Circumnavigation of Uruguay

By Jamie Douglas

Most of my readers no doubt are aware that Uruguay is an autonomous country lodged between the butt cheeks of Argentina and Brazil. But many of you may not realize that the country is literally surrounded by water. There is 660 km of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and the Río de la Plata estuary, and thence up the Río Uruguay to Brazil, and from there heading southeast along the Brazilian border to Chuy and Barra del Chuy on the Atlantic Ocean coastline.

Along the Brazilian border there are miles upon miles of rivers separating the two nations, with the major towns from west to east being Bella Unión, Artigas, Rivera, Río Branco and, after the border passes through Laguna Merín, you finally end up in Chuy, 985 km from the Argentina-Brazil-Uruguay triple border.

Should you feel adventurous, you can circumnavigate the entire country on mostly good roads. (Please invite me along!)

You might first visit the well-preserved historic old town of Colonia del Sacramento, and after a couple of days of marveling at the beauty of this lovely UNESCO Heritage Site, head north through Mercedes, Paysandú and Salto, where you can relax in hot springs that have existed for centuries.

After your soak, head west to Artigas, where you are likely to run into some of the finest amethyst the world has to offer. Now comes the relatively uninhabited stretch to Rivera, then down to Vichadero and onto a dirt road to Melo. A disclosure here: My editor/wife and I were in Tacuarembó , which is in the interior of the country south of Rivera, a couple of years ago; and when we mentioned that we were going to book passage to Melo, people looked at us very strangely and wanted to know why we wanted to go there. They stated that there was nothing there, nothing to do, and the road was terrible. We believed them and returned to Montevideo, instead – the road from Paysandú to Tacuarembó was bad enough! After settling in La Paloma, we made new friends with our neighbors who had just moved from Melo. They assured us that it was not worth the time or energy to visit.

If you are truly adventurous, you can go from Melo to the border-crossing town of Río Branco and then head to Treinta y Tres, the city named after Uruguay’s 33 Founding Fathers, before making your way on backroads to Chuy. Alternatively, you could go straight to Treinta y Tres via highway. You will be well off the beaten path, either way.

The Beaches of Rocha

The department of Rocha reaches along the Atlantic Coast from the Brazilian border all the way to the department of Maldonado, almost to Punta del Este, the “Miami Beach” of Uruguay. It is a 200-mile stretch of uninterrupted sandy beaches, lagoons and rather primitive villages with inexpensive cabins right on the beach. After Barra del Chuy, you will come to a string of charming little place: La Coronilla, Santa Theresa National Park, Punta del Diablo, Aguas Dulces, Punta Castillos, Punta Aguada and Cabo Polonio National Park, where you have to park your car and take a giant WWII-era six-wheel-drive monster truck out to the cape.

Cabo Polonio has recently been designated a national park, and new construction is prohibited. But there is an abundance of illegally built houses (?) covering the sand dunes, some of them very rustic, ramshackle huts, while others are quite nice. Accommodations even in the high season (December through early March) are easy to get and are relatively economical. There is no electricity except for the lighthouse, and water has to be trucked in, so it is very limited.

There are several decent restaurants and a “supermarket” for your convenience, stocking everything you might need to cook your own food. An overabundant choice of wine and beer is also available in mass quantities.

Further south is a real town – with paved roads and all. La Pedrera is famous for its carnival and is a favorite with the young crowd, while La Paloma a few kilometers farther to the south has a little more of a family vibe.

La Paloma is a small city with about 3,000 year-round inhabitants (including us!), paved streets, running water and really expensive electricity. We have untold numbers of restaurants during the season and about a half dozen or so that stay open out of season.

During the high season, La Paloma serves as a vacation destination for about 30,000 people, and the beaches get quite crowded. Our Argentinean friends drive on residential streets as if they are on the highway – they are reckless and arrogant, just like they drive in Argentina.

