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Country Studies - Brazil

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The Central West Region of Brazil

The nation's capital, Brasilia, was founded in 1960 and is located in this region. The West Central Region has recently seen a rapid expansion of its rural production and new enterprises. Most of the region is covered with extensive savannas and tropical grasslands, and still the population remains sparse. The government has set aside many areas in the region for the native Indian tribes which originally inhabited them.

The Central West region lies on the the high plains of the Mato Grosso. The mountains of the coastal are have merged into a vast plateau about 1000 metres high.

Away from the coast temperatures are higher and it is less humid. Annual rainfall is high (1700mm) but there is a dry season from May to September.

The poor soils in this region only allowed cattle ranching as the main form of agriculture. In order to encourage development in this area the new capital city, Brasilia was built. Many people migrated to Brasilia because machinery was taking over jobs on farms (mechanisation).