Hose assessment of natural conditions and resources of brazil. Brazil: Natural Resources. Brazilian minerals and industry

Brazil is one of the richest in natural resources countries in the world. Brazilian nature extremely diverse: in the south of the country, the pampas prevail (steppes of the southeastern part South America), along the entire Atlantic coast, the unique biome of the Atlantic Forest (tropical rainforests) in the world, savannas in Central Brazil, in the West - the pantanal (the largest wetland in the world), in the Northeast - caatinga (semi-desert), and in the North - the famous Amazon (the largest forest area on the planet, where 1/5 of the resources are concentrated fresh water on the ground).

The extraordinary biodiversity of Brazil's nature and its natural resources is confirmed by the following figures: out of 1.4 million known living organisms that inhabit our planet, one in every ten is found in Brazil. About 35% of primates, 11% of birds, 37% of reptiles and 61% of amphibians on Earth live in Brazil. This is due to the geographical location of the country, its climate and huge scale territory.

It is worth noting that Brazil is one of the countries in which protection environment is an important part of government policy and Everyday life Brazilians. Separate waste collection, fines for garbage thrown on the streets (in Rio de Janeiro), caring for animals, everyday environmental habits (such as turning off the tap when brushing your teeth), using paper from farmed forests, etc. in Brazil are very common. It is not for nothing that it is here, in Rio de Janeiro, that the largest UN International Forum on Sustainable Development is held every 20 years (Rio-92, Rio + 20 in 2012). Brazil is one of the top sellers in the emissions trading market.

Savannah in Brazil, or, as it is called here, serrado, occupies the territory of the central part of the country. More than 2.5 thousand plant species are found in the savannah of Brazil. This biome is characterized by low trees with crooked and thick barked branches, located in isolation or in small groups. Since the Brazilian savannah has poor soils (red and abundant in aluminum), trees develop deep roots that can reach 15m and in which they store water during the rainy season.

In the savannas of Central Brazil

Brazil is a large country with a rich list of natural resources. Brazil's geographic location helps the country to afford minimal imports of foreign goods. Brazil really has a lot of its forests, reservoirs and minerals. Let's consider the wealth of the Brazilian state in more detail.

Fresh water reserves

The Amazon River flows through Brazil. It is the largest in the country and contains strategic reserves of fresh water.

The state's hydropower reserves can be estimated at 120 million kWh. This figure is not too large in relation to the area of ​​the country, the Brazilian government is working to increase the number of hydroelectric power plants.

There are almost no lake reservoirs in these territories. On the other hand, other large rivers are successfully replenishing the country's fresh stocks.

Land wealth

The Brazilian state is located in several climatic zones... Agriculture is well developed there.

Brazilians can boast of the cultivation of sugarcane, coffee and traditional cocoa. There are also many fruits and vegetables on agricultural land, which, thanks to the climate, ripen almost all year round... Grain reserves in the country are quite impressive.

Only 20% of the land is allocated for agricultural needs in the state. But even this percentage is enough to get excellent yields.

Brazilian forests

Russia is the leader in the amount of forest resources, but Brazil is the second country in the world with more forests than anywhere else in the world.

Equatorial forests cover 5 million square kilometers in Brazil. In addition, a fourth of all plant species known to science grows on the territory of the state..

The state produces not only sugar from sugar cane. Ethanol is successfully produced from it, which is used as automobile fuel. So the Brazilians cover a fifth of society's need for their own fuel.

Natural resources

The country's mineral resources include the following:

  • Manganese ore;
  • Iron ore;
  • Bauxite;
  • Zinc ore;
  • Uranus;
  • Tantalum;
  • Nickel;
  • Tungsten;
  • Zinc;
  • And much more.

In the southern states of the state, impressive reserves of gold are hidden underground. Emeralds, sapphires and diamonds are also mined in Brazil.

alternative energy

In Brazil, in addition to standard methods of generating energy, solar energy is also being actively developed. Wind farms are also regularly built on Brazilian soil. While these directions are in initial stage developments, but are already being actively implemented in large centers of the state.

