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Brazil is the biggest and most populated country in Latin America. It also one of the most diverse countries in the world and is a wonderful, warm, mysterious, mystical, vibrant, and exuberant place to visit, experience, and imbibe. It is said that passion and energy run through the veins of Brazil, much like music, revelry, and an unmatched enthusiasm for life and its many adventures and opportunities. However, there is also truth in the fact that there is much poverty, lack of civic and medical facilities for the many Brazilians who live below the poverty line. Therein lies the opportunity for volunteering in Brazil by all of you who care for fellow humans and want to make your contribution to make our world a better place.
Why Volunteer In Brazil
A cauldron of many cultures and traditions, Brazil offers a unique cross-cultural experience. Volunteering in Brazil would mean being exposed to different ways of speech, thought, interaction, and rituals. However, in order to gain the maximum from your volunteer travel to Brazil, you must follow some principles. These principles will help you make the best of volunteering in Brazil opportunity as well as offer you a positive and enriching experience in this land of the Amazon River. Furthermore, these guiding principles will also prevent you from avoiding misunderstanding, which typically, tend to occur in cross-cultural environments.
As a volunteer in Brazil, you must always retain the following three traits – flexibility, open-mindedness, and humility. Of course, these may very well be the same key traits that prompted you to take up volunteering in Brazil in the first place, so it can’t be daunting for you!
Types Of Projects Available
As a part of volunteering in Brazil, you have the opportunity to choose the kind of project you are interested to volunteer in. The different types of volunteer projects available in Brazil include:
1. Working with Street Kids in Brazil: This Brazil volunteer project includes working with street children and help them with their education as well as to become self-reliant.
2. Volunteer Work with Youth and Teenagers: Due to rising poverty, youth and teenagers often drift from the correct path. Working as a volunteer in Brazil you can do your bit to help bring the youth back to the right path. This is your opportunity as a volunteer in Brazil to work with the youth that are most-at risk, while soaking in the rich cultural vibes of some amazing cities such as Rio.
3. Orphanage Help: Volunteering in Brazil gives you the opportunity to work with orphan children. You will be able to teach these urchins various things from academics to other self-sustaining skills such as weaving, knitting, painting, and sports.
4. Conservation Work: With a vast expanse of historical sites that are of global importance, one of the most fascinating opportunities available as volunteer in Brazil is that of working to converse archeological ruins.
5. English Teacher: English is the primary spoken language in the West. If you enjoy teaching and have, a temperament of a teacher, then volunteering in Brazil as an English language teacher can open up new avenues for you. Not only will you get to interact with the locals but also experience their hospitality and gratitude first hand.
6. Health Work: Basic health and civic amenities are the rights of every individual, irrespective of which country he/she may belong too. Your volunteer work in Brazil as a health volunteer would include teaching the locals the basics of sanitation, educating them on safer and healthier ways to live and co-exist with their natural habitat.
Volunteer in Brazil Requirements
There are different types of requirements for volunteering in Brazil. While some of the requirements may vary from project to project, the standard requirements remain the same. You must be 18 or over 18 years of age, and have basic skill sets and experience in case you have applied for a health care project, or conservation, or teaching project.
Volunteering in Brazil programs is open to participants from all over the world and to individuals, families, and couples.
Fee and Other details
There are fees attached for every volunteering project you opt for. The fee is charged in advance and is applied for the following:
1. Accommodation
2. Food/meals
3. Travel insurance
4. Transportation within the region
5. Emergency support
All types of training materials including books, CD’s and computers will be provided by the project co-coordinators.
Conclusion
Volunteering in Brazil is an experience of a lifetime. It will leave you with memories to cherish and savor at every juncture of your life.
When it comes to energy, Brazil is on its way to becoming a “global brand.” Although the United States recently outpaced Brazil in ethanol production, Brazil is by far the leader in sugar-based ethanol. Its exports are growing, and it could become a major energy supplier to the world. But what Brazil is particularly known for is its grand conversion-moving almost 40 percent of its automotive fuel from gasoline to ethanol.
Ethanol in Brazil is used in two ways: either blended, in a mix of 75 percent gasoline and 25 percent ethanol, or as pure ethanol pumped directly into a car’s fuel tank. On any given day, motorists across Brazil can stand in front of a pump and decide, based on price, whether they want to put ethanol or gasoline into their “flex fuel” car engine or whether they want to blend them.
Brazil has now achieved energy self-sufficiency. Ethanol is a part of the explanation, but it would be an error to think that it is the only one. There has been great success from drilling in Brazil’s offshore waters, and domestic oil output has increased by 40 percent since 2000-from 1.2 million barrels per day (mbd) to 1.7 mbd in 2006. This 500,000 barrel per day increase compares to 240,000 barrels per day of ethanol consumption.
How did ethanol achieve its prominent role in Brazil? It has been made possible by a series of factors: strong government support, especially after the 1973 oil shock; continual adoption of new technologies over more than a quarter century; and the cheapest production costs in the world.
