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Population of China 2016

  January 2, 2016 - 8:48 pm |
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population-of-china-2014Population of China 2016

Based on the total number of births, total number of deaths, net migration rates, and the population of 2015, the current population of the People’s Republic of China is estimated to be about 1,390,510,630. China’s population makes up around 19.3% of the world’s population. The current estimated population indicates a growth of 36,510,630 people or a population growth of 2.7% during 2013. As a result of the current population of China, it remains the most populous country in the entire world. China has about 130 million more people than the second largest country in the world, India. Based on the population and the total area of the country, the population density of China in 2016 is estimated to be about 145 people per square kilometer or 375 people per square mile.

One-Child Policy in China 2016

As a result of the continuously growing population of China, the government enacted a form of population control, officially known as the Family Planning Policy, otherwise known as the One-Child Policy. In 1979, the Chinese government introduced the policy as a response to the growing social, economic, and environmental issues that came due to the high population of the country. The premise of the policy is to discourage (and even sometimes prevent) families from having more than one child. There are some exceptions to the policy, however. If the first child is a girl or is disabled, the family can have another child. Also, if neither parent has siblings, two children are allowed. In fact, as of November 2016, the policy was updated to allow for a family to have two children if one of the parents is an only child. Some controversies surrounding the policy, both in China and throughout the rest of the world, include the increase in forced abortions, female infanticide, and an increased imbalance among the sexes in China.

Education in China 2016

It is required that children in China attend school for at least nine years. The nine years of required schooling is completely free to the students. They start school around the age of six in a primary school system and then move to a junior middle school around age eleven. As of 2011, over 81% of Chinese students continued their education to receive a secondary education degree. In order to enter into a secondary institution, a student must take the Gaokao, which is China’s national university entrance exam. Each province determines the Gaokao, but there are three standard subjects on every test: Chinese, Mathematics, and a foreign language (typically English). Some other common subjects offered are Physics, Chemistry Biology, History, Geography, and Political Education. Also, teachers must go through a significant level of training before actually teaching in the classroom in order to uphold the high standards of education in China.

Health Care in China 2016

Beginning in the 1950s, the Chinese government worked to establish a public health program in order to combat the growing health concerns in the country. Over the years since the 1950s, most of the health care in China became mostly privatized, which, in return, resulted in an increase in the quality of the education as well. In 2009, China invested around $125 billion in a 3-year health care initiative. By 2011, as a result of the initiative, around 95% of the country has health insurance. Also, it has become the world’s third largest supplier of pharmaceuticals. Some health concerns in China include respiratory problems that come as a result of the air pollution, which caused 1.2 million premature deaths in 2010, a high portion of cigarette smokers, and lastly obesity among the youth in the urban parts of China. The average life expectancy in China is about 75 years and infant mortality is 12 infants per 1000 births.

Cuisine in China 2016

There are eight standard culinary traditions throughout the region of China: Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Szechuan, and Zhejiang. Each style has certain characteristics based on their geographic location and traditions. Anhui cooking derives from the cooking styles of the Huangshan Mountains. It uses a wide variety of herbs and vegetables, especially bamboo and mushrooms. Cantonese is characterized by the idea of “dim sum”, which are small dishes. Many bite-sized portions are prepared to allow the person eating to experience the tastes of many different dishes, including rice rolls, turnip cakes, and stir-fried green vegetables. Another Cantonese style of dining is called “yum cha”, which simply is the combination of dim sum dishes with tea. Fujian’s influence comes from its geographical location near the coast and the mountains. Various slicing techniques and serving the dishes in some sort of soup or broth also characterize the cuisine. Hunan dishes tend to be the hotter and spicier dishes with a variety of ingredients as a result of the agriculture in the region.