Brazil is a sunny and multicultural country capable of providing its citizens with all the resources they need to live. Natural values ​​are also harvested on its territories, which are successfully exported to neighboring states.

Mineral, water, recreational resources Brazil

Together with the Russian Federation, the USA, Canada, China and Australia, Brazil is among the group of countries with the largest reserves of minerals. It is known that Brazil has the richest, although not yet well explored, mineral deposits. Brazil's iron ore reserves are estimated at 48 billion tons, of which 18 billion are found in the Karajas mountain range, in the eastern Amazon in the state of Para. The Karazhas field has been in operation since 1985. The iron ore reserves found to date in Brazil will be sufficient to satisfy the demands of the entire world community for this type of natural resources in the next 100 years (taking into account the current level and the planned growth rates). In addition to iron ore, Brazil has found reserves of manganese ores (208 billion tons), 2 billion tons of bauxite, 53 million tons of nickel, the amount of which may increase to 400 million tons. The importance of has also recently confirmed the presence of a large uranium ore deposit - 265 thousand tons, with a high uranium content (1.3%) in the states of Minas, Gerais and Goias. Brazil has reserves of potassium, phosphates, tungsten (which is used in the smelting of strong grades of steel), cassiterite (tin ore), lead, graphite, chromium, gold, zirconium and the rare radioactive mineral thorium. Several large oil fields have been discovered in Brazil (Basia dos Campos, Basia dos Santos), which are estimated at 2-2.5 billion barrels, coal - 21 billion tons.

Brazil has one seventh of the world's forest resources. Most of the forests are concentrated in the Amazon and the Atlantic coastal zone. The development of the timber industry is hampered by a poorly developed transport infrastructure.

Brazil is one of the world's largest manufacturers precious stones such as diamonds, aquamarines, topaz, amethysts, tourmalines and emeralds.

Brazil has one of the longest water systems in the world, which includes eight river basins (water resources). The Amazon and Tocantins-Araguaya basins, in the north, account for 56% of all water resources country. The Amazon is the largest river in the world in terms of water volume and the second longest (6.577 km) after the Nile, with 3.615 km of it flowing through Brazil. Over 3.885 km. the river is navigable, allowing ocean-going ships to enter the Peruvian port of Iquitos. The Parana-Paraguay river system covers the southwestern part of the state of Minas Gerais, and extends further south. Merging with the Argentine Rio da Prata, in the Buenos Aires region, this system reaches the Atlantic Ocean. The Uruguay River, also part of the Prat Basin, flows through the two southernmost states of Brazil. São Francisco is the largest river system in the country, entirely within its borders. Its length until it flows into Atlantic Ocean equal to 1.609 km. Like the rivers Parana and Tocantins, it originates in the Central Highlands. In the upper reaches, the river is navigable for small-tonnage vessels. Navigation for large-tonnage vessels is open only for 277 km. in the lower reaches of the river.

The concept of constructing real resort areas has not yet found its application (recreational resources). The tourist complex is limited to a few large and expensive hotels in Rio de Janeiro, mountain resorts in Minas Gerais. Major entertainment centers are located in city centers or nearby. The number of foreign tourists visiting Brazil lags far behind the number of local tourists. Brazilians travel around the country by road, although air transport is in high demand during vacations and vacations.

