Geography Of South America: Brazil (1961)

[Music] this is one of the few frontier lands of the modern world the amazon basin of northern brazil a wild and heavily forested region it is a region mostly inhabited by primitive indians but something is happening here [Music] this plane is carrying the members of a brazilian government expedition which is searching for possible ways to open the amazon basin to settlement in this region there is rich fertile soil and under the soil there may be undreamed of stores of mineral oars coal and oil the wide easily navigable amazon river that cuts through the region could be used to transport such products but first the problems of heat disease and clearing the land must be overcome and so this region the amazon river basin is a frontier land a land of the future the boundaries of brazil include a large part of this vast undeveloped region what about the other regions of brazil brazil is a land of gigantic plantations where coffee and cotton are raised of extensive productive mining centers of teeming cities of commerce and industry of busy harbor cities which handle the many products of brazil all of these and more are brazil the developed land but there is much land yet to be developed for brazil is a giant nation that covers over half the continent of south america this giant is larger in area than all the other countries of south america put together in fact brazil is larger than these 48 states of the united states within this huge country we can find many extremes in land forms grasslands and arid regions are part of the country as are lush tropical regions there's a good reason for this look at the line that shows the equator we see that much of northwestern brazil lies in latitudes close to the equator and that southern brazil lies away from the equator in regions along the equator such as north and north central brazil we can find tropical fruits such as mangoes and papayas being grown but in southeastern brazil temperate crops like corn are raised yes a great variety of crops can be grown in the different areas of brazil but only this portion of the land is under cultivation yet brazil's major exports are three agricultural products cotton coffee and cacao two of these crops coffee and cotton are produced in the eastern area of brazil in these temperate latitudes the climate is suitable for growing cotton the most familiar sights here are large fazendas or plantations this is the center of a cotton fazenda thousands of people are employed on the many brazilian cotton fazendas for brazil is one of the world's greatest producers of cotton much cotton is still picked by hand more and more fields are being planted to this crop as greater quantities of cotton are sold overseas and used by brazil's own expanding textile industry coffee is another of brazil's agricultural exports like cotton coffee is grown on large plantations employing thousands of workers after the ripe coffee berries are picked they are screened before being taken to the center of the fazenda for processing the processed coffee beans are usually stored in inland cities and the large coffee collecting center of sao paulo the harvest is then routed through to santos the chief port of central eastern brazil there's always great activity along the docks of santos here sacks of coffee beans are being loaded for export tons of cotton and coffee are handled daily money crops that bring income to the people of brazil much coffee for example is shipped to the united states germany and other nations the port of salvador is the collecting center of another of brazil's agricultural export crops cacao beans from which cocoa and chocolate are made salvador is the chief port of northeastern brazil it is in a region that lies quite close to the equator what kind of climate do you expect here yes the climate is tropical a good climate in which to raise cacao trees growing on the trees are large cacao pods during harvest time plantation workers slice open the pods and remove the cacao beans after fermenting the beans are dried under the hot sun when dried the cacao beans will be sacked and shipped to factories of other nations to be processed into cocoa and chocolate northern brazil also supplies other tropical products workers here gather leaves of the carnauba palm trees from these palm leaves a hard wax called carnauba wax is obtained the leaves dry quickly under the hot tropical sun after drying the heavy wax can be scraped from the leaves the refined carnauba wax is used in making many kinds of wax polishes coastal steamers collect carnauba wax and other products of northern brazil this steamer is also loading a cargo of dried plants from which medicines will be made plants that have also been gathered in the tropical forests steamers sailing along the coast and the many rivers of brazil and freight trains are the chief methods of bringing goods to the factories of the cities heavy industries depend upon raw materials such as iron in east central brazil there are huge deposits of high-grade iron ore and new mines are constantly being opened also being established are wells which in time may yield much petroleum the mines of central brazil supply manganese quartz zircon and industrial diamonds all minerals needed by booming brazilian industries among the thriving industrial centers of brazil are the cities of recife salvador bel horizonte rio de janeiro porto alegre and especially sao paulo the fastest growing of them all here in sao paulo beautiful parks and ultra-modern buildings are found along with well-designed factory buildings that reflect the prosperity of brazil factories in sao paulo and across the land are producing tremendous quantities of high quality textiles made from the country's fine cotton manufacture of plastics drugs foods and thousands of consumer products has been increased workers are busy producing cement and other building materials for use in expanding construction programs why have brazil's industries expanded so rapidly one of the answers may be found in the busy streets of rio de janeiro the center of brazil's growing economic activities in the hundreds of offices of business firms headquartered in this city bold plans for expansion and increased production are being made yes the people of brazil see a great future in store for their vigorous growing country businessmen often fly to confer with government officials in the city considered a symbol of brazil's achievements the new city of brasilia this is the fabulous ultra-modern capital of brazil officially proclaimed the capital city in 1960 this is a carefully planned city with open wide squares many deluxe apartment buildings with restaurants and theaters centers of government and culture banks and business offices these buildings were constructed in a few years time where once a wilderness stood throughout the capital city of brasilia impressive buildings reflect the forward-looking goals of the brazilian people here is the center of the executive branch of the government the residence of the president in these buildings the congress of brazil meets to make laws in other government buildings advisors confer and plan for an even greater brazil for many years brazil has been developing new sources of power for industry one of the most ambitious plans of these men is the development of water power for example harnessing paulo alfonso falls to provide cheap power for growing industry with added power even more industries can be planned and built industries such as steel making and there are possibilities for further expansion for possible industry and farming in the frontier region of the amazon basin another vast frontier region is the rich open plateau of central brazil sometimes called the campos here farms are already producing food crops with plans for increased food production but with plans come problems which the brazilian people are trying to solve perhaps we too can suggest answers to some of these questions how will brazil feed her growing population how much cultivated land should be given over to raising brazil's three agricultural export crops cotton coffee and cacao where will brazil find new markets for her agricultural and manufactured products let's think of other ideas for planning the future of this south american giant brazil land of half a continent [Music] you