The Brazilian government made a strong commitment to ethanol in the mid-1970s, in response to the first oil crisis. At that time, Brazil was importing more than 80 percent of its oil. The first oil shock had a highly detrimental effect on Brazil’s economy, influencing a significant drop in the country’s GDP growth, from almost 14 percent in 1973 to five percent in 1975. A program to stimulate domestic production of ethanol as a transport fuel was embraced as the way to reduce the country’s exposure to the world oil market.
This Brazilian effort began in 1975. It was championed as the Pro-Alcohol Program, since ethanol is known as alcohol in Brazil. The program consisted of both public and heavily subsidized private investment in ethanol production, together with governmental mandates to blend the fuel with gasoline and incentives to stimulate the sales of cars that ran on pure ethanol.
With government incentives, pure ethanol vehicles comprised 95 percent per cent of domestic auto production in 1984. By 1988, Brazil was consuming 1.7 gallons of ethanol for each gallon of gasoline.
In the mid-1980s, however, ethanol got caught in a vise. Oil prices fell sharply and, at the same time, international sugar prices rose. Ethanol was no longer as attractive as it had been for Brazilian producers and motorists.
By the end of the 1980s, a sharp fall in ethanol production, together with a prevalence of pure ethanol vehicles, led to a shortage, enraging motorists and damaging the credibility of Brazil’s ethanol industry. As consequence, ethanol cars fell from 92 percent of total vehicle sales in 1985 to less than 20 percent in 1990. At the end of the 1990s, ethanol production was back to same level that it had been in the mid-1980s. Today, almost no pure alcohol vehicles are being produced, in large part because of an innovation that has recently helped ethanol enjoy a new boom in Brazil. This is the “flex-fuel vehicle.”
The flexible fuel vehicle is a simple technological innovation that has dramatically enhanced the attractiveness of ethanol in Brazil by giving consumers choice of the fuel they can use in their cars.
After 2000, stimulated by rising oil prices and a new initiative by the government to encourage consumption of renewable fuels, the Brazilian automotive industry began to produce vehicles that could run on either ethanol or gasoline in any proportion. The previous experience with the Pro-Alcohol Program had left behind a strongly developed ethanol infrastructure, with more than 90 percent of the country’s filling stations capable of offering the fuel in its pure form.
Thanks to competitive pricing for the vehicles and for ethanol, flex-fuel vehicles have been widely adopted in Brazil. They represented 80 percent of all light cars sales in 2006, a number even more impressive considering that they only started to be marketed by the end of 2003.
Today, many Brazilian motorists make their fuel choice based on the relative price of gasoline and ethanol. And ethanol is able to compete without any subsidies against gasoline. This partly is because the government taxes gasoline at a higher rate-the gasoline tax burden is 45 percent of the final price, while the tax on ethanol is only 28 percent. But the main reason behind ethanol’s competitiveness is that Brazil’s sugar-based ethanol has the lowest production costs in the world-estimated at $1.10 per gallon.
Good weather and high land quality are certainly important factors in keeping down the costs of ethanol in Brazil, but they are not the only ones. Sugarcane has been grown in the country since the Portuguese colonization in the early 16th century, and industrial production of ethanol as a fuel goes back to the 1930s.
The 70-year old ethanol industry has invested heavily in new technologies and processes, and biotechnology is now employed to improve the quality and productivity of the sugarcane species. Integration of ethanol production with sugarcane processing has led to significant gains in efficiency and scale. For example, the cane fiber (called bagasse) is burned to generate electricity, which powers the sugar and ethanol production plant, with surplus power sold to the central grid.
The oil input in Brazilian’s ethanol production is minimal, restricted to the transporting of the sugarcane to the processing plant and moving ethanol from there to filling stations. The combination of these advantages provides Brazilian ethanol with a comfortable competitive position against oil.
The success of Brazil’s domestic industry poses an important question: Can Brazil go global with its ethanol? Brazil is already the largest ethanol exporter in the world, shipping 20 percent of it annual production abroad.
International demand for ethanol is expected to keep growing in the years to come. The main ethanol consumers outside Brazil are the United States and Europe, which are seeking to increase their domestic sources of ethanol supply. But, at least with current technology, their prospects are constrained.
High volume ethanol exports from Brazil to both the U.S. and Europe are also currently impeded by import duties, though some believe that growing demand for bio-fuels could lead to loosening of these barriers. But what happens to those barriers will be highly political, both in terms of domestic politics and trade negotiations.
If trade barriers fall, Brazil’s industry has much room to grow. Even excluding the rain forest and other protected areas, Brazil still has large areas that could be used to grow cane. Only two percent of the country’s total endowment of arable land-and ten percent of currently cultivated land-are now under sugarcane cultivation with half of that dedicated to ethanol production.
Advances in bio-technology have substantially enhanced plant types, improving their ability to thrive in a wider range of soils and climates. All this means that there is potential to expand Brazil’s ethanol production substantially and make it a major global energy supplier.
Furthermore, expansion of ethanol production in Brazil is unlikely to create the kind of food versus fuel conflicts that can be expected in other developing countries with agricultural potential.