The indigenous inhabitants of Brazil had already firmly settled on these lands, when in 1500 the navigator Cabral Pedro Alvaris landed on the coast of the country, thus laying the foundation for many years of Portuguese rule. Portuguese settlers built cities along the coast and then began to advance inland. They set up huge sugarcane plantations, for which slaves were brought from Africa to work. Over two centuries, more than 4 million black slaves were brought to Brazil. In 1807, the French emperor Napoleon brought his troops to Portugal. In 1808, Prince Regent Don Juan (since 1816 - King João IV) fled to Brazil, where he founded an empire. He returned to his homeland in 1821, leaving Brazil under the rule of his son Pedro. V next year Pedro declared the Brazilian Empire independent state... In 1889, the royal family had to flee the country to escape the persecution of wealthy landowners caused by the abolition of slavery. The Brazilian Republic, founded in 1889, flourished for 40 years. This period of prosperity ended in 1929 with the outbreak of world economic crisis... Since then, the country has changed several governments, including the military. The last military government resigned in 1985, and a civilian government came to power again. In the same year, the law on democratic presidential elections was passed.

The benefits of the economic and geographical location of Brazil are determined by:

the possibility of developing international relations with neighboring countries Latin America;

the possibility of developing intercontinental communications due to access to the Atlantic Ocean.

the coastal position of the country.

proximity to the United States, but at the same time a great distance from other regions.

Brazil's sea border is the Atlantic Ocean. And the major ports are: Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Ithaca, Tuburan.

Climate and geological structure of Brazil

The Amazonian lowland lies in the equatorial and subequatorial climates. The temperature all year round is 24 - 28C, precipitation is 2500 - 3500 mm per year. The Amazon River is the largest in the world in terms of basin size (7.2 million sq. Km) and water content. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers - Marañon and Ucayali. The length of the Amazon from the source of Marañon is 6400 km, and from the source of Ucayali - more than 7000 km. The Amazon flows into the Atlantic Ocean, forming the world's largest delta (over 100 thousand sq. Km) and funnel-shaped mouths - arms, covering the huge island of Marajo. In the lower reaches, the width of the Amazon reaches 80 km, and the depth is 1335 m.

Selva - humid equatorial forests of the Amazonian lowland. This is over 4 thousand species of trees, which is 1/4 of all species existing in the world. Animals, each in its own way, have adapted to their existence among the dense forest, intertwined with vines. Monkeys - howler, capuchin, marmosets, thin-bodied saimiri spider monkeys with a muzzle that resembles a skull - spend their whole life in trees, holding onto branches with a strong tail. Even arboreal porcupines and anteaters, raccoons and marsupial possum have tenacious tails. Felines - jaguars and ocelots - feel confident in the thicket. Forest thickets are not a hindrance for bats either. Bakers and tapirs prefer swampy river floodplains. The capybara, the largest rodent in the world, keeps near the water. Amphibians and reptiles are diverse, including Poisonous snakes(bushmasters, coral snakes, rattlesnakes), boas, huge anacondas. In the rivers, caimans and schools of bloodthirsty piranha fish lie in wait for careless prey. Predatory harpies soar over the forest, urubu vultures - the devourers of the carrion; colorful parrots fly in the crowns of trees; and toucans sit on the branches - the owners of a huge beak. The smallest birds on earth - the hummingbird - flicker in the air with bright variegated sparks and hover over the flowers.

To the east of the Amazon, the green forest sea is gradually replaced by stony sparse forests - caatinga. Poor soils barely cover rocks, there is almost no grass. Thorny semi-bushes and all kinds of cacti are everywhere. And above them are dry-loving shrubs and trees, columnar cacti and arboreal milkweed. At some distance from each other, like pins, grow bottle trees... These thickets are almost devoid of foliage and do not provide shelter at all from the burning rays of the sun or from showers. In the winter-spring dry period, which lasts 8 - 9 months, there is less than 10 mm of precipitation per month. Wherein average temperature air is 26 - 28 C. At this time, many plants shed their foliage. Life freezes until the autumn rains, when more than 300 mm of precipitation falls per month, with an annual amount of 700 - 1000 mm. As a result of rainstorms, the water level in the rivers rises rapidly. Floods are repeated regularly, destroying houses and washing away the fertile soil layer from the fields.

Natural conditions of Brazil

Brazil is diverse in natural conditions. On it stand out: the Amazonian lowland and the Brazilian plateau, which differed in relief, moisture conditions, vegetation, etc. In general, natural conditions are favorable for the population and the economy.

