BRAZIL & CUBA SS6G3b: Compare how the location, climate, and natural resources of Brazil and Cuba affect where people live and how they trade.

BRAZIL

BRAZIL - Location Largest country in South America in both area and population. Located on the eastern side of South America The Amazon River and its its tributaries stretch along the northern portion of Brazil in the rainforest.

BRAZIL - Location Equator crosses the northern portion of Brazil Mostly flat, rolling lowlands with some hills, plains and mountains

BRAZIL Trade Brazil is close to the Atlantic Ocean and the Panama Canal. This promotes trade with other countries. Brazil has 7 major seaports that export cars and other transportation equipment, iron ore, soybeans, shoes, coffee, and sugar. Its largest trading partner is the USA

BRAZIL Trade Another major industry in Brazil is tourism. The Amazon Rainforest draws many visitors. Many of its animals and plants can not be found anywhere else in the world. Brazil has lots of sandy beaches. Carnival is a huge festival that brings millions of tourists to Rio de Janeiro every year.

BRAZIL

Brazil - Climate Very hot and tropical, especially in the rainforest. Southern Brazil has milder, more temperate climate.

BRAZIL – Natural Resources bauxite, gold , iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

BRAZIL – Natural Resources Brazil produces over one-third of the world’s coffee. Soybeans, soybean oil, oranges, papaya, and sugar cane are important resources in Brazil for trade.

BRAZIL Environmental Problems: Rainforest Destruction More than half of Brazil is covered by the rainforest. The rainforests is home to more than 40,000 different plants and animals.

BRAZIL - Rainforest The rainforest is valuable in many ways: - Plants can be used to create medicine that can cure diseases. - brazil nuts, cocoa, and rubber are some of the valuable products people use. - Trees are sold for timber

BRAZIL - Rainforest Most important of all, the Amazon Rainforest produces 20% of the earth’s oxygen. So if it is all cleared…How will we breathe?

BRAZIL - Rainforest Many native people live in the rainforest. They depend on the rainforest for food, clothing, and shelter. - Destroying the rainforest will destroy their way of life.

BRAZIL - Rainforest Many poor people live in Brazil and the only way to get money is to sell the trees from the rainforest. This cleared land can then be used to raise cattle or grow crops for money as well. Unfortunately, the deforestation of the rainforest is the result of this economic activity. In the last 10 years, over 200,000 square miles of rainforest has been lost to deforestation.

BRAZIL - Rainforest While the government and environmental groups are trying to control or stop the deforestation, it is still being cut down illegally. This is because there is a lot of money to be made from the resources provided by the rainforest.

CUBA

CUBA - Location Cuba is an island 90 miles south of the state of Florida Bounded by the Gulf of Mexico on the NW, the Atlantic Ocean on the NE, and the Caribbean Sea to the south. Largest island in the West Indies (Caribbean islands)

CUBA

CUBA - Climate Cuba has a tropical climate but it seems cooler because of trade winds. It is hot all year, but the winds help move the air to provide relief from the heat. Rainy season is from May to October and the dry season is from November to April.

CUBA – Natural Resources 28% of Cuba’s land is arable. Sugar Cane is Cuba’s most important crop and sugar is the biggest export

CUBA – Natural Resources Coffee, fish, fruits, and tobacco products are other import exports Cuba is well known for its cigars and provides a huge source of income

CUBA - Natural Resources Cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, petroleum, timber, silica,

CUBA - Trade Cuba exports its natural resources mentioned previously: coffee, tobacco, sugar, fruits, fish. Another huge industry in Cuba is its tourism. It is a very beautiful island and is building new hotels and resorts for tourists from Canada, Latin America, and Europe…notice Americans were not included in this list. Venezuela is Cuba’s largest trading partner and provides it with oil at a reduced cost. 3 major seaports

CUBA - Tourism

CUBA - People Population is 11,000,000 Area: 43,000 square miles 76% of Cubans live in an urban area, while 24% live in rural areas. 20% of Cubans live in Havana, the largest city in Cuba

CUBA - People