Geographical Position of Brazil
Brazil is situated on the South American continent. It is washed by the Atlantic Ocean from the east. It borders on French Guiana, Surinam, Guyana, Venezuela in the north; on Columbia, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina in the west and on Uruguay in the south. Brazil occupies almost half of South America. The area of the country is 8 511 965 km2. The population of the country is 150 368 000.
The capital of the country is Brasilia. The population of the capital with suburbs is over 1 568 000 people. The other big cities of Brazil are Sâo Paulo 16 832 000; Rio de Janeiro 11 141 000; Belo Horizonte 3 446 000. The best industrial cities are Sâo Paulo and Rio de Janeiro as well as some of the best Brazil’s farmland and mineral-producing areas. Official language of the country is Portuguese. For exporting abroad the country produces the following goods: coffee, soy beans, fruit, iron, and steel, and vehicles. Under the rule of its federal government the country’s GNP is 2550 US dollars per capita.
The
surface of Brazil has three main regions. The Amazon River basin in
the north contains lowland, jungle and highlands, and the world’s
biggest rainforest with over 40 000 plant varieties known. In the
northeast is fertile costal plain. And in the east and south
plateaus and hills are known for their poor soil. The highest point
of the country Neblina is in the northwest close to the border with
Venezuela. It is 3 014 m high. There are many rivers. Most of them
are the arms of the Amazon which is the biggest in the country and
one of the biggest rivers in the world. The Amazon and other
Brazilian rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean. One of the most
amazing things in Brazil are the Igacu Falls on the border with
Argentina. Every 24 hours with the raw of a starting space rocket
about 1 billion tons of the Parana waters fall down from the 72
metres height. The width of the Falls is 4 kilometres. It is almost
impossible to come close to the Falls because of the mighty air
wave.
Igacu Falls
Exercise 9. Using the map and the information given below describe orally geographical position of Brazil with a help of the following key-word plan:
Brazil
Area: 3 286 488 sq. miles
(8 511 965 km2)
Population: 150 368 000
Capital: Brasilia (pop. with suburbs
1 568 000)
Other cities: Sâo Paulo 16 832 000;
Rio de Janeiro 11 141 000;
Belo Horizonte 3 446 000
Highest point: Neblina 9 888 ft. (3 014 m)
Official language: Portuguese
Religion: Christianity
Currency: Cruzeiro
Main exports: Coffee, soya beans,
fruit, iron, and steel, vehicles
Government: Multiparty federal republic
Per capita GNP: U.S. $2550
Key-word plan:
1. ... is situated on ...
... is washed by ... from ...
3... borders on ... in ...
The area of the country is ... square kilometers.
The capital of the country is ...
The state language(s) is (are) ...
The highlands are in the ...
The highest mountain is ...
It is ... meters high.
The lowlands are ...
along the coast
in the west/south/east/north
in the central part of the country
There are many/a few/no rivers in the country.
The longest river is ...
It is … km long.
It flows into the ...
There are many/a few/no lakes in ...
The biggest lake is ...
It is ... square kilometers.
The water in it is warm/cold/fresh/salt.
For exporting abroad the country produces the following goods:
Under the rule of its … government the country’s GNP is … US dollars per capita.
Exercise 10. Using the geographical map and the information given about a country describe orally geographical position of it with a help of the key-word plan given above (See Student’s Individual Task: Unit 1., Part 1., Ex. 1.)
Exercise 11. In a form of a round table ask each other questions about geographical position of the following countries:
Belgium [’beldჳəm], China [’t∫ainə], Egypt [’i:dჳipt], Finland [’finlənd], Greece [gri:s], Libya [’libiə], the Netherlands [ðə ’neðələndz], Poland [’pəulənd], Pakistan [‚pa:ki’sta:n], Spain [spein], Sweden [’swi:dn], Tanzania [‚tænzə’niə]
Where is … situated in/on?
What seas … is washed by?
What countries does … border on?
What is the area of …?
What is the population of …?
What is the capital of …?
Are there any lowlands in …? Where are they?
Are there any highlands in …? Where are they?
What is the highest mountain in …?
Are there any deserts in …? Where are they?
Are there any rivers in …? What river is the longest?
Are there any lakes in …? What lake is the biggest?
What are the main exports of …?
What is the amount of GNP per capita in …?