Natural resources of Brazil

Brazil is extremely rich in natural resources. Among them, the main place belongs to forest resources - humid equatorial forests, which occupy 2/3 of the country's territory and are actively used at the present time. V last time these forests are relentlessly destroyed, which leads to a change in everything natural complex generally. The Amazonian forests are called “the lungs of the planet,” and their destruction is a problem not only for Brazil, but for the whole world.

Mineral resource base of Brazil

About 50 types of mineral raw materials are mined here. These are, first of all, iron, manganese ores, bauxite and non-ferrous metal ores. The main reserves are concentrated in the eastern part of the country on the Brazilian Highlands. In addition, Brazil has oil and potash salts.

Brazilian water resources

represented by a huge number of rivers, the main of which is the Amazon (the greatest river in the whole world). Almost a third of this big country occupies the Amazon River basin, which includes the Amazon itself and more than two hundred of its tributaries. This gigantic system contains a fifth of all river waters the world. The landscape in the Amazon is flat. Rivers and their tributaries flow slowly, during rainy seasons they often overflow their banks and flood huge areas of rainforest. The rivers of the Brazilian Highlands have significant hydropower potential. The largest lakes in the country are Mirim and Patos. Main rivers: Amazon, Madeira, Rio Negro, Parana, São Francisco.

Agroclimatic and soil resources of Brazil

Agroclimatic and soil resources are great, contributing to development Agriculture... In brazil fertile soil which grows coffee, cocoa, bananas, grains, citrus fruits, sugarcane, soybeans, cotton and tobacco. Brazil occupies one of the leading places in the world in terms of arable land area. Due to the fact that the main part of the country is located in the intertropical zone with a predominance of low altitudes, Brazil is characterized by average temperatures in excess of 20 degrees. Brazil has six types of climate: equatorial, tropical, tropical highland, tropical Atlantic, semi-arid and subtropical. In the north-eastern outskirts of Brazil, rainforests give way to desert areas and bush-covered steppes, but the damp Atlantic coasts abound in lush vegetation. Between the coastal cities of Porto Alegre in the south of the country and El Salvador in the east, there is a narrow strip of land only 110 kilometers wide, and immediately behind it the central and southern plateaus begin. The northern regions of the country are in the equatorial zone, and Rio de Janeiro lies just north of the Tropic of Capricorn - so the climate in most of Brazil is very warm. In the Amazon basin, the temperature is around 27 degrees year-round. The seasons of Brazil are distributed as follows: spring - from September 22 to December 21, summer - from December 22 to March 21, autumn - from March 22 to June 21, winter - from June 22 to September 21.

58.46% of Brazil's topography is formed by plateaus. The main ones in the north are the Guiana, in the south - the Brazilian, which occupies most of the territory and is divided into the Atlantic, Central, South and Rio-Grande do Sul plateaus. The remaining 41% of the territory is occupied by plains, the most important among them are the Amazon, La Plata, San Francisco and Tocantins.

Bibliography

For the preparation of this work were used materials from the site brasil.org.ru/

Economic zones of Brazil

Chapter 1. Natural resource potential of Brazil

Brazil has a huge amount of minerals. There are reserves of manganese ores, nickel, bauxite, iron and uranium ore. In Brazil, potassium, phosphates, tungsten, cassiterite, lead, graphite, chromium are mined. It also contains gold, zirconium and a rare radioactive mineral - thorium.

Brazil accounts for 90% of the world's production of diamonds, aquamarine, topaz, amethyst, tourmaline and emerald.