How large a role Brazil will play in global markets will depend on many factors-the ability of the Brazilian industry to expand; the nature of fuel mandates and domestic industries of the large industrial countries; and international trade rules. Brazil’s ethanol industry will continue to play a large role in meeting Brazil’s domestic energy needs. It also has the potential to grow beyond the domestic market and to create large scale exports-and definitely make Brazil an energy brand around the world.
Perennial favourite Petrobras, has announced that in March of this year, it surpassed February’s output record by 52,00 bpd. Last month, the Brazilian oil giant produced a record 1.99 million bpd from its domestic holdings. The increase has been attributed to a number of new wells in the offshore Campos Basin being brought into commercial production. Petrobras has also reported domestic production of combined oil & gas for March reached 2.3 million bpd of oil equivalent, a 9.5% month on month icrease, adding in international operations, brings an enviable 2.5 million bpd production average for the month of March.
Following up on Petrobras’ unveiling of its $174 Bn, five year investment plan, this can only be good news for investors, as the company has based its 2009-2013 plan on Brent crude running at $42 a barrel, with financing needs for 2009 based on Brent averaging at $37 a barrel. With Brent crude trading at $50.46, depressed fears over swine fever, a fiar cushion is in place.
On May 1st, President Lula will officially open Petrobras’ new Tupi operations. Tupi,which is located in the pre-salt region and is estimated to contain between 5 billion and 7 billion barrels of crude, will initially pump 15,000 bpd through a test phase, finally ramping up to 100,000 bpd in 2010. The pre-salt region covers an offshore area 800 kilometers long and 200 kilometers wide between the states of Espirito Santo and Santa Catarina, is estimated to contain up to 80 billion barrels of light crude under a thick layer of salt far beneath the ocean floor.
As we previously discussed, the planned $175 Bn investment, is also good news for companies supplying the oil business. With offshore oil development vessels likely to be in high demand.
“In the next five to six years, we are looking for 240 different vessels… drillships, storage units, supply vessels, transportation vessels and others,” Petrobras CFO Almir Barbassa told reprorters at recent a seminar held in Seoul. “Petrobras will soon issue tenders for eight floating product storage and offloading units and seven drill ships”
Trading off a 52 week low of just $14.73, Petrobras is currently trading in the $32-$34 range (5 day spread) & the ADR has grown by 37% in the last three months of trading.
Sao Paulo a large sprawling city can present numerous challenges to sensibilities sao Paulo mix of races and colours makes this a happy and fun-loving people. A popular holiday destination, the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo is the state capital and has much to offer visitors, with its many museums, charming traditional architecture, gleaming skyscrapers, pleasant parks and busy nightlife. Sao Paulo is famous for excellent quality of its restaurants and the variety of cultural activities .Sao Paulo is home to the largest Japanese population outside of Japan. Sao Paulo is not uncommon to see businesses and churches being conducted by Chinese and Korean-Brazilians in the Bairro Oriental, which was originally Italian, then Japanese and which is heavily populated by other East Asians today. The citizens of Sao Paulo have a reputation as hard-working and industrious. An interesting thing is that Sao Paulo alone actually contributes with 15 percent of the country’s gross national product. People of Sao Paulo are strong, fighting and full of pride for their land. English is generally spoken at main hotels and those in contact with tourists. A good indicator of the quality of the services to be found at Sao Paulo hotels is the growing number of tourists visiting the country. Sao Paulo facts that the city has more than 30 parks with over 15 million square meters of green space!
Sao Paulo is a place that has a little bit of everything. Its unique characteristics ensure international fame, attracting thousands of tourists from every part of the world, all year long. The diversity of the culture and the scenery are the country’s strong points. But you will only learn of its distinctive feature when you arrive here. Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport is the biggest airport in this city that sees around 18 million passengers per year. Congonhas Airport handles solely domestic flights, only serving a mere handful of Brazilian air carriers, such as Gol Transportes Aéreos, OceanAir, Pantanal Linhas Aereas and TAM Linhas Aéreas many airlines offers flights to sao paulo from UK like air Mexicana. People love their football – the city has three A division teams, and the games can often sell out months in advance. Due to the difference in climate, Sao Paulo gets European fashions right after they leave the runway for the season in Paris. That’s when it warms up in Sao Paulo – which means that the same thing you saw in Milan on the catwalk in August has just hit the fashion district in Sao Paulo in January. And it’s still the height of style!
The Scheduled Air Transportation Industry report, published annually by Barnes Reports, contains timely and accurate industry statistics, forecasts and demographics. The report features 2010 current and 2011 forecast estimates on the size of the industry (sales, establishments, employment) nationally and for all 50 U.S. States and over 900 metro areas. New to the report this year are: financial ratios, number of firms and payroll estimates. The report also includes industry definition, 5-year historical trends on industry sales, establishments and employment, a breakdown of establishments, sales and employment by employee size of establishment (9 categories), and estimates on up to 10 sub-industries, including cargo transporation, passenger transportation, and helicopter transportation.
