The Geology of Brazil: the Multi-Cultural Character of the Nation - Research Paper Example

and Number of the Teacher’s Geology of Brazil Introduction Brazil located in Latin America has around 190 million inhabitants, the largest population in the region, and ranking fifth in the world. The predominant number of people live in the south-central area encompassing the industrial cities of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Belo Horizonte. With rapid urban growth in the country, by 2005 over 80 percent of the total population was living in urban areas. “This growth aids economic development but also creates serious social security, environmental, and political problems for major cities” (BWHA 2011). The six major groups that constitute the Brazilian population are the Portuguese who colonized Brazil in the 16th century, Africans brought to Brazil as slaves, European, Middle-Eastern, and Japanese and other Asian immigrant groups who settled in Brazil since the mid-19th century. Further, the indigenous people of Tupi and Guarani language stock. “Although the major European ethnic stock of Brazil was originally Portuguese, subsequent waves of immigration contributed to a diverse ethnic and cultural heritage” (BWHA 2011). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the geology of Brazil in order to gain an appreciation of the land, history and dynamics of the home country. The Geology of Brazil Brazil is located within the South American Platform with its basement consisting of a highly complex geologic evolution beginning from the Archaean period. The region of Brazil had become completely consolidated “between the Proterozoic Superior period and the beginning of the Palaeozoic period, with the closing in the Brazilian cycle” (Machado, 2011). The basement of the South American Platform is formed on metamorphic rocks of amphibolite to granulite facies and granitoids of Archean age related to the Proterozoic units that are commonly manifest as folded strips of green schist facies and sedimentary and volcanic coverings rarely transformed, and numerous granitoids. The basement is expansively exposed in great shields divided by fanerozoic coverings which peripherally extend to the neighbouring countries; examples are the shields of Guyana, Central Brazil and Atlantic. Fig.1. Brazil Geology: Crystalline Shields and Sedimentary Basins (Machado, 2011)     Crystalline shields   Sedimentary basins   The Crystalline shields and the sedimentary basins of Brazil are clearly demarcated above (Fig.1). The shield of Guyana extends to the north of the basin of Amazonas; “the shield of the Brazil-central, or Guapore extends to the interior of Brazil and south of that basin, while the Atlantic shield is exposed in the oriental portion reaching the Atlantic border” (Machado, 2011). These shields are exposed in over half the area of Brazil. On that platform in Brazil were developoed three extensive basins with sineclisis character: Amazonas, Paraiba and Parana, which developed by filling spatially with sedimentary and volcanic coverings during stable conditions of ortho-platform originating from Ordovician-Silurian. Additionally, several other smaller basins including coastal basins and other sedimentary areas, occur exposed on the platform. The Carajas region in the Amazon belt of Brazil reveals a number of important features regarding the reactivation of Archaean basement terrains. A general increase in temperature is linked to deformation through time that is consistent with progressive exhumation of the crust. Similar embrittlement sequences are recognized in many other long-lived basement shear zones. Secondly, the regional basement fabrics are steeplyh dipping and trending east to west. Those deformations that followed are wrench-dominated events probably because the foliation orientation favours strike-slip, as opposed to dip-slip reactivation. Thirdly, the location of the younger Cover Assemblage rocks is structurally controlled by strike-slip fault zones. On the other hand, however, faulting entirely post-dates the deposition and does not control basin formation. Strain intensity is often controlled by the location and geometry of pre-existing faults. Hence, deformation may be localized into narrow areas alongside major fault strands or into restraining bends or offsets. “These local transpression zones may also display kinematic partitioning of strains due to basement buttressing effects or accommodation of different displacement components along differently oriented preexisting fault sets, state Pineiro and Holdsworth (1997, 103). From these observations it is evident that the Archaean rocks of the Carajas region preserve data for over 2.3 Ga of deformational activity, during the course of which the orginal basement fabric gets reactivated. This consequently exerts a strong influence over the distribution, geometry and kinematic patterns of later deformations. The impact of the basement architecture and the intensity of later reactivations appears to wane after a time period of about 1.0 Ga following the initial high temperature deformation in the basement. This may indicate the existence of a weakening effect on a lithospheric-scale with a definite life span, possibly beginning in the underlying lower crust or mantle. According to Pinheiro and Holdsworth (1997, 103), similar reactivation time limits may exist in other Precambrian basement terrains. Impact of Brazil’s Geology on the Communities that Colonized it From archeological evidence, it is clear that native settlements in today’s Brazil date back at least eleven thousand years. Native populations settled in favorable lowland environments particularly along the coasts and major rivers. Indigenous inhabitants numbered in the millions before the Europeans arrived. Of the two main types of Indian groups recognized