Between La Paloma and Punta del Este, you have to briefly return to the main highway (Route 9) for a few kilometers until you come to a turnoff about 20 km from Rocha that will take you to the coastal highway to Punta José Ignacio, Punta Manantiales, La Barra and finally to Punta del Este. From there, many small roads branch off that follow the coast back to Montevideo that will take you along the brown, muddy waters of the Río de la Plata – or, you can take the Ruta Interbalnearia, the “inter-resort” toll road.

Enjoy the ride, and remember that the entire Atlantic coastline is one giant sand dune that is ecologically very sensitive. Tread lightly please!

Jamie Douglas

At large in Uruguay

I encourage you to write me at cruzansailor [at] gmail [dot] com with any questions or suggestions you may have. Disclaimer: I am not in any travel-related business. My advice is based on my own experiences and is free of charge (Donations welcome). It is always my pleasure to act as a beneficial counselor to those who are seekers of the next adventure.

Two Top Natural Wonders: Iguazu Falls and the Amazon River

article from November 14, 2011

By Jamie Douglas

The voting stopped on 11/11/11 at 11:11:11 and the results are in! The "New 7 Wonders of Nature" have been selected! And the results give South America two well-deserved winners: the Amazon River and Iguazu Falls, a double whammy for Brazil and a partial one for Argentina, as the falls are shared between the two nations.

The Iguazu Falls are a very impressive series of about 275 separate falls, ranging in height from 200 feet to 270 feet along the 1.7-mile fault line that created them. I think anyone with the means to get there should experience this wonderful ecological area, home to thousands of species of plants and animals. It is a chance to explore a natural environment that has ceased to exist in many areas of Brazil.

Getting there is very simple from Brazil, Paraguay or Argentina. There are frequent flights as well as very comfortable buses serving the area, where an abundance of hotels, restaurants and other tourist-related facilities ensure that visitors will be taken care of for the recommended stay of at least a couple of days to really be able to enjoy the majesty of the falls.

The Amazon River, having also been chosen to join in the exclusive company of the other six natural wonders of the world, has recently been determined to be the world’s longest river, after satellite images proved its source to be hundreds of miles further than was previously thought, displacing the Nile as the holder of that honor. Regardless of any claims to length, it is doubtlessly the greatest river in the world, discharging a whopping 20% of the world’s freshwater into the oceans of our planet. Climates from extreme cold in the high Andes, where the Amazon River originates down to the oppressive equatorial heat of the Peruvian and Brazilian jungles are home to over one-third of the world’s flora and fauna so far discovered by scientists.

An amazing storehouse of life in all its forms has been created by the forces of nature. But it is now in danger of being decimated by human activity, such as mining, cattle ranching and soy cultivation. In addition, the energy-hungry nation of Brazil is currently fighting over construction of one of the world’s largest dams in this ecologically sensitive region. It is a battle of progress vs. preservation, a struggle that directly affects thousands of indigenous jungle dwellers in the region as well as the environment of a zone that plays such an enormous role in the planet’s ecology.

Jamie Douglas

San Rafael, Mendoza

In the Heart of Malbec Land!   

I encourage you to write me at cruzansailor [at] gmail [dot] com with any questions or suggestions you may have. Disclaimer: I am not in any travel-related business. My advice is based on my own experiences and is free of charge (Donations welcome). It is always my pleasure to act as a beneficial counselor to those who are seekers of the next adventure.

Ecuador Profile

article from October 5, 2011

by Julie R Butler

Situated right on the equator, Ecuador’s small size (it is South America’s fourth-smallest country) makes its diversity in climates, geography, and biology all the more impressive, with three geographical areas on the mainland – the coastal plain lining the Pacific Ocean, the Andes Mountains, and the eastern lowlands, where upland rainforests descend into the Amazon Basin – plus the Galapagos Islands. Colombia is the northern neighbor of the Ecuador, while Peru borders it to the east and south.

A large majority of the population lives in the highlands and along the coast. The port city of Guayaquil is the largest city (population 2,286,800), followed by the capital, Quito (1,619,800), and then Cuenca (330,000).