Jiangsu cuisine is one of the most popular forms of cuisine in the country. It combines different styles together and is famous across the world. Most of its dishes involve some sort of meat, whether it is duck, seafood, or poultry. Shandong cuisine is quite popular in Northern China. This cuisine is known for its plethora of different techniques used while cooking and its usage of seafood. Szechuan cuisine tends to use a lot of garlic, chili peppers, and peppercorns. Some other frequent ingredients include peanuts, ginger, and sesame. Lastly, Zhejiang cuisine includes four different styles: Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, and Shnghai. These dishes tend to be fresh instead of greasy, and the specifics for each styles come from the location of each area.

China One Child Policy

population-of-china-2014-transportationTransportation in China 2016

There are a large variety of transportation systems throughout China. China has the largest highway system in the world, totaling around 53,000 miles of highway. China has also become the world’s largest automobile market, even higher than the United States. Despite the number of people that own automobiles, many people, especially in urban areas, own bicycles. In 2012, around 470 million people owned a bicycle. Also, China has a sophisticated and busy railway system, which is owned by the state. In 2010, the system carried around 1.68 billion passengers. China takes pride in its high-speed railway system, which includes the world’s longest high-speed line. Currently, there exists about 10,000 kilometers worth of high-speed line. By 2020, there is expected to be about 16,000 kilometers of high-speed line. Lastly, in 2011, there was approximately 1,910 active commercial aircrafts in China. However, according to Boeing, that number should increase to almost 6,000 by 2031. But, still, about 80% of the airspace in China is limited to military usage.

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Population of Asia 2016

Population of California 2016

  January 2, 2016 - 7:55 pm |
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Population of California 2016

Based on the total number of births, total number of deaths, net migration rate in the state, and the population of 2015, the current population of California is estimated to be about 39,309,017, which makes up 12.2% of the total population of the United States. As a result, California is the most populous state in the country, ahead of Texas and New York.

Government of California 2016

The government of California is considered to be a republic, made up of three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive branch consists of the Governor and other elected officials. They serve four-year terms and can only be re-elected once. The current Governor of California is Democrat Jerry Brown. The state legislature has forty members in the Senate and eighty members in the Assembly. The members in the Senate can only serve two terms and members in the Assembly can only serve three terms. The judicial system is based on English common law, but has some similar features to Spanish civil law. The state allows for capital punishment and even has the largest death row population in the country. The judicial system is also the largest judicial system in the country, supervised by the justices of the Supreme Court of California. The Governor appoints the justices of the Supreme Court, but the voters decide whether to keep or replace the justices every twelve years. Throughout the past couple of decades, the state has moved from the Republican Party towards the Democratic Party. It tends to be known as a more liberal state along the political spectrum. Lastly, in October 2012, approximately 18.2 million out of 23.8 million eligible voters were actually registered to vote. Registered Democrats represent the largest registered group of voters.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Rights in California 2016

California has consistently been one of the biggest battlegrounds and most progressive states in terms of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in the state since 1976. In November of 2008, the voters chose to ban the legalization of same-sex marriage, colloquially known as Proposition 8. However, in June of 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a ruling that essentially struck down the ban of Proposition 8, which thus allowed same-sex marriage to take place in California. Another recent effort in this progressive movement is the School Success and Opportunity Act, which took place in January of 2016. The Act that all classes and activities in California schools must take into regard the gender identity of the student instead of the physical gender identity, which includes the use of gender-specific bathrooms and the inclusion in gender-specific sports teams. Lastly, as of August 29, 2015, there is a ban that prohibits sexual orientation change efforts, otherwise known as conversion therapy.

Education in California 2016

California passed an amendment to the Constitution in 1988 that required a certain percentage of the budget every year to be allocated to education for grades K-12. The level of funding is based upon three tests: from 1988 to 1989, education must be 39% of the budget; in times of economic growth, spending must be equal to the previous year’s spending plus per capita growth and student enrollment adjustment; and in times of weak economic growth, spending must be equal to the previous year’s spending plus adjustment for enrollment growth, changes in per capita general fund revenues, and an increase by 0.5% in state general funds. An education reform group, StudentsFirst, has studied the education systems of the states. As of 2015, on a 4.0 scale similar to the grading scale in schools, StudentsFirst gave California a 0.69 grade-point average and ranked 41st out of the 50 states. The organization gave a failing grade to the California schools for the ability to empower parents and the ability to improve the teaching profession. They also gave the schools a D for education spending and their efficiency and ability to intervene in low-performing schools. Lastly, the Dropout Recovery and Prevention Act is a law passed by the government intended to help lower the high school dropout rate. Due to its success, they expanded the law in 2004 in order to help motivate students, give them alternatives to traditional education, and to help improve their reading and writing abilities to empower students.

