Brazil: natural resources. Minerals and industry in Brazil

Brazil is the largest state in Latin America, which occupies almost half the continent of South America. In the east and north it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. Brazil, the natural resources and conditions of which are diverse, is a country that is favorable for farming and population living.

Relief

In the northern part of the country there is the Amazonian lowland. It gradually turns into the hilly plains of the Guiana Plateau, surrounded by steep cliffs. Almost the entire remaining territory of the country is occupied by the Brazilian plateau, rising to the north-east and south and steeply cutting off from the Atlantic Lowland. To the west of the residual ridge and the Atlantic massifs there is a belt of monoclinic-strata and strata plains; In the north and in the center, the socle plains and plateaus predominate, alternating with the plateau.

Climate

A hot climate is characterized by Brazil. Natural resources are largely conditioned by climatic conditions. The average monthly temperature varies from 16 to 29 degrees, and only on high massifs in the eastern part frosts are possible. At the same time, different types of climate and precipitation regimes are typical for the country.

Inland waters

Speaking about the natural features of Brazil, it should be noted its very dense river network. The Amazon system irrigates the entire Amazonian lowland, the northern part of the Brazilian and the south of the Guiana Plateau. The southern part of the Brazilian plateau is irrigated by the systems of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers , the western part by the Paraguay river, and the east by the San Francisco river. Of these, only the Amazon and its western and eastern tributaries throughout the year are full of water.

The rivers of the Brazilian plateau are characterized by large fluctuations in water flow and floods. The water artery of the plateau has significant hydropower reserves, but, as a rule, navigable only in short sections.

Vegetation and soils

The country is dominated by forests on laterite (ferrial) red soils. The first place in the world for hardwood reserves is occupied by Brazil. Natural resources in the western part of the Amazon are represented by thick evergreen moist-equatorial forests with valuable trees (over 4 thousand species), under which are lateritic podzolic soils.

In the hills framing the Brazilian and Guiana highlands, deciduous-evergreen forests are common due to arid weather, the process of podzolization in soils is unstable and less pronounced. Similar types of vegetation and soils, taking into account high altitude zonation, are characteristic for windward, eastern and high massifs and hills of the Brazilian plateau. Western slopes are characterized by predominantly wet seasonal forests. The center of the plateau is occupied by savannah on laterite red soils, the most common are small-bush shrub savannas. Along the rivers are the gallery forests, where a valuable wax palm carnauba grows. The northeast of the plateau is occupied by semi-desert light forests, consisting of succulent and xerophytic shrubs and trees on red-brown and red-brown soils. Evergreen mixed and deciduous forests from the Brazilian coniferous araucaria are characteristic of the evenly moist south. In the lowlands, grassy, unbroken savannas are spread on reddish-black soils.

Animal world

A wide variety of fauna can be explained by the diversity of ecosystems and the significant size of the territory that Brazil occupies. The review of fauna in different sources is different, because even taxonomists sometimes disagree on the classification of animals living in the country. With an enviable regularity, new species are identified, but at the same time others, unfortunately, are dying out.

Of all countries, Brazil has the largest number of primates (about 77) and freshwater fish (more than 3 thousand). According to the number of amphibians, the country takes the second place in the world, by the number of species of birds - the third, by the number of species of reptiles - the fifth. Many animals are threatened, especially those living in ecosystems, which are now largely destroyed, for example, such as the Atlantic forest.

Economy of Brazil

Due to the high level of development of the productive and extractive industries, agriculture, the service sector and a large number of the able-bodied population, Brazil is far ahead of all other Latin American countries in terms of GDP. At present, it further expands its presence in world markets. The main export products are coffee, aviation equipment, vehicles, iron ore, soy, steel, orange juice, footwear, fabrics, sugar, electrical equipment.

The economy of Brazil is very diverse and has significant variations between regions. In terms of business opportunities, cities are very different from each other. Although the economy of the state is rather developed, the widespread problems of poverty, illiteracy and corruption are still significant barriers to development.

Minerals of Brazil

In the country, more than forty types of minerals are mined. The most significant are manganese and iron ores. So, in a year more than two hundred million tons of iron ore are extracted, about 80 percent of which is exported. In terms of bauxite mining, the state occupies one of the first places in the world. The minerals of Brazil are also represented by copper, zinc, nickel, whose deposits are used for the domestic market. The country is a supplier of strategic raw materials: niobium, tungsten, mica, zirconium. The annual oil demand of 75 million tons is only half-satisfied, so Brazil has to import it. In the Amazon in the 1970s. Found large reserves of gold, now its production is about 80 tons per year. Coal deposits have also been discovered, but this raw material is of low quality, a year its production is about 5 million tons.

Industry

The most developed industry in Brazil is concentrated in the south-east and south of the country. The poorest region is the northeast, however, it is now beginning to attract investment. Of the Latin American countries, Brazil has the most developed industrial sector, accounting for a third of GDP. The state produces various products, from steel, cars and oil products to aircraft, computers and consumer goods.

Over a quarter of GDP is occupied by manufacturing industry in Brazil. The main industries are oil refining and the production of chemical products. After the US, the country is the largest producer of bioethanol, which provides about 30 percent of the fuel needs. For refueling cars in Brazil apply both ethanol in pure form, and mixed with gasoline. The raw material for its production is sugar cane. Brazilian enterprises annually produce ethanol in the amount of 16-20 billion liters.

Annually more than 1.5 million cars are produced in the country. The main producers are Mercedes-Benz, Scania, Fiat.

The main branch of the light industry is textile. Brazil ranks 6-7 in the world in the production of textiles. About 80 percent of cotton is imported from abroad, due to the low quality of Brazilian raw materials.

The shoe industry is also well developed - more than 4 thousand shoe factories are working.

Finally

Among the Latin American countries, Brazil has undoubtedly the greatest economic potential. The natural resources of this country provide great opportunities for growth. However, for the present, the country is characterized by a substantial differentiation in income and a big difference in the level of development of the western and eastern regions.