Brazil’s Location
· Largest country in Latin America in population and land area. Located on Eastern side of South America along the Atlantic Ocean. Shares a border with nearly every other country in South America. The Amazon River and other large rivers stretch across Brazil.
· Location on the Atlantic Ocean and its closeness to the Panama Canal greatly influence trade with other countries. 7 major seaports on the coast. Cars and other transportation traded to other countries. Exports include iron ore and shoes. The U.S. is Brazil’s most important trading partner. China, Argentina, Germany, and the Netherlands also buy goods from Brazil.
· 85% of Brazilians live in Urban areas.
· Tourism is a growing industry. Amazon Rainforest draws many visitors, some plants and animals cannot be found anywhere else. Sandy beaches attract vacationers. Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo have festivals that attract visitors from around the world.
Cuba’s Location
· Island nation 90 miles South of Florida. Bordered on the NW by Gulf of Mexico, on the NE by the Atlantic Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea to the South.
· Largest Island in the West Indies, the island of Cuba is 700 Miles long, and ranges from 135 miles at its widest point to only 20 miles at the narrowest point.
· 76% of Cubans live in Urban areas. 20% of these live in the Capital and largest city, Havana
· Most have jobs in manufacturing. Many have jobs in service professions (educators, healthcare, government, tourism).
· Cuba’s location on ocean trading routes has been an important influence on its history and current economy.
Brazil’s Climate
· Country’s location on the equator gives it the climate needed to support the tropical rainforest. Climate is mostly hot and tropical; to the South, further from the equator, the climate is temperate (mild)
· Most Brazilians live along the eastern, coastal areas. Good roads do not go into the Amazon Rainforest of the Interior of the country.
· 80% of people live w/in 200 miles of the Ocean. Most of Brazil’s cities are clustered into this area.
· 30% of people work in healthcare, education or government. Another 30% work in businesses such as transportation, communication and trade. 12% find jobs in manufacturing.
Cuba Climate
· Climate is tropical but moderated by trade winds.
· Rain falls from May to October, and it is dry from November to April.
· Tropical climate means that Cuba is hot all year long but winds help move air and provide some relief from the heat.
· Location and Climate make it a prime target for Hurricanes. The warm tropical waters provide energy for the storms that begin off the coast of Africa. As they move west the storms move across the Caribbean Islands, including Cuba. Hurricane season is June 1- November 30.
Brazil’s Natural Resources
· Only 7% of the land is arable, but 20% of workers in Brazil are farmers.
· Produces 1/3 of the world’s coffee and lead the world in the production of oranges, papayas, sugar cane, soybeans and soybean products.
· Only the United States Exports more farm products than Brazil.
Cuba’s Natural Resources
· 28% of Island is arable. Grows crops for its people and for export. Sugar is, and has been for hundreds of years, the most important export of the country. Tobacco, coffee, fish and fruits are also traded. Cuba is known for its cigars.
· Location on the ocean gives access to fishing waters, providing food for Cubans and another export.
· Tourism is a fast growing industry in Cuba. Tourists from Canada, Europe and Latin America visit the beaches creating jobs and new hotel projects.
Cuba is a communist country. That means the government owns or controls most farms and businesses. The communist government of the Soviet Union helped to support Cuba for many years. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Cuba faced difficult times. Cuba’s trade with other countries does not bring in enough money to meet the needs of its people. Today, Venezuela sells oil to Cuba at a reduced price, but Cuba cannot sell enough goods to buy everything its people need. In order to save energy, the government sometimes orders businesses and factories to close. The government also orders blackouts, or times when all electricity to a region is cut off.
Answer the following questions on your own sheet of paper, then, on the back, draw a Venn diagram to compare Cuba and Brazil including information about location, climate, and natural resources for each.
1. Where do most Brazilians live in their Country?
2. The climate of Brazil allows farmers to export which crops?
3. What natural resource is an important export for Brazil?
4. Why does Brazil have a fast growing tourism industry?
5. How does Brazil’s location help it trade with other countries?
6. What has been the major export for Cuba for the past 200 years?
7. Which industries are helped most by Cuba’s location on the ocean?
8. Which product does Venezuela provide at a reduced cost to Cuba?
9. Arable land is helpful to what industry of Cuba?
10. Which country supported Cuba until 1991?
11. Who is Brazil’s largest trading partner?
12. In both Brazil in Cuba where do people tend to live?
13. How do the land areas of Cuba and Brazil compare?
14. In which industries do Cuba and Brazil compete with each other for trade?
Venn Diagram EXAMPLE: This needs to cover a whole page… Information to compare should include: Location, Climate and Natural Resources.
Brazil Cuba