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Brazil   Why children in Brazil need your helpBrazil is one of the world's largest democracies and, in more recent years, has had a steadily growing economy. However, the country's development has been hampered by high inflation and foreign dept, meaning the government has spent little on improving the lives of Brazil's children.
Education is also a major issue for children living in economically undeveloped regions, and although Brazil is on the way to achieving universal primary education, many children leave school without being taught basic skills. This has a dramatic impact on their employment options and limits their opportunities for escaping poverty. Country factsBrazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest and most populous country in Latin America. Brazil became an independent nation in 1822 following three centuries of rule under the Portuguese, and then became a republic in 1899. A large proportion of Brazil's population lives along the coastline in large urban centres and the inner continental land has large demographical empty spaces. Brazil has a predominately tropical climate and is traversed by the Equator and Tropic of Capricorn lines. It is home to extensive natural resources, including oil, gold and iron ore.
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There is a wide gap
between rich and poor, and a third of the population live in
slums in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. Around 12
million children live in Brazil's semi-arid region, which
includes some of the country's most impoverished states. In these
areas, infant mortality rates and literacy are significantly
below the national average.