Brazil's mineral resources are diversified: oil, natural gas, coal, iron (some of the world's richest reserves) and manganese ores, chromites, titanium raw materials (ilmenite), copper, lead, bauxite (the third largest in the world), zinc, nickel, tin, cobalt, tungsten, tantalum, zirconium, niobium (first place in the world in terms of columbite reserves), beryllium (first place in the world in terms of reserves), uranium, thorium, gold, silver, platinum, phosphates, apatites, magnesite, barite , asbestos, graphite, mica, table salt, soda, diamonds, emeralds, amethysts, aquamarines, topazes, crystal quartz (the first place in the world in terms of reserves), marble. In terms of reserves of iron, beryllium and niobium ores, rock crystal, bituminous shale, bauxite, rare earth ores, Brazil occupies one of the leading places among industrial developed countries the world.

Brazil has (2001) relatively small proven oil reserves (1.1 billion tons) and natural gas(230 billion cubic meters). About 150 deposits have been discovered. The largest are Don Juan, Agua Grande, Arakas, Karmopolis, Sirizinho, Namorado etc. In the Amazon, a large sedimentary basin of Solimoes has been discovered, promising for possible reserves of oil and gas.

There are three main oil and gas fields on the Brazilian shelf: Campos, Santos and Espirito Santo. Less promising basins are Sergipe-Alagoas, Potiguar and Ceara. The Brazilian basin is considered to be the largest in terms of hydrocarbon reserves in the Campus oceanic basin with an area of ​​about 100 thousand km2. The proven reserves of natural gas in it are estimated at 105 billion cubic meters. The main proven oil reserves of the country are concentrated here. Each of the seven deepwater oil fields contains up to 100 million tons of oil and condensate. The probable reserves of oil and gas basins at the end of 1999 were estimated at 1.5 billion tons of oil. There are 4 giant gas and oil fields in the Campus Basin (proven reserves, million tons in brackets): Albakora (about 270), Marlin (270), Barracuda (110) and Marlin-Sul and the giant Roncador oil field (356).

The main oil reservoirs are associated with turbidite sands of shelf genesis, occurring both in the lower and in top parts modern continental slope, or with peripheral turbidites of the open sea, transported through the straits to the lower part of the continental slope. There is a close similarity between the OGB on both sides of the Atlantic, especially in the southern parts of the Kampus and Kwanza-Cameroon basins.

All oil and gas bearing parts of eastern Brazil were formed on divergent passive continental margins, the tectonic development of which was complicated by rifting processes. Oil and gas traps are usually of a stratigraphic type and are most often confined to submerged horst blocks. In the zone of the modern deep and super-deep shelf, the phenomena of salt diapirism are developed.

In 2003, Petrobras made the largest gas discovery in the country. The reserves of the new field are estimated at 70 billion cubic meters. m, which increases the total gas reserves in Brazil by 30%. The field is located on the shelf of the Paulo province, at a distance of 137 km from the coast at a sea depth of 485 m. The production potential of the pioneer well is 3 million cubic meters. m of gas per day. For 2002, the total volume of natural gas reserves in Brazil is estimated at 231 billion cubic meters. m.

The bituminous shales of Brazil are confined to the Permian Irati Formation, represented by argilite and limestone facies with basalt and diabase intrusions. Deposits - San Mateus do Sul, San Gabriel and Don Pedro. Coal reserves in Brazil are small - 2 billion tons (25% is coking coal). The country's iron ore reserves account for about 26% of the reserves of the developed countries of the West. Most of the ores are associated with the Precambrian itabirites of the Brazilian Platform. The main industrial deposits (up to 25 billion tons) are concentrated in the Minays-Gerais iron ore basin, within the so-called "iron ore quadrangle".

The security of the extraction of chrome ores with their confirmed reserves, calculated on the basis of the maximum level of production in the period 1995-1997, taking into account losses during mining and processing in Brazil, is 33 years.

In 2000, Brazil ranked 5th in terms of explored uranium reserves (262 thousand tons, the share in the world is 7.8%). The main deposits of uranium ores are concentrated in the Serra de Jacobina mountains, together with gold-bearing conglomerates (Jacobina deposit).

