Modern Brazil began in 1500 when it was discovered and claimed by the Portuguese.  The Portuguese came across this land by mistake as they were trying to find a new route to India!  Prior to European settlement Brazil was inhabited by native people who are believed to be decedents of the original people who migrated across the ice bridge between modern day Russia and Alaska, then gradually populated North, Central and South America.

The land area of Brazil is over 8.5 million km², which is 47% of Latin America’s landmass and fifth largest in the world.  It is populated by approximately 186 million people, some of whom are decedents of the original native people.  Many backgrounds come together in Brazil; being Portuguese, Italian, German and Japanese predominantly and slaves who were brought in from West Africa. 

The first settlers from Europe were exporters of Brazil Wood from which red dye was extracted and produced.  The settlers also produced sugar, and soon Brazil became the world’s largest producer of sugar, they also abundantly grew other crops such as; coffee, cocoa and bananas.  These affluent farmers imported 3 – 4 million West Africans as slave labor to help produce these crops, slavery ceased in 1888.

Brazil co-operated with the Allies during WWI and WWII. As a result of these wars Brazil took in many migrants.  Original migrants had populated the coastal area and up the large navigable rivers and basically left the interior uninhabited this is because of the dense cerrado which literally translated means "closed and inaccessible".  However in the 1960’s due to overcrowding in some of the large impoverished coastal cities the government decided to push migration inland and out of the huge cities.  The political capital Brasilia which was designed in the 1880’s was built in the late 1960’s as a sign of inland migration.  Since then thousands of kilometers of new roads and rail have been constructed to push further into the frontier, opening up new tracts of land to migrants.  Brazil took advantage of its abundant natural and environmental resources.  Mining and logging of forests, initially and then agriculture all brought migrants by the tens of thousands from the cities into the newly developing interior.  The population distribution is approximately 80% urban, 20% rural and density is approximately 22 people per square kilometer. 

Brazil has a history of high inflation, and low valued currency.  This is now under control with a current rate of inflation of around 6% and $1 Real = $0.444 USD (February 09).  The rates are not a get rich over night scenario however in this globalised world it is essential to take advantage of all the positive features available for any business to be successful. 

Brazil is a member of MERCOSUR and uses this trade agreement to supply other South American and European nations that were previously non-trading partners of Brazil. 

Brazil has 7 of the world’s largest automobile manufacturers producing vehicles for the South American market.  Brazil has a major aeronautics industry, which works in conjunction with the European Space Agency.  Also Brazil is a major producer of textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, pulp and paper and is the world’s largest producer of iron ore.

58% of Brazil’s area is in forest, 22% pasture, 6% crops and the other 14% is of land including such things as towns and water etc.  With current development trends these proportions will be changing rapidly in the near future.  Brazil has 8 major river systems, which carry approximately 20% of the world’s fresh water.  It has the largest rainforest in the world, located in the Amazon basin.  In 2003 Brazil sold more than 1800 different agricultural products to 209 markets throughout the world.  Agribusiness accounted for 34% of Brazils GDP and employed 37% of the countries workforce.  The 2005 GDP per capita was $7600 USD, of the population 20% of the people own 90% of the total land area.

In 2009 Brazil is as advanced as most of the “developed world” in some sectors.  The B in Brazil is also the B in “BRIC” which identifies Brazil,Russia, India and China as important future markets. With further development of infrastructure internally, and sustained agricultural growth it is reasonable to conclude that Brazil in the next few years is going to become a true super power of the world.