The Scheduled Air Transportation Industry report, published annually by Barnes Reports, contains timely and accurate industry statistics, forecasts and demographics. The report features 2010 current and 2011 forecast estimates on the size of the industry (sales, establishments, employment) nationally and for all 50 U.S. States and over 900 metro areas. New to the report this year are: financial ratios, number of firms and payroll estimates. The report also includes industry definition, 5-year historical trends on industry sales, establishments and employment, a breakdown of establishments, sales and employment by employee size of establishment (9 categories), and estimates on up to 10 sub-industries, including cargo transporation, passenger transportation, and helicopter transportation.
Table of Contents :
1-Argentina
2-Australia
3-Austria
4-Belgium
5-Brazil
6-Canada
7-Chile
8-China
9-Colombia
10-Czech Rep
11-Denmark
12-Egypt
13-Finland
14-France
15-Germany
16-Greece
17-Hungary
18-India
19-Indonesia
20-Iran
21-Ireland
22-Israel
23-Italy
24-Japan
25-Malaysia
26-Mexico
27-Netherlands
28-New Zealand
29-Norway
30-Pakistan
31-Phillipines
32-Poland
33-Portugal
34-Russia
35-Saudi Arabia
36-Singapore
37-South Africa
38-South Korea
39-Spain
40-Sweden
41-Switzerland
42-Taiwan
43-Thailand
44-Turkey
45-United Kingdom
46-United States
47-Venezuela
48-Appendix: Definitions & Terms
For more information please visit:http://www.aarkstore.com/reports/2010-U-S-Scheduled-Air-Transportation-Industry-Report-37308.html
PH.NO. 919272852585
The glamorous industrial powerhouse
Sao Paulo is the world’s third largest city and the largest in South America. Described as a “concrete jungle” the city is in constant growth, particularly upwards. The fast-paced cosmopolitan metropolis may not be the prettiest of cities, but offers it plenty of glamour and tons of South American flair. There’s ample to see and do with top-rate nightlife, restaurants and impressive cultural and arts scenes.
As a major business hub, Sao Paulo hosts over 90,000 events every year – largely conventions, conferences, and trade shows accumulating about R$8 billion (US$ 4.5 billion) in revenue for the city each year.
The country’s official language is Portuguese but, with its multi-cultural community, many people also speak English, Spanish, Italian and French. In fact, Brazil is also home to the largest Japanese population outside of Japan. This diverse cultural mix has definitely left an impressive mark on the city’s dining scene.
As in any other big city, it is important to take simple precautions to ensure your safety. Keep your belongings close to you in public places, avoid wearing expensive looking jewelry or watches and don’t carry large sums of money while walking around the city – there are many pickpockets operating in the area.
Getting to and from the airport:
Sao Paulo’s international airport is Guarulhos Airport (locally known as Cumbica), approximately 25 km northeast of the city. Travelers can either take a taxi or a bus to the city center. The cheapest option is to take the airport bus service at R$24 (US$13) per person, which operates dedicated services to the central Tietê Interstate Bus Terminal, Congonhas (the domestic airport) and major hotels. Prepaid taxi fares to the center of Sao Paulo are approx R$66 (US$36). A regular metered taxi can be a little cheaper; unless you get stuck in one of the frequent traffic jams.
Getting around Sao Paulo:
The Metro is the easiest way to get around the central districts of Sao Paulo, although it does not cover the rest of the city. Metro tickets cost approx.R$2.55 (US$1.40) for a single ride. The city’s buses are plentiful and frequent, but unless you know the city the system can be hard to navigate. Routes are usually displayed on the front and sides of the buses and cost approx. R$2.55 (US$1.40). Note that bus drivers generally won’t stop unless you flag them down.
At night, taxis are the safest mode of transport. Owner-driven taxis known as taxi Comun are generally well maintained and reliable, as are radio taxis. Note that fares will increase 25 percent after 8:00 p.m. and on weekends. A tax is also applied to taxis leaving the city. Good radio-taxi companies usually accept credit cards, but you must call ahead and request the service.
Places to visit:
Jahy Carvalho, BCD Travel’s regional sales manager for Latin America, lives in Sao Paulo and recommends a trip to the centrally located Ibirapuera Park – a welcome retreat from the smog-filled chaos of the city. The park has beautiful lakes, fountains, bicycle paths and a Planetarium. The nearby sites of the Bienal, the Museu de Arte Moderne and the Pavilhão da Oca host many of the shows that come to São Paulo.
The Teatro Municipal is located in the Old City Center and is one of the city’s most important cultural landmarks. Made from sandstone and sculpted red marble, with lavishly decorated interiors, the theater plays host to numerous operas, concerts and ballets.
The Pinacoteca do Estado is a beautifully restored museum displaying the works of some of the best Brazilian artists from the 19th and 20th centuries. During the museum’s 1997 renovation, the roof and much of the interior were replaced with glass latticework and open spaces
Visit the Vila Madalena neighborhood, where the main streets are bustling and full of affordable clubs with live music. If you’re into samba (or simply curious about it) then pop into Salve Simpatia, an energetic Rio-style club, where you can watch the crowd from the balcony.
