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While
the territory of Brazil spans almost half
of the South American continent, most of
the population lives in a wide band along
the coastline and many areas are sparsely
populated. However, road construction is
leading to increased migration in the interior.
Brazil's population reflects a combination
of descendents from 17th century Portuguese
settlers, a considerable African population,
native Indians that now number about 200,000,
and other settlers from Europe, the Middle
East, and Asia. Over the past two hundred
years, governing bodies shifted from ruling
elites to military rulers, and since 1989,
to a democratically elected president. Over
62 percent of Brazil's population is under
29 years of age, and inequalities in wealth,
population concentration, education, and
culture are evident.
Common
bonds
A combination of history, geography,
demography, and strong current economic interests
links the United States to Brazil. The countries
are the two largest in the hemisphere, and
exchanges of trade, people, music, culture,
intellect, and resources have occurred for
many decades. After 1900, links between the
two countries grew stronger, with American
investment increasing after world war i. Recently,
both the United States and Brazil have actively
sought economic integration in the hemisphere.
Given Brazil's strong economy and growing
middle class, it is not surprising that Internet
access and computer ownership has grown to
be among the highest in the world. An estimated
seven million Brazilians use the internet
today, and people in medium to large cities
have increasingly easier access to free internet
services, in part due to offers for free or
discounted access from banks and telecommunication
service providers. At the same time, national
and state programs designed to provide computer
and communication technologies are fueling
demand for Internet access at home. |
Geography
