Transcript Brazil
Contrasts in Development
between and within a country
Case Study: Brazil
Learning outcomes
To study how wealth is not equally spread
within countries
Using Brazil as an example
Spatial aspects of Development
Wealth is never spread evenly through a
country, but tends to be concentrated in
certain areas
These are known as the CORE and have a
concentration of population, wealth and
resources
The periphery consists of sparsely populated
areas which are less developed than the
core
Global Scale: North South Divide
On a world scale the developed countries
constitute the global core, whereas the
developing countries make up the periphery
The Gap between the North and South
The developing world has 75% of the world’s
population
But…
(world scale %)
15% of energy consumption
17% GNP
30% food grains
18% exports
11% education spending
6% health expenditure
Regional Scale Divide: Brazil
Brazil is 8,512,000 Km2
Covers 1/3 of South America
Population approx 150 million- x3 that of the
UK
There is a core part of the country: SE
There is a periphery part of the country: NE
Historical Background
People have settled in the country from :
Britain, Portugal, Italy, Japan and Africa
First claimed in 1500 by Portugal
Trade developed in the NE and during the
1690s agricultural products/ minerals were
taken back to Portugal from Brazil
Salvador in the NE was the old capital
Historical background cont.
Coffee was grown in the SE where the was a less
extreme climate
Slaves were brought in from Africa to work
1763 Rio became the capital reflecting a decline from the
NE
Independence from Portugal in 1822
Early 20th century SE became the economic core region
producing iron, steel, food products and engineering work
1970/80s car industry
1960s government planned a new capital: Brasilia
Growth of cities
¾ of all Brazilians live in urban areas
Rural to urban migration particularly from NE
regions
Main destinations for the migrants where
cities: Rio Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte in the
SE
The South East vs North East
SE: Core region
Population density 63 per km2
NE: Periphery
Population density 25 per km 2
Differences between the two are a result of:
Historical
Physical
Economic
Social
factors
Historical Factors
As mentioned before
NE first core area based on Portuguese
colony , Salvador the old capital
Coffee growing started in SE, better climate
Rio became the capital
Other industries started to develop in the
area, new capital city developed
Physical
SE has a more desirable climate
NE very arid
SE has all year round growing season due to reliable
rainfall 2000mm per year of rain
Amazon rainforest has stopped development in
North of Brazil
NE has unreliable rainfall <500mm of rain making it
prone to drought
SE has terra rossa soils- good soils, better than NE
Economic
Better job opportunities in the SE
70% employed in industry in SE
10% in NE
Car manufacturing in SE (VW)
54% of population live in SE and it has 64%
of the wealth
Social
Services have centralised in the SE
550% growth in the last 45 years in the
number of city dwellers
Better education than the NE
Infant mortality and life expectancy much
better in SE
Recap
Global disparities in wealth e.g. North- South
Divide
Regional: Brazil
Due to historical, economic, physical and
social factors
Core region SE compared to periphery: NE