Jahy also recommends the Espirito Santo Bar on Avenida Horácio Lafer, which is a good place for happy hour with a typical São Paulo atmosphere and authentic Portuguese influence.
Where to eat:
The city’s diversity of peoples and cultures has engendered restaurants spanning more than 50 different types of cuisine, making São Paulo a paradise for adventurous, globe-trotting gastronomes. Try the traditional feijoada, a dish made of black beans, pork and dry steak. Wash this down with a caipirinha – a cocktail of sugar, lime and cachaça (distilled sugar liquor).
D.O.M
Rue Barao de Capanema, 549, Jardins
Since opening in 1999, D.O.M. has won all the main contemporary cuisine awards in Brazil and is the first restaurant in South America to be included in the top 50 restaurants of the world. Reknowned Chef Alex Atala creates gastronomical wonders such as the robalo (a fish) served with tapioca and cassava and scallops marinated in coconut milk with a crispy mango chip.
Spot Restaurant
Rua Min. Rocha Azevedo 72
This trendy and hip restaurant offers casual dining. During the daytime you will find mostly business clientele, whereas in the evening the restaurant attracts musicians, models and other celebrity types. The food is très chic: original pasta dishes like penne with melon share menu space with gourmet salads, spicy seafood and exotic vegetarian dishes.
Galeria dos Pães, or Bread Gallery
1645 Rua Estados Unidos;
If you’re feeling the wrath of late night/early morning hunger pangs, then head for the 24-hour food market, which is usually still going strong at breakfast time. Pick up a chicken croquette at the snack bar or try the buffet breakfast in the mezzanine, with fresh orange juice, strong espresso with steamed milk, pastries, cheeses and cold cuts.
Shopping in Sao Paulo:
With more than 50 shopping malls and plazas, numerous artisan fairs and art galleries, plus 42 commercial blocks, São Paulo is a shopper’s paradise. The most popular fashion spots are Centro Atacadista; Rua Oscar Freire, and Bela Cintra which offer haute couture on par with Paris’ Champs-Elysées or Rodeo Drive in the USA. Moving away from the high-end market, you can find street sellers and a Sunday’s Art and Crafts Fair in the city center, offering everything from vintage records to hand beaded flip-flops.
Interview granted to the consulting firm Deloitte for the magazine Mundo Corporativo regarding the preparation of Manaus for the World Cup 2014.
- What is the state of Amazonas doing to prepare itself for the World Cup in 2014? Where are the main efforts concentrated?
Amazonas seeks to prepare itself for the future. The World Cup is an event in this future that we seek. We have a series of actions of improvement of management in this direction, amongst which I will point out:
Implementation of ISO 9000 in agencies of the State Government, at a rate of 10 agencies per year. Professional conscription of managers for positions which require great reliability; searching for better qualifications and experience. Variable remuneration of managers, initially in Education (we base the remuneration of directors of school off of the results of the school in the ENEM on the previous year, for example), followed by Public Security and Health. Establishment of quotas of training for state server, with year to year increments.
These efforts of the management already start to show the first fruits, such as the advancement of the state in the ENEM (it was the third largest improvement of grades of 2006 to 2007), in the area of public security (reduction in the number of homicides of 2006 to 2007), in health (reduction in the number of cases of malaria by more than 40% of 2006 to 2007) and in collections (that have practically folded between 2002 and 2007.) These advances prepare the state for imminent challenges, of which include the World Cup.
This increase in collection, which to a large extent had been due to the good performance of the industrial pole region of Manaus and the combat against the evasion of taxes by the Secretaria da Fazenda (tax collecting agency), has been allowing the State plenty of investment in some priority sectors such as sanitation. Manaus was a city cut by several small rivers, on which thousands lived without infrastructure, amongst filth and disease. The project of sanitation and cleanliness of these rivers, that had already changed this aspect of the city, should be concluded in 2012, opening new ways of transport in the city (with streets along the rivers) and providing better living conditions. Also we have important advancements in Science and Technology, with the state investment in the northern region being larger than the investment of the CNPq. The countryside of Amazonas is the poorest area of the state, but today we have 15 a thousand students in the countryside in superior courses through the State University of Amazonas; this is equivalent to almost 1% of the population where today not even 0.5% have had university instruction.
Finally, today we have the assessments of Deloitte in assisting with the crafting of plans that take care of the enormous amount of requirements of FIFA, joining all the efforts of the state in the direction of showing to FIFA, to the Ministry of the Sports, CBF and Brazil as a whole the merit of Manaus as one of the headquarters. Deloitte has the experience acquired in Germany and South Africa and that is being applied in its fullness in Manaus to show with clarity the qualities that Manaus can offer the Cup.
- What would be the differential of the state in the dispute with others?