by westerners, known as the “Tapuya” formed the majority in the inland grasslands and plains. The “Tupi-Guarani” tribes generally held sway in the tropical forests of the Atlantic Coast and in the Amazon Basin. Due to devastation caused by diseases, less than a quarter of a million Indians now survive in Brazil, and they live mainly in the remote Indian lands in Amazoniz. “Of the 551 indigenous reservations in Brazil in 1995, three hundred were located in the Amazon region; the largest – the Amazonas and Roraima states” (Godfrey 2004, 1) spread over an area of 37, 316 square miles and a population of 6,705 Indians, belonged to the Yanomami. Early Portuguese settlers in Brazil were few, largely male, and unable to carry out manual labor in the tropics. After the Indians were decimated by disease and overwork, Portugal turned to Africa as a source of slaves for work in Brazil. “During some three centuries of slavery, at least 3.6 million Africans – more than one third of all those brought to the Americas- were involuntarily transported to Brazil” (Godfrey 2004, 1). The African, Native American, and Portuguese groups intermingled both racially and culturally, to create the distinctive Afro-Brazilian cultural landscapes of today. Further, from three to four million Europeans from Germany, Italy and other countries migrated to Brazil. Rural lands on Brazil’s southern frontier were allotted to these groups for agricultural colonization. According to Godfrey (2004, 1), the city of Blumenau, Santa Catarina, continues to preserve its Germanic origins in both the local architecture and culture. With economic modernization, Brazil’s institution of slavery reduced in strength. Abolition of slavery in 1888 resulted in several unforeseen outcomes such as the fall of the monarchy in 1889, because the empire was considered obsolete and hindering the modern development of Brazil. An Increased Understanding of Brazil’s History, Future and Dynamics Brazil is a well-known country with an unrealized potential, and Brazil now manifests Latin America’s largest economy and highest volume of exports. “This tropical giant is a major exporter of manufactured goods, as well as agricultural products, minerals, and other natural resources” (Godfrey 1999, 3). Brazil is now well established as a new regional power, with the large size of the country, its increasing population and economy, and its exuberant culture. Brazil has the potential to become a major power by the middle of the twentieth century even though the country is currently not among the world’s top three. By 2040, Brazil along with the other BRIC countries Russia, India and China, is predicted to overshadow the conventionally acknowledged major powers of Western Europe in the context of its comparative material capabilities within the global system. However, unlike the other four countries, Brazil’s future political alliances are predetermined to a great extent. Brazil is expected to become a western power, closely associated with the United States and western Europe. Further, Brazil’s projection of soft power depends on the quality of the democratic institutions it has adopted since the return of civilian rule in 1985, institutions that provide legitimacy on the country’s recent diplomatic assertiveness. “Brazil’s policy makers already actively participate in and shape international institutions at both the regional and global levels” (Sotero and Armejo 2007, 43). Although the country has longed envisioned becoming a great power, few Brazilian policy makers or leaders have yet considered the implications of playing an influential role on the global stage. One of the potential scenarios is for Brazil to position itself as the emerging environmental power. The country has the world’s last major tropical rainforest, one of the largest renewable reserves of fresh water, two of the globe’s most diverse stock of biodiversity, the best energy matrix among major countries, and the most successful industrial-scale production of renewable fuels. Brazil has the resources to play such a role, if it adopts policies to preserve those assets and use them for achieving political objectives, with the world being increasingly preoccupied with climate change. Further, Brazil’s future standing in the international system will be significantly based on the extent to which the country’s leaders manage its domestic challenges. Brazil’s problems are those of economic management.Only after these challenges are suitably met, can Brazil play a global role in the twenty-first century (Sotero and Armejo 2007, 43, 70). Conclusion This paper has highlighted the geology of Brazil. The unique terrain basically composed of crystalline shields and sedimentary basins which began evolving from the Archaean period, has over the centuries developed into a distinctive landscape. It is evident that the geology of the region has shaped the communities that colonized Brazil. Various immigrant groups such as the European settlers have colonized the country, and African slaves brought in to work have added to the multi-cultural character of the nation. An increased understanding has been achieved, in relation to the home country, its history and dynamics. The geology and topography of the place has influenced me personally by creating a sense of awe at the great changes that the evolution of the geological landscape has brought about, over the period of several centuries. There appears to have been a close relationship between the region and its colonizers. --------------------------------------------------------- Works Cited BWHA (Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs). Background note: Brazil. U.S. Department of State. 30 November 2011, 20 April 2012 Godfrey, Brian J. “Brazil”. Focus, 45.4 (1999): 1-24. Machado, Maralon. Geology of Brazil. 2011, 19 April 2012 Read More