URBANIZATION, POVERTY, AND CHILDREN IN LATIN AMERICA

Brazil

DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE

General

• Total Population: 171,853,126 (July 1999 est, CIA)
• Urban Population: 113,403,263 ; 67.57% of total (1980, US Census Bureau)
• Rural Population: 58,449,863 ; 32.43% of total (1980, US Census Bureau)
• Capital: Brasília
• Three Largest Cities: São Paulo (16.42) , Rio de Janeiro (9.89) , Recife (3.17) ("Latin American Mega City")
• Population under 14: 51,546,937 ; 30% of total (CIA)

Hmmm . . .

• 50% of Brazil’s population lives in absolute poverty. (Mid 1999, UNDP)
• 43.5% live on less than USD 2/day (Mid 1999, UNDP)
• Over I million children under 5 are malnurished (Mid 1999, UNDP)
• Brazil is 8^th largest industrial nation, but 62^nd on UNDP Human Development Index
• Lowest 10% of population holds 8% of total wealth, highest 10% holds 47.9% of the wealth. (1995, CIA)

Brazil has an estimated 10 million street children, which is 17% of the population.

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