the most populated region in the country, where the two national metropolitan regions of the country are located (São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro), among other three regional metropolitan regions, Belo Horizonte, Campinas and Santos.
São Paulo
It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. It is named after Saint Paul. São Paulo has the largest population, the biggest industrial park and the biggest economic production of the country. The capital, São Paulo, is also the largest city in South America. Gastronomy and culture are main strengths of this state; nicknamed "the land of the drizzle" Barretos receives a large number of visitors every year for the Festa do Peão de Boiadeiro, a rodeo. Petar, Lagamar and Brotas are popular destinations for the eco-tourists and adventurers. A popular place to visit during winter is Campos do Jordão.
The state of São Paulo has an area of approximately 248,800 km² (95.700 mi²), and a population of about 40 million (21.5% of the population of Brazil), which makes it the most populous country subdivision in the Western Hemisphere.
The climate of São Paulo is tropical to subtropical, altitude being the largest contributor to what variation there is. The capital, São Paulo City, barely outside the tropics in the south of the state and about 800 meters (2,600 feet) above sea level, has daily minima and maxima averaging about 19°C and 28°C (66°F and 82°F) respectively at the warmest time of year and about 12°C and 22°C (54°F and 72°F) respectively at the coolest time of year. Temperatures reach around 33°C (91°F) on the hottest days and fall as low as 5°C (41°F) on the coldest nights. In the low-lying northwest of the state, temperatures average around 4°C (7°F) higher.
São Paulo is the richest state in Brazil. It has the second highest per-capita income (lower than only the Federal District) and, with the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, the highest standard of living in Brazil, despite the poverty in some peripheral parts of the largest cities. According to the IBGE of 2007, there were 41,164,000 people residing in the state. The population density was 165,4 inh./km². The last PNAD (National Research for Sample of Domiciles) census revealed the following numbers: 28,814,800 million White people (70.0%), 9,879,360 million Pardo people (24.0%), 2,058,200 million Black people (5.0%), 411 thousand Asian or Amerindian people (1.0%).People of Italian descent predominate in many towns, including the capital city and the northeast part of the state, which is 65% Italian.
Portuguese and Spanish descendants are present in most towns. Those of African ancestry or of multiracial background are relatively numerous. Many of the non-Whites are migrants from Northeast Brazil. São Paulo is home to the largest Asian population in Brazil, as well to the largest Japanese community outside of Japan itself.
There are many people of Arab descent, mostly Syrian and Lebanese people.
- A. Jonathan Buhalis
It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. It is named after Saint Paul. São Paulo has the largest population, the biggest industrial park and the biggest economic production of the country. The capital, São Paulo, is also the largest city in South America. Gastronomy and culture are main strengths of this state; nicknamed "the land of the drizzle" Barretos receives a large number of visitors every year for the Festa do Peão de Boiadeiro, a rodeo. Petar, Lagamar and Brotas are popular destinations for the eco-tourists and adventurers. A popular place to visit during winter is Campos do Jordão.
The state of São Paulo has an area of approximately 248,800 km² (95.700 mi²), and a population of about 40 million (21.5% of the population of Brazil), which makes it the most populous country subdivision in the Western Hemisphere.
The climate of São Paulo is tropical to subtropical, altitude being the largest contributor to what variation there is. The capital, São Paulo City, barely outside the tropics in the south of the state and about 800 meters (2,600 feet) above sea level, has daily minima and maxima averaging about 19°C and 28°C (66°F and 82°F) respectively at the warmest time of year and about 12°C and 22°C (54°F and 72°F) respectively at the coolest time of year. Temperatures reach around 33°C (91°F) on the hottest days and fall as low as 5°C (41°F) on the coldest nights. In the low-lying northwest of the state, temperatures average around 4°C (7°F) higher.
São Paulo is the richest state in Brazil. It has the second highest per-capita income (lower than only the Federal District) and, with the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, the highest standard of living in Brazil, despite the poverty in some peripheral parts of the largest cities. According to the IBGE of 2007, there were 41,164,000 people residing in the state. The population density was 165,4 inh./km². The last PNAD (National Research for Sample of Domiciles) census revealed the following numbers: 28,814,800 million White people (70.0%), 9,879,360 million Pardo people (24.0%), 2,058,200 million Black people (5.0%), 411 thousand Asian or Amerindian people (1.0%).People of Italian descent predominate in many towns, including the capital city and the northeast part of the state, which is 65% Italian.
Portuguese and Spanish descendants are present in most towns. Those of African ancestry or of multiracial background are relatively numerous. Many of the non-Whites are migrants from Northeast Brazil. São Paulo is home to the largest Asian population in Brazil, as well to the largest Japanese community outside of Japan itself.
There are many people of Arab descent, mostly Syrian and Lebanese people.
- A. Jonathan Buhalis