Water in California 2016

The water system in California is considered to be one of the largest in the world, managing over 40,000,000 acre-feet of water every year. The system also irrigates over 5,680,000 acres of farmland. Water comes from two main sources in the state: surface water and groundwater. Surface water is considered the water that gathers or travels on the ground, while groundwater is the water that has been pumped out from the ground. The six main infrastructure systems are the State Water Project, the Central Valley Project, Colorado River Delivery System, Los Angeles Aqueduct, Tuolumne River/Hetch Hetchy System, and the Mokelumne Aqueduct. Some controversies surrounding water usage included the California Water Wars and the O’Shaughnessy Dam. The California Water Wars involved the purchase of 300,000 acres of water by the city of Los Angeles from the Owens Valley. As a result, the Owens Valley is no longer arable and farmable. Lastly, because of the projections of the populations in California, many people are worried about the water supply and about whether or not it will be an adequate supply for the large population.

Dream Big in California 2016

Energy Usage in California 2016

Due to the large population in California, California is also a large user of energy. However, between the high, energy rates, mandates due to conservation efforts, and an environmental movement, the energy usage per capita is actually one of the smallest in the country (in 2010, it ranked 48th). But, as of 2011, the country ranked third in the country in terms of crude oil production and refining capacity. The transportation sector uses the highest level of energy (38.3%), followed by the industrial sector (22.8%). The residential sector consumes 19.3% of the total energy in the state. Also, the industrial electricity prices are 73% higher than the average cost in the United States. The residential electricity prices are 39% higher than the average cost in the United States. Lastly, the state has two major nuclear plants, but the voters have consistently voted against new plants over the course of the last fifty years. Some cities are even declared as nuclear-free zones.

Other Resources

California Population 2015

Population of Mexico 2016

  January 2, 2016 - 5:11 pm |
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population-of-mexico-2014Population of Mexico 2016

Based on the total number of births, total number of deaths, net migration rate, and the population of 2015, the current population of the United Mexican States is estimated to be about 123,278,559. The Mexican population makes up about 1.71% of the entire world’s population and ranks 11th in population rankings, behind Japan, but ahead of the Philippines. However, because of the rate that Mexico’s population is growing and the rate that Japan is decreasing, it will not be long before Mexico overtakes it in the population rankings. Mexico is the second-most populous country in North America, behind the United States, but ahead of Canada. At the end of 2015, the population was 122,332,399. Therefore, since the start of 2016, there has been an approximate growth of 946,160 people, or a growth rate of about 0.77%. Based on the total population and the total area, the population density of Mexico is estimated to be about 62.5 people per square kilometer or 161.87 people per square mile.

Geography of Mexico

Mexico is made up of thirty-one individual and sovereign states, each of which has its own constitution and government. However, they all fall under the jurisdiction of the Mexican Federal government. Mexico is located in North America to the south of the United States and to the north of Central America. Its total land area, 1,972,550 square kilometers or 761,606 square miles, make it the 14th largest country in terms of land area. The Rio Grande determines the northern border of Mexico with the United States and the borders between Guatemala and Belize determine the southern borders of Mexico. Mexico is made up of two mountain rages: Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra Madre Occidental. The Sierra Nevada, which is also known as the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, crosses through the center of the country. Lastly, the highest point in Mexico is the Pico de Orizaba, which reaches 5,700 meters or 18,701 feet.

