Overview
With an estimated 177 million people, Brazil’s
population ranks fifth in the world and largest in Latin
America. Its vast natural resources and its large labor
pool reinforces why it is considered a regional leader
and one of Latin America’s economic powers.
Still, managing a population this size presents a challenge,
especially when:
- An estimated one in three (53 million people) live
below the international poverty line;
- Its unemployment is 12.9 percent nationally and
22-25 percent in some major urban centers;
- Approximately 15 percent of the nation remains
illiterate;
- Nearly 15 million Brazilians lack access to reliable
energy;
- Crime continues to grow dramatically;
- It is home to nearly 60 percent of all HIV/AIDS
cases in South America, a majority of the region’s
malaria cases, and is a high-burden tuberculosis country;
- Environmental degradation continues at an alarming
rate, amid increased pressure to exploit the Amazon
to generate economic growth and employment; and
- Heavy foreign debt remains a serious constraint
to productive spending.
Since taking office in January, 2003, President Luiz
Inacio "Lula" da Silva has made steady progress
in addressing Brazil’s social problems and in
stabilizing the economy -- reeling in inflation and
rising interest rates and at the same time boosting
investor confidence.
A product of abject poverty who once sold peanuts on
the street as a child, President Lula successfully used
his trade unionist politics to usher in the first leftist
wing government party in 40 years. With nearly eight
of ten Brazilians living in urban areas, President da
Silva has been working hard to address hunger, social
inequity, unemployment, health care and education issues
only to find political pressures related to free trade
pulling him in other directions.
The USAID Program: USAID will obligate
$19.9 million in 2004 to address many of the problems
mentioned above. Priorities include increased training
and employment opportunities for disadvantaged youth;
the elimination of sexual trafficking of young people;
prevention of communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS
and tuberculosis control and treatment; protection of
Brazil's environment and unique biodiversity; promotion
of alternative energy and energy efficiency with reduction
of greenhouse gas emissions; poverty alleviation; and
promotion of free trade and small and medium enterprise
development.
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