Brazil People

Brazil people and their ethnic origins

When we speak of the Brazil people and the Brazil culture, only the weather could be considered warmer and more radiant, than this nation of fun-loving people.

As we have already established, Brazil is a massive country, its inhabitants having largely descended from both colonial and post colonial Portuguese settlers, Brazil's indigineous people and African slaves. All of whom have played a role in shaping Brazil's history.

In addition to the Portuguese, - Spanish, French and Dutch explorers came to Brazil's shores. A combination of social and political factors in Europe during the late 19C and early 20C, saw an influx of other immigrants from a number of European countries to Brazil. These immigrants found the Brazilian population most welcoming. These countries include:

  • Spain
  • Germany
  • Poland
  • Japan
  • Russia
  • Italy
  • Syria
  • Japan
  • Lebanese

    As you can see, the Brazil people on a whole comprise a mix of diverse ethnic backgrounds, which over time, has fused into a multi-racial society as well as on an individual level; all of this is clearly reflected in Brazilian traditions, Brazilian celebrations and its festivals.

    Demography of Brazil people

    In general, the population of Brazil is concentrated mainly along the coastal areas of the country. Small settlements of indigenous people are primarily situated in Brazil's interior, where the land may been considered inhospitable by the average person.

    White Brazil people make-up roughly half the population, with the remaining fifty percent comprising of a mix of Black people, Asian people, multi-racial mixed-race and people of other ethnic backgrounds.

    The descendants of more recent European immigrants, populate mainly the Southern parts of Brazil, - states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Parana and Sao Paulo, whereas most of the white population in the rest of the country are decendants of portuguese settlers. In the mid-southern states of Rio de Janeiro, Espirito Santo, Minas Gerais, Goias, Mato Grosso do Sul and in the Federal District of Brasilia, the White population is near enough equal to that of Afro-Brazilian and mixed-race people of Brazil.

    When you go on your brazil travel Northeast, you will note there is a higher concentration of Black and mixed-race people on the coast. This region saw by far, the largest mass of African people who were imported to the coast as slaves to work the sugarcane cotton and tobacco plantations.

    The semi-arid interior country regions is predominantly of White and Amerindian-European mixed people. The majority of Black or mixed race people in this interior region are the decendants of freed African slaves.

    Social class structure of the people of Brazil

    When you consider the ethnic make-up of the Brazilian population, it is hardly surprising that social class division as opposed to racial division is the reality being experienced by the less finacially well off sections of people in Brazil society.

    This social class structure in Brasil, which presents a clear distinction between the 'haves and the have not's, is pronounced. It is estimated that approximately 20% of the Brazil population is considered to be living in poverty.

    The people of Brazil northeast coast who are considered poorer in the financial sense, tend to populate small fishing communities. However, under the new administration led by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brasil is experiencing strong economic growth year on year and things are set to improve drastically, with the government embracing the concept of Brazil tourism in terms of foreign currency, job creation and the development of this sector.

    In addition to this, the discovery of oil just off the Brazil coast in 2007 means that for the poorer people of Brazil, this new found wealth indicate that things can only get better.

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