Mexican Government

Mexico is a federation with a representative, democratic, and republican government. The Mexican Constitution was ratified in 1917 and established the three levels of government: the Federal Union, state governments, and municipal governments. The Federal Union is broken up into three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The President of the United Mexican States, currently Enrique Pena Nieto, who has veto power over laws passed by the legislative branch and is the commander-in-chief of the Mexican military, heads the Executive Branch. The Legislative Branch is a bicameral Congress, composed of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Congress makes laws, declares war, establishes taxes and the budget, and approves any diplomatic appointment. The Chamber of Deputies is made up of 300 deputies, while the Senate is made up of 128 Senators. The Judicial Branch is the Supreme Court of Justice, which has eleven judges that the President appoints. Lastly, the three major political parties in Mexico are the National Action Party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party, and the Party of the Democratic Revolution. The current President is a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party.

Mexican Economy

Mexico is considered to have the 14th largest nominal Gross Domestic Product and the 10th largest Gross Domestic Product by Purchasing Power Parity. As a result, it is considered to be an upper middle-income economy and country. However, despite this economic status, the number of people living in poverty has increased. From 2006 to 2010, the number of people that were considered to be in moderate or extreme poverty increased from 35% to 46% of the population. In fact, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ranked Mexico second in the economic disparity between the rich and the poor. Mexico has the second largest electronics industry in the world and it also produces more automobiles than any other North American nation.

Transportation in Mexico

Mexico contains 366,095 kilometers or 227,481 miles of roads, but only 116,802 kilometers or 72,577 miles are paved. However, despite the large difference in unpaved and paved roads, Mexico has the largest paved-road network in Latin America. The Secretary of Communications and Transport had proposed and started a high-speed train project, which was projected to cost about $25 billion. The train is supposed to connect Mexico City to Guadalajara. Lastly, Mexico has 233 airports, but 35 have about 97% of the total passenger traffic. Mexico City International Airport is the largest Latin American airport and the 44th largest airport in the world.

Mexican Cuisine

Due to the various early setters in the region, current Mexican cuisine has received influences from many different cultures, especially Columbia and Spain. In general, Mexican food tends to include rice, beef, maize, avocado, chili pepper, beans, and many other ingredients. However, due to geographical and climate differences, each region has its own specialty. Northern Mexico is known for beef, goat, and ostrich dishes. Central Mexico is known for carnitas and tamales. Southeastern Mexico typically makes spicy vegetable and chicken dishes. Lastly, in the regions near the Pacific Ocean or Gulf of Mexico, seafood dishes tend to be very popular.

Demographic Challenge in Mexico

Health Care in Mexico

Since the start of the 21st century, Mexico has taken many steps in improving its health care system. In December of 2006, the government established Health Insurance for a New Generation, which essentially granted insurance to babies. In May of 2009, the government established Universal Health Care for Pregnant Women. Then, in 2012, the entire United Mexican States established a universal healthcare system. Because of the universal healthcare system, health care is either completely free or subsidized for all citizens, if they choose to use the public health system. Typically, a visit to the doctor’s office will cost $25 and a night’s stay in a hospital will cost $30. Private hospitals and private insurance policies still exist and can be used if a person is willing to pay for it. In fact, private facilities account for 13% of the country’s total facilities. Lastly, 97% of the population has access to potable water and 90% of the country has access to sanitized water.

population-of-mexico-2014-education

Education in Mexico

Education in Mexico has three main stages, two of which are considered compulsory: primary, junior high school, and high school. Primary school is made up of grades one through six. Some primary schools are bilingual, helping the students master another prominent language. The Spanish word for “school”, escuela, describes primary school. Junior high school is grades seven through nine. During this portion of schooling, students are introduced to specific topics such as Chemistry or World History. High school, which is not mandatory for students, is grades ten through twelve. During the first few semesters, the students take a common curriculum. However, near the end of the program, students can take specialized electives, such as philosophy or economics. Students can also enter into a vocational training program to train them for skilled labor jobs in the market. Lastly, only about 23% of Mexican youth (ages 23-35 years) have an undergraduate degree from a college or university.