The environmental aspect certainly differentiates us. In 2002, we had deforestation of 1.550 km2; in 2007 it was 753 km2, less than half. It is a tax of 0,05% per year, dramatically better than the rest of Brazil and historically better for our state. We did this by a series of governmental actions with an aim to value the uncut forest, which ranges from the establishing of minimum prices for sustainable products (such as rubber, oil of andiroba and copaíba, amongst others) to the payment of the Bolsa Floresta for families in the countryside where there can be no identified deforestation by satellite. The state has a clear strategy of saying “no” to the growth of some economic segments as cattle, soy and sugarcane. We have the conception that strategy requires saying “no” to potential segments to focus on what we want to be: a state of tourism, clean industry and energy, environmental services, use of natural resources with technology and sustainability, and with a strong economy of services.
Moreover, we have in Manaus the economic strength of the state, with the third highest per capita GDP amongst Brazilian capitals, and with low indices of crime. It is a cosmopolitan city, with direct flights to five countries (U.S.A., Panama, Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador), with reputable festivals (of Jazz, Cinema, Opera and Theater beyond the Boi-Bumba in Parintins) and enormous cultural diversity (from the Japanese, to the people from the state of Ceará of the Rubber Battle, to aboriginal peoples, to the English, Arabs and Jews of the rubber circle, amongst many other peoples.)
- Some specialists affirm that one of the main questions is to plan the after-Cup, that is to say, to make sure that investments made in infrastructure are economically viable – for companies and governments – and used to benefit the population. In the case of Amazonas, what is the best way to carry out this task? How can or must this be done? Do you remember any positive example, in Brazil or internationally?
Some of the investments we will need to execute will have long lasting impacts, such as a possible surface metro system. Other investments are directed to back the event, such as the designing of the Stadium and complex, with public areas for entertainment. The requisites of FIFA make many demands that, if to think properly, we would eventually have to make regardless, then one of the important impacts is speeding up the implementation of improvements and, why not, of the future. Our focus today, 6 years before the Cup, is in the investments that are independent from the Cup, but that are essential for its execution. Today, we are working with the team of Deloitte to identify other investments we can pursue in such a way to meet the requirements of the FIFA as well as improve the living conditions in Amazonas.
Travel to Brazil is like being in perpetual motion. It’s up to you… dancing samba at the world famous Carnival in Rio de Janeiro or experiencing capoeira on the beach with music that evokes its African fight-dancing origins. The musical rhythm is transported into sports…playing volleyball on the beach or watching a football match at Maracana stadium can be more than a sport and become an eternal dance. The pace of Brazil is unique and deep, earning the title given by some as the sexiest and most vibrant nation on the planet, a magnet that attracts thousands of visitors every year.
Brazil’s natural wealth is felt in all directions. The vast wealth of the Brazilian Amazon passes through its economic center of Manaus. The city is the door to the Amazon basin, attracting visitors from throughout the world on an Amazon River cruise or to one of several Amazon lodges into the surrounding jungle. A great diversity of wildlife can even be found on the edge of Manaus, home to a variety of rare animals, such as the Pied tamarin, an endangered primate.
Straddling Brazil’s border with Bolivia and Paraguay, the Pantanal is the world’s largest freshwater wetland, a Texas-sized seasonally flooded plain drained by the tributaries of the Paraguay River. About 80 percent of the Pantanal is in Brazil. In the wet season (Nov-Apr), rivers swell and spill over to cover vast alluvial plain for months. As the waters recede (from May onwards), the land begins to dry and the situation slowly reverses. In winter (Jun-Aug), temperatures can fall at night, however the summers are hot and humid. The annual floods, fed by tropical rains, create a giant nursery for aquatic life, including 260 species of fish, from the giant pintado to the tiny, voracious piranha. The receding waters attract a great influx of birds and other animals – one of the hemisphere’s greatest natural phenomena. Over 650 bird species have been spotted, including the hyacinth macaw, jabiru stork, plumbeous ibis, both blue-throated and red-throated piping guans, rhea, toucans, cuarasow and roseate sponbill, making birding in the Pantanal a must. Another impressive sight is the jacaré (Yacare Caiman), a tame relative to the alligator.
After a tour of Rio de Janerio, follow the Route of Gold as it rambles along rugged mountains from the beautifully preserved colonial gold mining towns of Ouro Preto and São João del Rei to the ancient seaport of Paraty. This bounty of gold provided the wealth to build the royal colonial seat of Rio de Janeiro as well as the Old World capital, Lisbon. The richest deposits of gold ever found in the Americas even financed England’s Industrial Revolution!
Traveling around this country is more than just sightseeing in Brazil! It is having a time to smell every tropical flower and caipirinha in hand, get to know the warm-hearted Brazilian people!
Select one of pre-designed Brazil tours or a custom tour of Brazil and all South America travel! For more information you can visit our online resource at Southamerica.travel
Brazilians always spoke fondly of their country as the Land of the Future. They felt God endowed them with endless resources that one day would make them a prosperous and powerful nation.
Brazil is a giant of South America. Its population of 190 million people is the fifth largest in the world. In area, Brazil is also the fifth largest in world.
