Some Quick Facts:| Area: | 8.511.965 sq.km |
| Population: | 190 Mio |
| Time zone: | GMT -2 to -5 hour |
| Electricity: | 110 Volt |
| Prefix: | 00 55 |
| Currency: | Real BRL |
| 1 Euro | approx. 2.6 BRL |
| 1 US Dollar | approx. 1.75 BRL |
| 1 Pound | approx. 3.5 BRL |
Main Cities:
Sao Paulo (20 Mio.)
Rio d Janeiro (11.5 Mio.)
Belo Horizonte (5.5 Mio.)
Porto Alegre (4.2 Mio.)
Brasilia Cap (2.4 Mio.)
Airports:
More than 700 Airports
many of them International
Harbours:
Paranagua; Rio Grande
and many more
From Past to Present
When Portugal occupied Brazil in 1500, the territory of modern day Brazil was home to 2000 Nations and Tribes and about 3.000.000 Amerindians were living here. Most of them were semi-nomadic and lived on the coast or along the major rivers.
Brazil stayed under Portuguese rule for three centuries. Brazilwood and Sugar were originally the goods which were exported to Europe. The discovery of Gold and Diamonds made Brazil an even more interesting colony and the income from these mines was mainly used, to pay the debts of the Portuguese royal court. From 1808 until 1821 Brazil was even the seat of the Portuguese government, which had to flee from Europe, because of Napoleon.
But shortly after, in 1822, Brazil declared independence, which was recognized in 1825. Brazil was then an Empire, which fell due to a military Coup d´État and finally, in 1889, Brazil became a republic. 1930 a military junta took control, which happened again in 1964. 1985 the military regime ceded power peacefully to civilian rulers.
Today, Brazil is a stable democratic republic. The official name is Federative Republic of Brazil and it consists of 26 states and 5564 municipalities. Steady industrial and agricultural growth, the exploitation of vast natural resources and a huge labour pool, make Brazil the economic leader of South America.
Geography and Climate
Brazil is located in eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean in the East. It has land borders with all countries of South America, except Chile and Ecuador. Brazil is the fifth largest country on earth, in terms of area and population. And it is the fourth biggest democracy in the world.
The topography of Brazil is very diverse, including hills, plains, lowlands, savannas, scrublands, rainforests and about 7500 km of coastline. The highest elevation is the Pico da Neblina with 3.014 meters in the Guianas highlands; the lowest point is at the Atlantic coast.
Remarkable are also the extensive river systems. Eight large river basins drain into the Atlantic. Amongst them is the Amazon, the largest river system in the world. His basin covers 45,7 per cent of the country and is the home of the largest rainforest in the world. Climatically is 90 per cent of the country within the tropical zone. However, the "Brazilian climate" varies from the tropic North to the temperate South, below the Tropic of Capricorn. Overall, we find five climatic regions in Brazil: tropical, highland tropical, subtropical, equatorial and semiarid.
The larger part of Brazil sees moderate rainfall of around 1000 to 1500 mm per year. But in some regions it varies gravely, with an annual rainfall of up to 3000 mm, for example near Belem. On the other hand we can find very scarce rainfall in the semiarid Northeast, where even severe draughts are possible.
Independently from rainfall and temperatures, rainforest and mountains, Brazil offers along the Atlantic coast some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. From Bahia in the North, to Sao Paulo in the South, the beaches are a magnet for tourists from all over the world. Amongst them we find the probably most famous beaches: Copacabana and Ipanema.
Economical Facts
Brazil is the largest market in South America, which does not come as a big surprise, with more than 190 Mio people living there. It is the tenth-largest economy on planet earth in GDP terms. Since 2004 the annual GDP growth is steady above 4 per cent and the forecast until 2012 shows nothing different. This GDP growth above average will allow real incomes to grow further and this consequently means that domestic demand will make a stronger contribution to this growth in the future. Additionally the inflation is predicted, to stay below 4 per cent.
The transition of power after the next presidential election in 2010 will be a peaceful one, which means, democracy will be consolidated even further and the macroeconomic policies will not be changed. Investment opportunities will widen even more and the capital inflow will stay firm. All in all, Brazil is looking towards a very bright future.
This bright future will get even brighter - considering the recent discovery of 5 to 8 Billion barrel of additional light-crude-oil in the Tupi-Oilfield. And there might be even more! This will not put Brazil in the same league as Saudi-Arabia, but Brazil will become independent of foreign oil. This will safe a lot of money - money which can be used for further programmes to reduce poverty in the country.
Goldmann Sachs Investment Bank sees Brazil amongst the four fastest developing countries in the world. Brazil, Russia, India and China are these countries, summarized under the term BRIC. Those countries, predicts Goldmann Sachs, will surpass the current richest countries by the year 2050.
Sounds very much like Brazil is the place to be in the future....
Real Estate Facts
The new administration, which took office in 2003, was really successful in creating an economy which attracts foreign investors. The political and fiscal environment is perfect for economic growth and the confidence in the administration is at an record height, national and international. Reduced inflation, a very stable real, reduced unemployment and reduced and stable inflation are the key factors for this confidence.
2004 was immediately the first year, when the Brazilian economy performed way better than all expectations hoped. The real growth of the GDP was above 5 per cent, the following years were similar and the predictions for the future are the same.
All these factors together mean that the Brazilian real estate sector became even more attractive. Brazil always had to offer for property investors beautiful beaches, brilliant weather the whole year around and living costs, which are way lower than in Europe or the USA.
And now additionally, Brazil offers a growing and stable economy. It is nowadays a stable and competitive country, offering attractive incentives for investment. And these incentives are available to foreigners and to nationals, to individuals and to companies. To everybody who is smart enough, to invest in Brazils future.
Property-wise, this future is looking particularly brilliant on the North-Eastern coast of Brazil. Fortaleza is the number one destination for Europeans and Americans coming to Brazil. The demand for property is increasing by the hour, the price gains are setting new record marks and virtually everybody wants to be in this area.
But let's face it - not a big surprise! Who would not want to be in one of the most beautiful countries of the world, with wonderful beaches, excellent weather, low living-costs and still affordable property?