Other Resources

Mexico Population 2015

Population of New York City 2016

  January 2, 2016 - 4:42 pm |
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population-of-new-york-city-2014Population of New York City 2016

When measuring the population of a city, there are three main statistical areas considered: the city proper, the metropolitan area, and the combined statistical area (CSA), which includes both the metropolitan area and micropolitan areas surrounding the city. The following population estimates for all three areas are based on previous population data and population growth rates. The population of New York City (proper) for 2016 is estimated at 8,475,500. Since the 2010 Census, the city proper population is estimated to have grown by about 300,367 or by an average annual growth rate of 0.92%. New York City (proper) is the largest city proper in the United States. Its population density for 2016 is estimated at 27,806.8 people per square mile or 10,742.1 people per square kilometer, which is the densest city in the country. The population of New York City Metropolitan Area for 2016 is estimated at 19,999,127, which is one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. Since the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area population is estimated to have grown by about 431,717 or by an average annual growth rate of 0.55%. Its population density for 2016 is estimated at 1,501.7 people per square mile or 579.9 people per square kilometer. Lastly, the population of the New York City Combined Statistical Area, which includes cities in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, for 2016, is estimated at 23,606,990. Since the 2010 Census, the CSA of New York is estimated to have grown by about 530,326 or by an average annual growth rate of 0.57%.

Boroughs of New York City 2016

New York City proper is made up of five distinct boroughs, coextensive with a county of the state: Manhattan (New York County), the Bronx (Bronx County), Brooklyn (Kings County), Queens (Queens County), and Staten Island (Richmond County). Manhattan happens to be the city’s most densely population borough and is the financial center of the city. The remaining four boroughs are often referred to as the outer boroughs due to the central nature of Manhattan in the city’s operations. The Bronx is the only borough that is a part of the country’s mainland. It is also home to the largest cooperatively owned housing complex in the country. While Manhattan is the most densely populated borough, Brooklyn is the most populated borough. Queens is the geographically largest borough and the most ethnically diverse borough. Queens County is the only county in the country where the median income of African Americans is higher than the median income of Caucasians. Lastly, Staten Island is considered the most suburban area of the city and it contains Staten Island Ferry, which is one of the most popular tourist attractions of the city.

Government of New York City 2016

New York City has assumed the mayor-council form of government since the consolidation of the city in 1898. Both the mayor and the councilors serve four-year terms. There is also a limit of three consecutive terms for both types of office. However, one can run again after a four-year break. As of January 1, 2016, the current mayor is Bill de Blasio, a member of the Democratic Party. The New York City Council is a unicameral body, made up of 51 councilors. Each councilor comes from a district defined geographically by population. There are currently 48 Democrats and 3 Republicans in the city council. As of January 1, 2016, the Speaker of the Council is Melissa Mark-Viverito, a member of the Democratic Party. Each of the five boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island) also represents a judicial district of the New York Supreme Court. Lastly, a Republican in a statewide or presidential election has not carried the city since Calvin Coolidge in the presidential election of 1924.

Crime in New York City 2016

While the New York City Police Department is the largest police force in the country, the crime rates of the city have been some of the lowest in the country. In 2013, there were only 334 homicides, which dropped from 419 homicides in 2012. However, after a violent start to the year, some predicted that the homicide level could increase by 75%. The Police Department has enacted a program entitled Operation Crew Cut, which intends to cut down the rate of youth homicides by tackling neighborhood gangs. The Police Commissioner estimates that the program has cut the rate of such homicides by more than half. As of May 14, 2016, there are 2,786 registered sex offenders living in New York City. Lastly, the police force has adopted a controversial policy in 2012 that gives the police the right to stop anyone and frisk him or her to see if he or she has any dangerous items on his or her person. The policy is known as the stop-and-frisk program.