Ecuador History

Civilizations have existed in the region since as far back as circa 8800 BCE. The distinctive Valdivia Culture and the Machalilla Culture along the coast, along with the Quitus near what is now Quito in the northern mountains and the Cañari near Cuenca in the mountainous south formed a regional confederation, trading among themselves and coming together to resist the Inca until finally conquered by them. For a short period just before the Spanish Conquest began, Quito was the capital of the Inca Empire.

Disease and labor camps decimated the indigenous population as Ecuador became part of the Viceroyalty of Peru for 300 years. The call for independence from Spain rang out on August 10, 1809. On October 9, 1820, Guayaquil became the first Ecuadorian city to claim itself independent. And on May 24, 1822, the rest of Ecuador liberated itself. Ecuador joined the Republic of Gran Colombia and, in 1830, separated into its own republic.

The 19th century saw a rapid succession of authoritarian rulers come and go, up until the Liberal Revolution of 1895, when forces based along the coast gained control for thirty years over the clergy and landowners based in the highlands, only to be deposed by a military junta that brought on more instability and the rise of populist politicians. Then came recession and more political instability, and armed conflict with Peru resulted in loss of territory. Meanwhile, foreign interests developed oil resources in the Amazon Basin and constructed the Andean Pipeline to transport the oil to Guayaquil, boosting Ecuador’s oil export capacity tremendously.

Nearly a decade of civilian and military dictatorship in the 1970s ended in the return to democracy in 1979. But in the years leading up to 2006, when current President Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado was elected, it was once again economic difficulties that continued to wreak havoc on stability and progress in Ecuador, especially when the indigenous people began to be politically active. Small gains weighted against failure to deliver on promises of land reform and social services have caused volatility to ensue and the executive office to deteriorate.

Ecuador today

So, all of this is what is behind President Correa’s recent moves to regain power for the executive branch. An economist by training, he has made impressive progress in reducing high levels of poverty and unemployment, and his declaration of Ecuador’s national debt as illegitimate, due to the fact that it was incurred by corrupt and despotic prior regimes, has to be recognized as some truly brilliant maneuvering. It worked, as he was able to reduce the price of the debt letters and continue paying on it by borrowing from China. He also oversaw a rewriting of the constitution, allowing himself to run for a second term in office, which he won in the first-round general election, the first time in three decades that a runoff election was not required. He is eligible to run for one more term.

Correa is popular for standing up to foreign petroleum companies and foreign creditors while standing up for social programs and the environment. But unfortunately, his suppression of press freedom and his judicial overhaul are troubling. Tensions between the police, the military, and Correa are also simmering. Relations with the United States are icy, and Colombia is being held at arm’s length. Meanwhile, drug-related crime is on the rise in Ecuador.

Ecuador today is somewhat popular with expats because it is a beautiful country that is diverse and culturally interesting, and of course, the cost of living is quite low. However, social tensions between the poor and the wealthy elite are cause for some concern, and the impending economic downturn does not bode well for a country whose biggest export is oil and whose greatest challenge has been volatility during economic downturns.

[Image of Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Cuenca, Ecuador, via Wikipedia]

Julie R Butler is a writer, journalist, editor, and author of several books, including Nine Months in Uruguay and No Stranger To Strange Lands (click here for more info). She is a contributor to Speakout at Truthout.org, and her current blog is Connectively Speaking.

email: julierbutler [at] yahoo [dot] com, Twitter: @JulieRButler

Peru for the Nomadic Retiree

article from August 11, 2011

By Jamie Douglas

For those of you who read yesterday’s installment, please bear in mind that 30 years have passed since then, and I am still kicking, and that today’s Peru is a different place – for one thing, much safer, but the country still has a reputation for petty thievery and robbing tourists, so the usual precautions apply.

Peru is the twentieth-largest country in the world, stretching from 2.6 miles south of the equator in the northern jungles and bordering Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia and Chile.

Lima, the capital, is where most international flights arrive. When entering, be sure that you get the 90-day stamp in your passport, as that will give you the option to stay that long without having to get involved in the process of getting an extension, should you decide to stay longer.

