The name Brazil comes from Pau Brasil. There are around 145 million people living in Brazil, most of them near the coast. The population is growing rapidly and half of all Brazilians are under the age of 20. By the end of the century, it is estimated that Brazil"s population will have reached 180 million. Brazil borders on ten other Latin American countries. Most of the northern part of Brazil is low-lying and veined by the mighty Amazon River and its tributaries. The Amazon is the largest river in the world. The native peoples of Brazil lived in the forests...
in search of better facilities.

Other problems that must be faced are the increasing gap between rich and poor, the huge international debt, and the need to redistribute land so that the majority of the population can benefit. However, in many ways Brazil is a very fortunate country, and compared with many others, it can look forward to an exciting 21st century. Backed by is enormous natural resources, it is well placed to become a leading industrial and political force. It has also shown that is well aware of its responsibility to look after the environment for future generations.