Acountry in motion The land area of Brazil extends over 8.5 million square kilometers, occupying just under half (47%) of the area of Latin America. The country possesses 20% of all the world’s biodiversity; an example of this natural wealth is the Amazon Rainforest, with 3.6 million square kilometers. The political and administrative organization comprises three main Branches of Power: the Judiciary, the Executive and the Legislative, and the principle of autonomy among the Union, the Federal District, 26 states and 5,563 towns and cities (IBGE/2003). Ranking fifth among the world’s most populated countries, the population of Brazil amounts to 50 million families or approximately 180 million inhabitants (2004), the majority - 81% - in urban areas. The national birth rate, which reached as high as 6.3 in 1960, currently stands at 2.1 children per female. The result of this decline, which can be associated to an improvement in social indicators and consequently in quality of life, will be a population whose majority of citizens will be aged between 15 and 44 years within the next four decades. This will represent one of the largest job and consumer markets among the countries on the American continent.
Diversified Economy Brazil accounts for three fifths of the South American economy’s industrial production and integrates various economic groups, such as Mercosur, G-22 and the Cairns Group. The country’s scientific and technological development, together with a dynamic and diversified industrial sector, is attractive to foreign enterprise: direct investment was in the region of US$ 20 billion /year on average, compared to US$ 2 billion/year last decade. Brazil trades regularly with over one hundred nations, with 74% of exports represented by manufactured or
semi manufactured goods. Its main partners are: the EEC (representing 26% of the balance), the US (24%), Mercosur and Latin America (21%) and Asia (12%). One of the most dynamic sectors in this trade scenery is the so-called “agrobusiness” sector, which for two decades has kept Brazil amongst the most highly productive countries in areas related to the rural sector.
The owner of a sophisticated technological sector, Brazil develops projects that range from submarines to aircraft and is involved in space research: the country possesses a Launching Center for Light Vehicles and was the only country in the Southern Hemisphere to integrate the team responsible for the construction of the International Space Station-the ISS. A pioneer in the field of deep water oil research, from where 73% of its reserves are extracted, Brazil was the first capitalist country to bring together the ten largest car assembly companies inside its national territory.
Tourism
A country for everyone Brazil is unique for its richness of nature, culture, economy and history. This lends the country a Wonderland quality, with countless tourist attractions, and diversity as our main instrument to fulfill this potential. Beaches, forests, mountains, rivers, festivals, diversified cuisine, national parks, and historical towns are scattered among 26 states and the Federal District, where the Capital, Brasília, is located.
This racial mixture has generated a nation of happy, sharing people, a country where all come together under their differences and diversity, in an environment of peaceful coexistence. We are indeed, a country for everyone. In addition, our economic growth allied to the country’s strategic position in the South American makes us a focal point for attracting technical, commercial and social events, which in conjunction with the leisure options, define Brazil as a special country, with such a plethora of travel opportunities on offer.
Economy and Business
Investments Brazil’s diversity places it in a position of distinction in the South American continent and strongly influences the attraction of foreign investment. It is the fifth largest country on the planet, with a population of 180 million inhabitants, responsible for a very promising, predominantly urban, market.
The country has the possibility to overcome the situation of exclusion from the digital world for a large portion of its population (approximately 28 million Brazilians have internet access, the highest rate in Latin America), due to an increase in telephone services, particularly in the case of prepaid mobile telephones. In addition, the development of a specific model of digital television makes the Brazilian market a gigantic laboratory for the use of applied technology.
Furthermore, Brazil has the largest and most diversified system of science, technology and innovation in Latin America, a result of the accrual of accomplishments in the last 50 years, which include the capacity for oil
prospection in deep waters and the ability to build aircrafts. Furthermore, the country invests in space and nuclear programs, as well as in new areas currently at the border of knowledge, such as
nanoscience, nanotechnology and biotechnology.
Infrastructure and partnerships
Within the area of infrastructure, due to the urgency in the social agenda, the demand for modernization is shared between the State and capital from the private sector, in initiatives known as Public-Private Partnerships (PPP). In the Transport sector, the country is improving a multi-modal model and investing in the extension and modernization of passageways integrating airports, ports, railways and waterways. In addition, R$1.3 billion is being invested in 65 airports with the sole intention of increasing popular and tourist access to the country’s inland areas.
In 2003, Brazil launched its National Plan for Tourism, which among other activities, plans to attract nine million foreign visitors in the coming years. Today the country is sought after by 4.7 million foreigners, who in their majority seek out the beaches of the Northeast and urban areas in the Southeast. Another angle to be explored is business and fashion tourism: the beach/surf style exports 50 million articles/year, while the shoe industry exports 550 million pairs of shoes/year, attracting businessmen throughout the world.
Opting for Brazil
Initiatives from the private sector and efforts by government agencies have contributed towards encouraging foreign investors to choose Brazil as a prime investment option, as well as providing incentive for investment from within the country’s borders through expansion, modernization and restructuring programs in various sectors of the economy.
Some Brazilian Government programs are assisted by partners who can be verified at
Investe Brasil, a publicly- and privately – run agency assigned with the mission of attracting investments into the country and through Brazil Trade Net, a Foreign Affair Ministry agency whose goal is to seek and offer abroad business opportunities in Brazil. One further point worth mentioning is the creation of the Office for the Promotion of Brazilian Exports (Apex-Brazil), with the resources and the flexibility to carry out the commercial promotion of Brazil to foreign markets.
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