In terms of proven reserves of tin at the end of the twentieth century, Brazil ranks 1st in America and 2nd in the world (after China). In terms of total tin reserves, Brazil ranks 1st in the world. In terms of tin resources, Brazil ranks 1st among the countries of the world - 12.6% of the world's resources (6 million tons). About 40% of the total proven reserves are located in placer deposits located in 15 tin ore regions of the country. Alluvial placers prevail.

The Pitinga ore cluster is located in the tiniferous region of Mapuer (Amazonas state). Ore veins and stockworks are localized in albitized granites. Complex ores, they include cassiterite, columbite, tantalite, pyrite, cryolite, fluorite. Reserves of primary tin ores - 1.19 million tons; Sir. the metal content in the ores here is 0.141%.

The ores also contain 6 million tons of cryolite, 4 million tons of zircon (average content 1.5%), commercial concentrations of columbite-tantalite (average content of Ni pentoxide 0.223%, Ta pentoxide 0.028%), fluorite, and yttrium, mainly in the composition of xenotime ... The main reserves are concentrated in weathering crusts and placers that have arisen due to them and occupy an area of ​​about 250 km2.

The main ones are the alluvial placers of Malaya Madeira, Zhabuti and Keishada. Ore sands occur at a depth of about 6 m. Ore reserves in placers are 195 million tons, tin reserves - 343 thousand tons with an average cassiterite content of 2.0 kg / cubic meter. m, niobium pentoxide - 435 thousand tons with an average Nb2O5 content of 4.3%, tantalum pentoxide - 55 thousand tons with an average Ta2O5 content of 0.3%, zirconium dioxide - 1.7 million tons. reserves of niobium pentoxide before 2000 amounted to 30 million tons of ore with an average grade of 4.1% (1.2 million tons of Nb2O5).

The basis of the country's manganese ore base is the Urucum deposits (Mato Grosso do Sul state, Corumba region) with proven reserves of 15.8 million tons, Azul and Buritirama (Para state, Karajas ridge region) - 10 million tons, Serra do- Navi (federal territory of Amapa) - 5.8 million tons, Miguel Conghe in the "iron ore quadrangle" and other deposits in the state of Minas Gerais, as well as a number of smaller objects in the Precambrian metamorphic strata. Largest deposits manganese ores are associated with basement rocks. Lenses of manganese-containing spesartite rocks (gondite, carbonate rhodonite) are 10-30 m thick and 200-1000 m long.

In terms of bauxite reserves, Brazil ranks 1st in Lat. America (2000) and 2nd place in the world (after Guinea). Prom. bauxite deposits associated with laterite weathering crust. Main resources are concentrated in the Amazon River basin in the state of Para (deposits Trombetas, Paragominas and others).

Laterite deposits of gibsite bauxite, an aluminum raw material, are located in the states of Para (municipalities of Oriximinas, Paragominas, Faro, Domingo de Capim and Almayrim) and Minas Gerais (mainly the municipalities of Pocos de Caldas, Preto and Cataguazes). The Porto Trombetas deposits (total reserves of 1,700 million tons, confirmed - 800 million tons) and Paragominas (total reserves of 2,400 million tons, confirmed - 1,600 million tons) are gigantic. Deposits are usually located close to the earth's surface and are mined in an open pit. In terms of production rates close to modern ones, Brazil is provided with proven reserves for 340 years.

Tungsten ores represented by scheelite skarns are deposits of Brezhi, Kishaba, Malada within the Borboram region. Deposits of nickel ores in the base of the silicate type are represented by garnierite ores. The ore bodies occur at shallow depths; about 75% of the reserves are located in the state of Goias (Nickeland and others deposits). There are several copper deposits in Brazil, the largest of which is Caraiba (Bahia State). In Brazil, there are more than 100 small polymetallic hydrothermal deposits, explored rich tin placers.

Rare elements (beryllium, niobium, tantalum, zirconium and others) in Brazil are found mainly in complex pegmatite ores associated with the basement.