Should you be lucky enough to arrive on one of the sunny days, enjoy it; it will not last. This metropolis of almost nine million people is located along the shores of the Pacific Ocean and is subject to the cold Humboldt Current, which is the primary weather maker in this region, creating a cool climate for a city located only 12 degrees south of the equator. The city is actually in a desert, and its lifeblood comes from the Rimac River, which provides drinking water as well as being an important source of hydroelectricity.

To the visitor, Lima offers up a large amount of historical architecture, which varies widely, depending on which phase of its establishment it was in when the construction occurred. As would be expected in a country so deeply imbued with Inca and Quechua influences, the capital city is home to some of the most important museums of indigenous Andean culture and history, one of the not-to-be-missed being the National Museum of Archeology, Anthropology and History of Peru. It is well worth a multiple-day visit to absorb all that is on display here. Others on the must-see list are the Museum of Gold, the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of the Nation.

Not very far southeast of Lima is the Pachacamac Archeological Site, a very significant area that is still under intense exploration, with several temples and pyramids having been uncovered so far. The ravages of time have taken their toll on many of the buildings, but one of the nice things about the site is its lack of hordes of tourists, allowing you leisurely exploration.

The majority of travelers are attracted by some of the most spectacular sights to behold, such as Machu Picchu, probably one of the most famous historic treasures in the world, esoterically called the” Lost City of the Incas,” although it was never really lost to the indigenous population. In 1911, Hiram Bingham, an archeologist from the US, “discovered” the city, and this marvel began to be rebuilt and groomed.

The easiest way to get there is to fly from Lima to Cusco, a city with a history that goes back to a civilization that predates the Incas, which unfortunately suffered several devastating earthquakes over the last few centuries. After getting acclimatized to the area, located at an impressive altitude of over 11,000 feet, and exploring the layers of history here, you may want to journey to the majestic ruins perched high above the Urubamba River via the train that takes you in comfort to the base town of Aguas Calientes, just below Machu Picchu. Buses await the arriving guests and will whisk them up the mountain to a splendor that will be remembered forever.

Farther south is the Puno region, with its capital city of the same name bordering Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable body of water in the world, at an altitude of 12,500 feet. It is also the largest inland lake in all of South America, with a surface area of 3,232 square miles.

At the other end of the nation, you will find Peru’s Amazon region. Located near the equator, it has very tropical climate, with high moisture year round but a flora and fauna such as you will rarely encounter on the planet. Did you know that the northernmost part of Peru, deep in the Putumayo region of the jungle, yet only 255 miles from the Pacific Ocean, is at exactly the same latitude as the mouth of the Amazon where it finally pours into the Atlantic Ocean, almost 1,800 miles straight to the east at Ilha de Mexiana?

To me, this is the most interesting region, featuring such a huge array of flora and fauna as to hold 20% of all the species of the world’s birds, 21% of the butterflies and a great variety of amphibians, plants, mammals and reptiles. One of the most amazing animals is the rare white dolphin that can sometimes be spotted migrating up and down the river. There are riverboat tours you may take from here all the way to Manaus, Brazil, and beyond to Belém, on the banks of the estuary – an adventure that will include meeting many people of different cultures (as well as their livestock).

Peru holds wonders for all, and I recommend a lengthy stay, covering not just my recommendations. Keep an open mind and itinerary, with the ability to change your direction of travel without compromise. Make yourself a list of must-sees and must-dos, and go from there. The best resources I have always found along the way are not tourists, but fellow travelers, and you will soon learn how to pick them out of the crowds at the hotels, hostels and inns where you stay.

Jamie Douglas

San Rafael, Mendoza

Where the Malbec Wine is Always Fine!

[Image of wooden balconies in Lima via Wikipedia]

I encourage you to write me at cruzansailor [at] gmail [dot] com with any questions or suggestions you may have. Disclaimer: I am not in any travel-related business. My advice is based on my own experiences and is free of charge (Donations welcome). It is always my pleasure to act as a beneficial counselor to those who are seekers of the next adventure.

Focus on Chile

article from March 23, 2011

by Julie R Butler

Far-away, stable, modern, with excellent wines and plenty of natural splendor, Chile is the focus for many a wandering expat eye.