So, for decades, God’s endowed country of the future never materialized.
During the 80’s and 90’s, Brazil had earning the dismal distinction of being the Third World’s largest debtor nation. The country was unable to generate enough funds just to pay the interest charges on its debt load, and was borrowing heavily just to stay afloat.
In 2002, amid a great financial turbulence caused by the Argentinean meltdown, Brazil went to the polls. The International Financial community was nervous about the possibility that a Lula victory would result in a default of the country’s foreign debt. And his opponents warned his lack of education and English language skills would be ruinous for Brazil’s diplomatic stature.
By 2006, Brazil paid off its IMF loans. In 2007, it won coveted investment grade ratings. In 2008, it became a net foreign creditor for the first time and, in 2009, it pledged to lend the IMF $10 billion dollars.
It is a magical transformation that have occurred in Brazil over the last 6 years when the country was on the edge of debt default. Today, Brazil is the preferred destination for international investors. In 2008, productive foreign investment rose to a record of US$ 45.1 billion, second only to China among developing countries.
Brazil – Emerging Economic Superpower
As the old joke goes, Brazil is the country of the future — and always will be. Now, in the middle of the worst global downturn for decades, Brazil is now a country of the moment. Despite a little downturn in the last two quarters, the Brazilian economy is giving big signals of recovery, as can be seen from public investment, foreign capital inflows and even domestic demand.
Brazil is now the tenth largest economy in the world. Its economy rests
on strong fundamentals: inflation at 5% annually, sustainable and fiscal stability, with a primary federal budget surplus of 4.1% of GDP in 2008.
According to Lula, Brazil will be one of the six biggest economies in the world within 10 years.
Brazil’s positive trade balance and the flow of productive investment have contributed to building foreign currency reserves, which reached US$ 206.8 billion at the end of 2008.
In 2007, Brazil launched the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC). There are 2,198 infrastructure projects planned in the areas of transportation, energy, sanitation, housing, health and water resources. This program will continue to bolster the Brazilian economy during the world economic crisis.
Sam Zell, chief executive of Chicago Tribune and chairman and president of Equity Group Investments LLC, said Brazil’s large population of 180 million people, highly-trained work force, and array of crops and natural resources has made it largely self-sufficient.
The World’s Fifth Largest Automobile Market
New car sales in Brazil have risen four out of the past five months, making the world’s fifth largest automobile market, even as makers elsewhere face plunging demand.
Many Brazilians auto manufacturers’ officials said they expect to move forward with planned investments over the next four years, including new plants, new auto lines and renovations.
The World’s Fourth Largest Manufacturer of Aircraft
Renowned for its technological capacity and creativity, the Brazilian aerospace industry today is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and competes in various segments of the world market. Embraer, one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world, for example, is the leader in regional aircraft with up to 120 seats, in addition to producing aircraft parts.
Brazil Becomes The Breadbasket of the World
It’s no exaggeration to say that Brazil is becoming the world’s agriculture superpower. With modern, efficient and competitive, Brazilian agribusiness is prosperous,
safe and profitable. One of the few countries self sufficient in food and one of the world largest food exporters.
With 12% of all fresh water in the world, regular rainfall, abundant sunshine and more arable land than any other country, Brazil has the potential to practically triple its current grain production.
For decades the only major export from this country was coffee. Today, Brazil is the number one exporter of beef, poultry, soybeans, sugar, tropical fruits, coffee and orange juice. It’s also one of the world’s top producers of corn, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, and forest products. It also ranks as a leader in foreign sales of beef, chicken meat and tobacco.
79% of Brazilian food production is consumed domestically and 21% is shipped to over
212 foreign markets.
The world’s largest agricultural firms all have operations in Brazil.
Brazil Becomes An Ethanol Superpower
In the 70’s, Brazil introduced the Alcohol Program The 100-percent-ethanol-powered engines was crucial for the development of the domestic ethanol market, the world’s largest for decades. Today, one-fifth of the Brazilian fleet runs purely on ethanol, and Brazil is the sole frontrunner in the races for oil-independence and the green alternative to oil. The country is now the world’s second largest producer, and largest exporter of ethanol and also a world reference in developing renewable energy sources.
Ethanol has 90 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline — partly because cane absorbs the carbon dioxide while it grows in the fields
The demand for ethanol in Brazil is set to increase by 37%: 27 billion liters in 2008 and 37 billion liters in 2015
Brazil is a pioneer in the development of “flex fuel” technology, launched in 2003, which allows cars to run on gas and ethanol in any proportion. Brazilian excellence in the production of ethanol has made large companies comfortable in developing technology that uses biofuel. Currently, ten multinational carmakers produce more than 100 different models of flex fuel cars in Brazil, which has given the country the distinction of having the largest fleet of flex fuel cars in the world.