Gold reserves were discovered in the second half of the twentieth century in the Amazon basin. The predicted resources of Brazil's IHP are insignificant and amount to 300 tons (about 0.6% of the world).

Brazil contains about 35% of the world's forecasted beryllium resources (up to 700 thousand tons), which makes it a leading (together with Russia) place in the world.

Brazil ranks 1st among the countries of the world in terms of predicted niobium resources. The main deposits of niobium pentoxide in the country are Arash and tapirs. The deposits are found mainly in the well-known mining areas of the states of Minas Gerais and Goias. The ores are localized in the laterite weathering crusts of carbonatites and do not require intensive crushing. The thickness of the ore-bearing bark reaches 200 m, the covers - from 0.5 m to 40 m. The average content of Nb2O5 in ores is 2.5%. Development is carried out in an open way.

Of great importance in Brazil are the resources of phosphate ores, which include three main industrial types: apatite (Zhakupiranga deposit), repeated apatite (genus Arasha, tapirs, Catalan) and phosphorite sedimentary deposits in the Bambui series. Particularly promising are the phosphorites of the Patus di Minas deposit (reserves of 300 million tons).

In Brazil, there are the world's largest deposits of precious and ornamental stones: rock crystal, jewelry beryl, topaz, tourmaline, amethyst, agate; also known prom. deposits of emerald, diamond, noble opal, etc. Jewelery beryl, topaz and tourmaline are found in granite pegmatites common in the states of Minas Gerais (diamondiferous region of Diamantino), Baia.

The main deposits of high-grade sheet mica - muscovite are associated with the outcrops of the Archean basement and form the Brazilian mica region. There is also childbirth in Brazil. barite (Ilha Grande, Miguel Calmon), potassium salt (Contiguleba), rock salt (Maceio), fluorite (Salgadinho, Katunda), magnesite (Iguatu), graphite (Itapaserica, San Fidelis), asbestos (Ipanema), bentonite (Lapsis, Bravo).

The Amazonian lowland lies in the equatorial and subequatorial climates. The temperature all year round is 24 - 28C, precipitation is 2500 - 3500 mm per year. The Amazon River is the largest in the world in terms of basin size (7.2 million sq. Km) and water content. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers - Marañon and Ucayali. The length of the Amazon from the source of Marañon is 6400 km, and from the source of Ucayali - more than 7000 km. The Amazon empties into the Atlantic Ocean, forming the world's largest delta (over 100 thousand square kilometers) and funnel-shaped mouths - arms, covering the huge Marajo Island.

In the lower reaches, the width of the Amazon reaches 80 km, and the depth is 1335 m. Selva - humid equatorial forests of the Amazon lowland. This is over 4 thousand species of trees, which is 1/4 of all species existing in the world. Animals, each in its own way, have adapted to their existence among the dense forest, intertwined with vines. Monkeys - howler, capuchin, marmosets, thin-bodied saimiri spider monkeys with a muzzle that resembles a skull - spend their whole life in trees, holding onto branches with a strong tail. Even arboreal porcupines and anteaters, raccoons and marsupial possum have tenacious tails. Felines - jaguars and ocelots - feel confident in the thicket. Forest thickets are not a hindrance for bats either. Bakers and tapirs prefer swampy river floodplains. The capybara, the largest rodent in the world, keeps near the water. There are various amphibians and reptiles, including poisonous snakes (bushmasters, coral snakes, rattlesnakes), boas - boas, huge anacondas. In the rivers, caimans and schools of bloodthirsty piranha fish lie in wait for careless prey. Predatory harpies hover over the forest, the urubu vultures are falling; colorful parrots fly in the crowns of trees; and toucans sit on the branches - the owners of a huge beak. The smallest birds on earth - the hummingbird - flicker in the air with bright variegated sparks and hover over the flowers.