Geography of Chile

Chile is defined by its 6435 km (4,000 mi) of Pacific coastline and the Andes mountain range, which isolate it from its neighbors to the east, Argentina and Bolivia. It is easy to see how these features account for the Mapuche’s word, chilli, “where the land ends,” having stuck. Chile extends from about 27 degrees south, which is north of the Tropic of Capricorn, to Cape Horn, nearly 56 degrees south, with some 80% of its landmass occupied by mountainous terrain – all of which makes for an enormous diversity in geography.

In the far north is the fascinating Atacama Desert, the world’s driest.

To the south of that is the semiarid Norte Chico region, where pisco, Chile’s famous grape brandy, is produced in deep valleys between towering volcanoes.

The Central Zone is home to Chile’s population center, where the major cities of Santiago, Valparaíso, and Concepción enjoy temperate Mediterranean-type climates. The Central Valley, where Santiago is located, is the country’s most important wine and fruit region, while the southern portion of this zone is home to much of Chile’s lumber industry. Sadly, many old growth forests in the region were unwisely cleared long ago for agriculture that turned out not to be sustainable, but there are still some large tracts in the high Andes that have been protected as national parks. The coast here is lined with long beaches. The Humboldt Current keeps all of Chile’s coastal waters, well, chilly.

The Zona Sur, or simply the South, is Chile’s scenic Lake District. One of the world’s rainiest areas, it is home to the amazing Valdivian temperate rainforests.

The Extreme South, known as the Zona Austral, features a dramatic combination of fjords, channels that wind through archipelagos made up of thousands of islands, and snow-capped mountains.

Chile also includes the islands of Juan Fernández, Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas and Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean.

History of Chile

Several 10,000-year-old settlements that have been discovered in the fertile valleys and coastal areas of Chile give rise to speculation that the original peoples of the Americas were not the migrants who came over the Bering Strait from Asia. The semi-nomadic Mapuche peoples, who inhabited Chile by the time the first Europeans, moving south out of Peru, began their conquest for riches, had already resisted the Incan attempts to subjugate them, and for 300 years, they also successfully resisted the Spanish in the south. Hemmed in by the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Andes to the east, the Mapuches to the south, and the desert to the north, the Spaniards who settled Chile were a highly centralized, homogeneous, and militarized bunch who were fiercely loyal to the Spanish Crown.

The movement for independence from Spain did not get going until 1808, when Napoleon’s brother usurped power in Europe. Chile was proclaimed to be an autonomous republic in 1810, but it took ten years to gain independence from Spain, and even then, the old social order was conserved. The brutal campaign to suppress the Mapuches, in addition to both interregional and civil wars, mired the nascent nation in military conflict up until the end of the nineteenth century, when a parliamentary-type democracy was finally established. However, the country continued to be plagued by its social and political polarization, as instability alternated with military dictatorships that attempted to establish order throughout the twentieth century.

Chile today

Given this history, the fact that Chile is now considered to be the most stable nation in South America is a testament to just how far the Chilean people have come. The country is not without daunting problems that are steeped in its past, and many believe that its image as a model of democracy for the region is undeserved. Yet there is no doubt that Chile is making significant progress toward finding ways to address its ongoing social issues, and Chileans are generally hopeful that they may be moving on a path to win the future.

Julie R Butler is a writer, journalist, editor, and author of several books, including Nine Months in Uruguay and No Stranger To Strange Lands (click here for more info). She is a contributor to Speakout at Truthout.org, and her current blog is Connectively Speaking

email: julierbutler [at] yahoo [dot] com, Twitter: @JulieRButler

Thinking of Moving to Argentina?

article from January 17, 2011

By Jamie Douglas

If you are a potential expat, you have finally settled on a destination, and it is Argentina, I highly recommend that you do some serious research, AND visit the country first, and I mean the country.