Poverty in New York City 2016

According to the New York City government’s Center for Economic Opportunity, 21.4% of the city lives in poverty. 22.3% of females live in poverty, while 20.5% of males live in poverty. Slightly more than 25% of those under the age of 18 live in poverty, while 21.4% of those over the age of 65 live in poverty. The Bronx is the poorest borough with 26.6% of its population living in poverty, while only 14.5% of those living in Staten Island live in poverty. The white population has the lowest poverty rate among the various races with 14.0% living in poverty, while 29% of non-Hispanic Asians lives in poverty and 25.7% of Hispanics live in poverty. Throughout the city, the lowest fifth of the population has a mean income of $8,993, while the highest fifth had a mean income of about $222,871. However, the top 5% of the population made an average of $436,931. When looking at one of the least poor boroughs, Manhattan, the lowest fifth had a mean income of $9,635, while the top fifth had a mean income of $389,007. However, the top 5% had a mean income of $799,969. Thus, Manhattan has the largest income gap among the biggest counties in the country. Lastly, while the poverty rate was only about 21.4%, almost 50% of the population lives near the poverty line and thus struggles to get by.

population-of-new-york-city-2014-mtaTransportation in New York City 2016

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority provides transportation to all of those living in the metropolitan area of New York City. Through the utilization of subways, buses, and railways, the MTA provides about 2.62 billion trips every year to citizens of New York City. About 80% of those that commute to New York City for work use the mass transit system, which is considered to be the most widely used system in the country. Over the past four years, the MTA has focused on rebuilding and improvement efforts to the public transportation systems. The total budget for 2016 is estimated at $13.6 billion, employing around 65,000 people. As of December 31, 2012, there were 345 rail lines, subway lines, and bus routes, 8778 rail and subway cars, 5,701 buses, and 736 rail and subway stations. In 2016, the MTA is expected to have completed the Fulton Center, which is a new rail station that connects many more parts of the city together, and the 7 Line Extension, which extends the subway from Times Square to the Javits Center. Due to the high population density and transit usage, there is a high level of concentrated pollution in the city, which can lead to many respiratory issues among the city’s population. In an attempt to reducing its environmental impact, the city has worked to implement the usage of hybrid taxes and diesel-hybrid and compressed natural gas buses. Lastly, only 52% of households own a car and 22% of those living in Manhattan own a car.

New York City

Other Relevant Links

Population of New York 2016
New York City Population 2013
New York State Population 2013

Population of Brazil 2016

  January 2, 2016 - 4:24 pm |
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population-of-brazil-2014Population of Brazil 2016

Based on the total number of births, total number of deaths, net migration rates, and the population of 2013, the current population of the Federative Republic of Brazil is estimated to be about 201,398,858. As a result, Brazil is the fifth-most populous country in the world, behind Indonesia, but ahead of Pakistan. The current population indicates a growth of about 2,077,858 or a population growth rate of about 1.04%. Based on the total land area and the total population, the population density of Brazil in 2016 is about 23.65 people per square kilometer or 61.26 people per square mile.

Geography of Brazil 2016

Brazil has a total area of 8,514,876 square kilometers or 3,287,612 square miles, making it the fifth largest country in the world in terms of area. Due to its larges size, it borders every country in South America, except Ecuador and Chile. Brazil is located along the equator, which is the cause of much of its climate. Geographically, the northern portion of the country is the lower, flatter region. It is made up of rolling terrains and low, rounded hills. However, the southern region is made up of mountain ranges and ridges. Some mountain ranges include the Serra do Mar and the Mantiquiera. Some of the major rivers in the country include the Amazon, which is the world’s second longest river, and the Parana River.

Climate of Brazil 2016

There are five major climate regions in Brazil: equatorial, tropical, semiarid, highland tropical, temperate, and subtropical. These drastically different regions are the reasons for the existence of both semiarid deserts and equatorial rainforests. However, the northern portion of the country is made up of mostly equatorial climates. The average temperature in this region is about 77°F, but there is a large variation in temperatures throughout the day. In terms of rainfall, the northeast receives extreme seasonal rainfall, but the semiarid region tends to have, on average, less than 32 inches of rainfall per year. However, in regions south of Bahia, rain tends to fall consistently throughout the year. Lastly, the southern region tends to experience cooler temperatures and climates, sometimes even some frost and snow.

