SUPERPOWER COUNTRY? BRAZIL

SUPERPOWER COUNTRY? BRAZIL

1. What forms of power does Brazil have?

   • Economic
     • Currently world's 8th largest economy
     • GDP of $2trillion in 2010
     • Current growth rate of 9% - predicted to become fifth largest economy by 2050
     • Largest company (Petrobas oil and gas producer) came 18th in Forbes Global 2000 list of world's largest companies in 2010
       • 4 other TNCs in top 100
     • manufacturing and service industries - aircraft, electricals, cars, textiles, steel, coffee....
   • Military
     • largest in South America
       • 250000 soldiers, 700 war planes, and only South American army with an aircraft carrier - formidable regional power
     • Doesn't have the capacity to project military power outside of its region
   • Cultural
     • derived from its portugese colonial heritage
     • music styles such as samba and bossa nova globally significant
     • football is an iconic national export
     • hosted 1992 UN earth summit which led to Kyoto Agreement
     • due to host 2016 olympics and 2014 world cup

2. Geographical

   • fifth largest country in the world
   • eight major drainage basins providing huge hydro electric potential - at least 70 dams planned for Amazon region alone
   • huge deep sea oil reserves discovered a few years ago
   • traditional primary industries eg agriculture, forestry, logging, fishing are an important part of brazil's growth - 5.1% of GDP in 2007
     • rise in the price of soybeans since 2007 has magnified balance of trade. brazil is the second largest exporter behind USA
       • in high demand due to domestic, agricultural, and industrial uses. meat replacement, dairy replacement, biofuel, cattle seed, resins

3. implications for other nations?

   • good partner to have for other countries but not an essential one
   • important country in terms of economics and diplomacy but not for security

4. regional or national superpower?

   • regional
     • serious social problems - large poor population
     • undeveloped infrastructure
     • rely too much on Foreign Direct Investment
   • national
     • more developed political system than China and India with multi party democracy and freedom of expression
     • infrastructure will improve with sporting events over the next six years. nearly $3bn invested into airports etc