To the east of the Amazon, the green forest sea is gradually replaced by stony sparse forests - caatinga. Poor soils barely cover the rocks, there is almost no grass. Thorny semi-bushes and all kinds of cacti are everywhere. And above them are dry-loving shrubs and trees, columnar cacti and arboreal milkweed. At some distance from each other, like pins, bottle trees grow. These thickets are almost devoid of foliage and do not provide shelter at all from the burning rays of the sun or from showers. In the winter-spring dry period, which lasts 8 - 9 months, there is less than 10 mm of precipitation per month. At the same time, the average air temperature is 26 - 28 C. At this time, many plants shed their foliage. Life freezes until the autumn rains, when more than 300 mm of precipitation falls per month, with an annual amount of 700 - 1000 mm. As a result of rainstorms, the water level in the rivers rises rapidly. Floods are repeated regularly, destroying houses and washing away the fertile layer of the soil from the fields.

Brazil is diverse in natural conditions. On it stand out: the Amazonian lowland and the Brazilian plateau, which differed in relief, moisture conditions, vegetation, etc. In general, the natural conditions are favorable for the population and the economy.

Brazil is extremely rich in natural resources. Among them, the main place belongs to forest resources - humid equatorial forests, which occupy 2/3 of the country's territory and are actively used at the present time. In recent years, these forests have been ruthlessly destroyed, which leads to a change in the entire natural complex as a whole. The Amazonian forests are called "the lungs of the planet", and their destruction is a problem not only for Brazil, but for the whole world. The mineral resource base of Brazil is diverse. About 50 types of mineral raw materials are mined here. These are, first of all, iron, manganese ores, bauxite and nonferrous ores. The main reserves are concentrated in the eastern part of the country on the Brazilian Highlands, in addition to oil and potash salts.

Water resources are represented by a huge number of rivers, the main of which is the Amazon (the greatest river in the world). Almost a third of this large country is occupied by the Amazon River basin, which includes the Amazon itself and more than two hundred of its tributaries. This gigantic system contains a fifth of all river waters in the world. The landscape in the Amazon is flat. Rivers and their tributaries flow slowly, during rainy seasons they often overflow their banks and flood huge areas of rainforest. The rivers of the Brazilian Highlands have significant hydropower potential. The largest lakes in the country are Mirim and Patos. Main rivers: Amazon, Madeira, Rio Negro, Parana, São Francisco.

Agroclimatic and soil resources are great, contributing to the development of agriculture. Brazil has fertile soil that grows coffee, cocoa, bananas, grains, citrus fruits, sugarcane, soybeans, cotton and tobacco. Brazil occupies one of the leading places in the world in terms of arable land area. Due to the fact that the main part of the country is located in the intertropical zone with a predominance of low altitudes, Brazil is characterized by average temperatures in excess of 20 degrees. Brazil has six types of climate: equatorial, tropical, tropical highland, tropical Atlantic, semi-arid and subtropical.

In the north-eastern outskirts of Brazil, rainforests give way to desert areas and bush-covered steppes, but the damp Atlantic coasts abound in lush vegetation. Between the coastal cities of Porto Alegre in the south of the country and El Salvador in the east, there is a narrow strip of land only 110 kilometers wide, and immediately behind it the central and southern plateaus begin. The northern regions of the country are in the equatorial zone, and Rio de Janeiro lies just north of the Tropic of Capricorn - so the climate in most of Brazil is very warm. In the Amazon basin, the temperature is around 27 degrees year-round. The seasons of Brazil are distributed as follows: spring - from September 22 to December 21, summer - from December 22 to March 21, autumn - from March 22 to June 21, winter - from June 22 to September 21. 58.46% of Brazil's topography is formed by plateaus. The main ones in the north are Guiana, in the south - Brazilian, which occupies most of the territory and is divided into the Atlantic, Central, South and the Rio plateau - Grande do Sul. The remaining 41% of the territory is occupied by plains, the most important among them are the Amazon, La Plata, San Francisco and Tocantins. All natural conditions and resources create very favorable conditions for economic development.

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