Government of Brazil 2016

The political system in Brazil is considered to be a democratic republic. Founded upon the principles of sovereignty, citizenship, dignity of human beings, social values of labor and freedom of enterprise, and political pluralism, the government is made up of three separate branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The members of the executive and legislative branches are directly elected, while the members of the judicial branch are appointed after passing an exam. The four main political parties are the Workers’ Party, Brazilian Social Democracy Party, Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, and the Democrats. Voting in the elections is required for all literate citizens from ages 18 to 70. Lastly, the Brazilian Constitution is considered to be a very important document in the government and political system.

Transportation in Brazil 2016

The most common form of transportation for both people and freight is considered to be road travel. As of 2010, there was almost 2 million kilometers of roads in Brazil. Of the approximate 2 million kilometers of roads, about only 200,000 kilometers of roads are actually paved. Another important form of freight transportation is waterway transportation. In total, there are thirty-six deep-water ports. The usage of railways and trains has decreased over the years and some railways have even been shut down. Lastly, there are approximately 2,500 airports in all of Brazil, which gives it the second highest number of airports behind the United States of America. The largest airport in Brazil is the Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport.

Health Care in Brazil 2016

As of 1988, the Brazilian Constitution guarantees that everyone legally in Brazil has the right to access medical care and coverage. As a result, there is a public national health system provided by the government. The public health care system is free to anyone that is legally in Brazil. This coverage includes free doctor’s visits, prescription drugs, hospitalization, and even surgeries. Although there is a free, public system, there also exists a private system. People can choose to use the private system if they want, but it is not free to the public. Private health-care providers can receive subsidies from the government to help lower costs for the patient. Also, even if you have a private health plan and you wish to use the public system, you can still use the resources and services of the public system. Lastly, some health issues throughout the country include poor sanitation and drinking water, malnutrition, high infant mortality rates, and high disease and illness rates.

population-of-brazil-2014-economyEconomy of Brazil 2016

Brazil has the largest economy in all of Latin America and the seventh largest economy in the world. In 2016, according to the International Monetary Fund, the Gross Domestic Product per capita is $12,528, which ranks 77th in the world. The economy is supposed to grow to be in the top five economies in the world based on the projections of growth in Gross Domestic Product. It has the sixth largest work force in the world, totaling 107 million workers. Some of the major sectors of the economy include agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and service. Lastly, Brazil is considered to have the fourth largest car market in the world.

Education in Brazil 2016

The Brazilian Constitution guarantees education for every citizen of Brazil, but also establishes that it is the supreme authority in terms of education. Each state and territory can make some extra regulations in regards to their specific schools, but the federal government must approve of the regulations. There are three main levels of education: fundamental, intermediate, and higher education. The higher education system is made up of undergraduate and graduate school. Education is required for every Brazilian citizen from the ages of 7 years to 14 years. There is a common core curriculum, along with the allowance for specifics to certain schools. The common core includes Portuguese, History, Geography, Physics, Biology, Science, and Mathematics. Lastly, the set school year involves 200 school days, even though the minimum is only 180 school days, which does not include test and exam days.

Language in Brazil 2016

Based on the Brazilian Constitution, Portuguese is the official language of Brazil. Portuguese is spoken among almost the entire population as it appears in virtually every aspect of society. Because it is the only Portuguese-speaking country in Latin America, this difference gives Brazil a special identity and culture that separates it form any other Latin American country. In 2002, Brazilian Sign Language was officially recognized as a Brazilian language as well, in order to accommodate for the hearing impaired citizens of the country. In fact, the language is taught as a part of the education and speech and language pathology curricula. Schools and hospitals are required to provide equal access and assistance for the hearing impaired. Despite these two official languages, there are countless numbers of Amerindian languages spoken throughout the country, however.

Brazil’s Geographic Challenge

Other Resources

Brazil Population 2013