The Third Largest Biodiesel Market in the World
Brazil is also the third largest producer and consumer of biodiesel in the world. The National Program for the Production and Use of Biodiesel (PNPB), established in 2004, provides for a mandatory and gradual addition of alternative fuels to diesel. The dynamism of this market in Brazil allowed the initial substitution of 2%, in force since January 2008, which was later increased to 3% in July, requiring the production of 1.1 billion liters. The law stipulates a 5% mixture by 2013, which will stimulate new investments in production and an increase in productivity.
Brazil Becomes An Oil Superpower
They say “God is a Brazilian.” Brazil’s long awaited divine intervention just happened last year with major oil discovered located in sedimentary basins, around 6,000 meters beneath the surface of the ocean.
Brazil will now be among the biggest producers of oil and gas in the world.
The country is at the technological vanguard of deep water production and exploration of petroleum and natural gas reserves.
Petrobras will invest US$ 174.4 billion in the next four years, in the exploration of petroleum and natural gas and the construction of new refineries, among other projects.
This will be a huge boon to Brazil. Oil is one of the most valuable resources the world has to offer, and combined with all the other resources possessed by Brazil, the country is well positioned to become one of the world’s next superpowers.
Lula, The Man Behind Brazil’s Miraculous Transformation.
“His charisma and his ability to mobilize the poor have been remarkable,” said Kenneth Maxwell, director of the Brazil Studies Program at the Centre for Latin American Studies at Harvard University.
“That’s my man right here,” President Obama said at the G-20 summit as Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva approached him. “Love this guy. He’s the most popular politican on earth. It’s because of his good looks.”
“The banks love Lula, and business gets along with him quite well,” says David Fleischer, a political analyst and professor emeritus at the University of Brasilia.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, nickname Lula, is the 35th and current President of Brazil.
Having run for President three times unsuccessfully since 1989 election, Lula achieved victory in 2002, and was inaugurated as President on January 1st, 2003. He was elected again in 2006, extenting his term as President until January 1st 2011.
His administration respected Fernando Henrique Cardoso, his predecessor, achievements that turned Brazil one of emerging economies and part of the BRIC group.
Lula put social programs at the top of his agenda. Lula’s leading program since very early on has been a campaign to eradicate hunger, following the lead of projects already put into practice by the Fernando Henrique administration, but expanded as Fome Zero (Zero Hunger).
The largest program is called Bolsa Família, adapted from Fernando Henrique Cardoso administration, are credited with helping millions eat and keep a roof over their heads. The subsidies require that children attend school and receive their vaccinations.
Extreme poverty has been cut in half, and 20 million have advanced to the middle class.
During his second term, Lula has approval ratings of over 70%, earning him praise from US President Barack Obama as “the most popular politician in the world.
John Santos – john.santos@live.com
Most people would agree that failure is difficult to accept. It is even more difficult when one’s financial world collapses as well. But perhaps the most difficult is to rise from the ashes of failure and achieve success. Musicians, actors, actresses and businessmen have all done this. However, Emerson Fittipaldi, a racecar driver from Brazil also accomplished this feat. Fittipaldi was born into a racing family. His father, Wilson, had raced motorbikes and carts, and was a famous motor racing journalist in Brazil. As a young boy, Emerson worked with his older brother, Wilson Jr., building karts and racing them.
Emerson (Emmo) believed that to achieve a career in motorsport he would need to relocate to England so he left his home and journeyed to London in 1969. Here he met Jim Russell, a racing school owner, who was impressed by Emmo’s smooth and controlled driving. Emmo started driving in Formula 3 and won. By 1970 he had moved into Formula 1. In 1972 Emmo won the Formula 1 championship, the youngest driver to ever accomplish this. He also worked to improve F! car and track safety. While racing in the Spanish Grand Prix, he braked his car at the end of the first lap to complain about dangerous track conditions. Later in the same race another driver’s car spun off the track and killed four spectators.
At the end of the 1975 season, with the road to stardom stretched out ahead of him, Emmo made the decision that would lead to his downfall. He left his racing team and joined a start-up team that had been organized by his older brother, Wilson, Jr. with the backing of the Brazilian sugar industry. However, their cars were undependable and Emmo’s winning record plummeted. He retired from the European circuit in 1980 to manage the family team but it folded in 1982. Heavily in debt he returned to Brazil to try to recoup his financial losses. At this time he had driven in 144 Grand Prix and won 14.
However, although through hard work he was able to pull out of his financial doldrums, he still yearned to race. So in 1984, rather than returning to Europe Emmo decided to try his skill in the United States and joined the American Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) Indy-Car. His first race was the Long Beach Grand Prix and he finished fifth. At first he was not well received by American fans who made fun of him when he came to the Indianapolis 500 in a pink car. However, Emmo won the CART championship in 1989 and won the Indy 500 in 1989 and again in 1993. The young man from Brazil had climbed back up the ladder of racing success, but not for long.
In 1996 Emmo crashed on the Michigan International Speedway. He survived the collision but was nearly completely paralyzed and decided to retire from racing. Then in 1997 he was injured again, this time in a small plane crash. He was fortunate to regain movement in his legs. And he was alive while many of his friends had died on the track. He still maintains a connection with racing through his various business ventures.
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