BRAZIL, THE ECONOMIC CENTRE OF SOUTH AMERICA
ONE OF THE 10 BIGGEST CONSUMER MARKETS OF THE WORLD
Brazil Today
With a population of over 184 million inhabitants, Brazil is among the one of the principal economies of the world, occupying 12th position in the economic ranking, and an annual GDP of US$ 605 billions, according to studies of the consulting company GRC Visão.
The Brazilian productive activity should reach historic numbers by the end of 2005, with a positive commercial balance of more than US$ 112 billions. This is due to the increasing volume of purchases from the international market for essential products, showing that the country grows as a whole with manufactured goods (machinery and equipment for industry) and the basics (agriculture), responsible for the growth of exports.
Investment in the country should be 30% above the expected, which was projected at US$ 300 billions at the beginning of this year. This number should close at around about US$ 390 billions in investments.
• Brazil has half the population of the South American territory;
• The Brazilian GDP is the equivalent of half the total of the other South American countries put together.
Brazil in the world of numbers:
• The largest exporter of coffee, orange juice, sugar, ethanol, soybeans, beef and chicken;
• The largest producer and exporter of iron ore;
• 1st placed in the production of sugar cane;
• 2nd biggest producer of resin;
• 2nd largest producer of soybeans;
• 4th largest fleet of helicopters in the world;
• 3rd manufacturer of televisions;
• 4th airplane manufacturer;
• 5th largest manufacturer of machines and equipment
• 6th largest producer of cosmetics, with US$ 9 billions of annual sales;
• 8th producer of steel and software;
• 9th world vehicle manufacturer with 30 million vehicles in circulation;
• 10th largest consumer of machinery and equipment in the world;
• Is home for 44 of 50 greatest multinationals and 225 of 500 largest Latin American companies;
• Paved roads: Approximately 170 thousand km;
• Dirt roads: More than1,5 thousand km;
• Railways: 42.000 km;
• There are 44 ports within the national territory with 6 in the northern region, 13 in the north east, 13 in the south west, 10 in the south and 2 in the centre west. According to the Ministry for the Navy, there are 62 thousand workers in the sector;
• Inflation 2006: forecast 5,0%;
• Profit with foreign trade: US$ 115 billions (estimate of the ministry for Development, Industry and Foreign Trade);
• Foreign Exchange Reserve: US$96.5 billions;
• More than 7,1 thousand businesses are certified by the National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (INMETRO);
• More than 95% of children between the ages of 7 and 14 are at school;
• Cities: 5.561;
• Brazil is the 3rd PC market in the world. The amount of equipment sold is only less than the USA and China.
City of São Paulo
One of the principle business centres of Latin America
The capital of the State of São Paulo, motor of the Brazilian economy, is the great thermometer of growth in the country, with its monthly creation of an average of 50 thousand jobs, coming from its strong industrial base and its modern and well equipped service area.
Apart from the economic factor, the greatest metropolis of Latin America is outstanding for its gastronomy with 12 thousand restaurants - representing 46 different culinary types, an ample cultural life and the realization of large business fairs.
The city is home to around 92 thousand events per year, with an impressive average of 1 event every 12 minutes. Of the 170 large fairs held in the country, around 140 are organized in the city, each one creating 5 thousand direct and indirect jobs on average and involving 55 different sectors of the economy.
Almost 1, 5 million people disembark annually at the city’s airports, and in the majority of cases, visiting to do business.