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* * * Brazilian Flag * * *

Green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto Ordem e Progresso (Order and Progress). The most beautiful flag in the world.

 

* * * Geography of Brazil * * *

Location : Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Geographic coordinates : 10 00 S, 55 00 W. Map references : south's america. Area total : 8,511,965 sq km land: 8,456,510 sq km note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo water: 55,455 sq km. Area comparative : slightly smaller than the US. Land boundaries : total: 14,691 km border countries: Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia 1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km, Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km. Coastline : 7,491 km. Maritime claims : territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm. Climate : mostly tropical, but temperate in south. Terrain : mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt. Elevation extremes : lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m. Natural resources : bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber. Land use : arable land: 6.96% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 92.15% (2001). Irrigated land : 26,560 sq km (1998 est.). Natural hazards : recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south. Environment current issues : deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; 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; wetland degradation; severe oil spills. Environment international agreements : party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements. Geography note : largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador.

* * * Economy of Brazil * * *

Brazil has one of the worlds largest economies, with well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors. Vast disparities remain, however, in the countrys distribution of land and wealth. Roughly one third of the workforce is involved in agriculture. The major commercial crops are coffee (Brazil is the worlds largest producer and exporter), citrus fruit (especially juice oranges, of which Brazil also is the worlds largest producer), soybeans, sugarcane, rice, corn, cocoa, cotton, tobacco, and bananas. Cattle, pigs, and sheep are the most numerous livestock. Timber is also important, although much of it is illegally harvested.

Brazil has vast mineral wealth, including iron ore (it is the worlds largest producer), quartz, chrome ore, manganese, industrial diamonds, gem stones, gold, nickel, tin, bauxite, uranium, and platinum. The leading manufacturing industries produce textiles, chemicals, shoes, food products, steel, motor vehicles, ships, and machinery. Most of Brazil's electricity comes from water power and it possesses extensive untapped hydroelectric potential, particularly in the Amazon basin.

In addition to coffee, Brazil's exports include iron and steel, concentrated orange juice, soybeans, beef, tropical hardwoods, and footwear. Crude oil, manufactured goods, and chemical products head the imports. Most trade is with the European Union nations, the United States, Argentina, and Japan. Brazil is a member of Mercosur.

* * * Government of Brazil * * *

Brazil is governed by the 1988 constitution. Under its terms, authority is vested in the president, who is elected for four years by universal suffrage. Under a 1997 amendment, the president may be reelected once. There is a bicameral legislature consisting of an upper federal senate and a lower chamber of deputies. The 81 senators are elected for eight years and the 513 deputies are elected for four years. The president may unilaterally intervene in state affairs. Each state has its own governor and legislature. The main political parties are the Brazilian Democratic Movement party, the Liberal Front party, the Democratic Labor party, the Brazilian Social Democracy party, and the Workers party.

 

* * * Luis Inacio Lula da Silva - The President of Brazil * * *

Lula was born in Caetés district of Garanhuns city in Pernambuco state, Brazil, to a poor, illiterate farming family. His date of birth was registered as 6 October but he claims to have been born, according to his mothers memory, on 27 October.

Soon after Lulas birth, his father moved to the coastal city of Santos (in the Brazilian state of São Paulo), to work as a cargo lifter in the citys harbor. Lulas mother and her 8 children joined his father in 1952, facing a journey of 13 days in a trucks open cargo area. Although their living conditions were better than in Pernambuco, life was still very difficult.

In 1956 his family relocated to the city of São Paulo, which offered greater opportunities. Lula, his mother and 7 siblings lived in a small room in the back area of a pub.

Lula had little formal education, quitting school after 4th grade. His professional life began at age 12 as a shoeshine boy. By age 14 he got his first formal job in a steel processing factory. Lula did complete elementary school.

At age 19, he lost a finger in a accident while working as a press operator in an automobile parts factory. Around that time he became involved in union activities and held several important union posts. Brazil's right-wing dictatorship strongly suppressed trade unions, and in reaction Lulas views moved further to the political left.

In 1966 he married Maria de Lourdes, who died together with their son at birth. In 1974 he re-married to Marisa, with whom he had three sons.

In 1978 he was elected president of the Steel Workers Union of São Bernardo do Campo and Diadema, the cities home to virtually all of Brazils automobile manufacturing facilities (such as Ford, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and others) and among the most industrialized in the country.

In the 1970s, Lula helped organize major union activities including several huge strikes. He was jailed for a month, but was released following protests. The strikes ended with both pro-union and pro-government forces dissatisfied with the outcome.

On 10 February 1980 a group of academics, union leaders and intellectuals, including Lula, founded the Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) or Workers Party, a left-wing party with radical ideas created right in the middle of the military dictatorship.

In 1982 he added the nickname Lula (which means squid in Portuguese and is also a hypocoristic for Luiz) to his legal name. In 1983 he helped found the Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT) union association.

In 1984 PT and Lula joined the popular Diretas Já campaign, demanding a direct popular vote for the next Brazilian presidential election. Presidents were then elected by members of Congress, but since the military coup only high-level military personnel (mainly generals) had been appointed. As a direct result of the campaign and after years of popular struggle, the 1989 elections were the first to elect a president by direct popular vote in more than 30 years.

 

 

 

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