It is the eight-largest country on Earth, with Buenos Aires being the eight-largest metropolitan area. According to the latest census figures (99% responding), there are 40 million Argentineans, of which 39%  live in the Greater Buenos Aires Area (The Province of Buenos Aires plus the Capital Federal). That’s about 15.6 million people, making it the second-largest metropolitan area in South America behind São Paulo, Brazil. All in all, it is estimated that there are 20 million inhabitants in the Greater Buenos Aires Area, many living way below the poverty level.

via Wikipedia

BsAs is indeed an exciting and lively city, but presently, the center of the city’s infrastructure is crumbling, literally under your feet. The sidewalks are a hazard area for pedestrians, due to the many deep holes and cracks and the feces of tens of thousands of loose dogs, and the magnificent buildings in the center city itself have lost much of their beauty and former glory due to lack of money for maintenance and general neglect.

It is the cultural capital of South America, and a very vibrant city, boasting a large number of tango clubs, theaters and cultural events. The many parks in the city, on a nice summer day, are occupied by many porteños, as the residents of the city are called, playing or just resting in the sun or under the many trees. I could go on for pages, listing the pros and cons of this huge metropolis, but we are talking Argentina here.

Jamie Douglas

If you are a city person, then it is imperative that you also check out Córdoba, Mendoza, Rosario and the twin cities of Santa Fé and Paraná, just to mention a few that are not total tourist Meccas like Mar del Plata, and in Patagonia, San Carlos de Bariloche.

With its size and diversification, Argentina is sure to offer something for just about anyone who comes with their eyes open, rose-colored glasses securely tucked away. There is the extreme north, which reaches into the altiplano, as well as subtropical climates and the Yungas jungle; there is the rugged Chaco, there is the Wine Country, the Pampas, the Steppe, the Lake District, and there is the extreme south, Tierra del Fuego being the southernmost inhabited area in the world, which has penguins rather than palm trees. And the Andes run the entire length of the country in the west.

Jamie Douglas

Patagonia, which is the name for the southern part of the continent, has much to offer for those seeking peace and seclusion. Vast empty spaces are punctuated by the majestic southern glaciers and the tranquil, microclimate controlled valley of the Comarca Andina, where it rarely snows, and deep winter temperatures never really go below 25 degrees Fahrenheit. This area is centered more or less around El Bolsón, a hiker and outdoors person’s delight at least nine months out of the year and totally tolerable during the other three months. Farther to the north is Nahuel Huapi National Park, with its spectacular glacial lakes, and Bariloche, Villa Angostura and San Martín de Los Andes, which boast some world-class skiing. In this region, you are never far from the Chilean border, where you can experience the other side of the Andes. There is so much to do and so much to see in Patagonia that you should really take at least a month to absorb it all.

Jamie Douglas

Then of course there are many areas along the Atlantic coast that have a lot to offer to those who prefer to be near the ocean – a very cool ocean to be sure. Up the coast, the Río de la Plata estuary reaches inland, and following the Paraná, you may end up at Iguazú Falls, in the triangle where Paraguay and Brazil meet Argentina in a misty, subtropical wonderland where the bird watching, wildlife viewing and lush flora around the immense falls comprise a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

My recommendation: Come to Argentina, bring an open mind and have no fixed plans except, if you can, to stay the full 90 days that your entry visa grants you (This can easily be extended for another 90 days for about US$75 at any immigration office in the larger cities). Take advantage of the extensive bus system, which offers sleeper seats and meals when traveling long distances. (Always bring your own water and some snacks).

When exploring an area, it is best to rent a car for a few days, so that you can check out the sights, sounds and smells of this magnificent country at your leisure. If you end up in a place where you want to spend a week or more, I recommend renting a cabaña, which normally comes fully furnished with kitchen and all the necessary utensils and is much more economical than staying at a hotel. Inquire at the local tourist information bureau for the availability of a home away from home.

All that said, be a smart traveler, not a tourist. Guard your valuables and don’t flash large amounts of cash or jewelry. Argentina is just like anywhere else where there are the “haves” and the “have not’s,” and you, looking well dressed with all the cameras, iPods, iPhones, etc., make a tempting target for the latter.

So by all means, come on down and experience this expansive country, which is also a way of life, drink some mate with some locals and see for yourself.

Welcome to Argentina!

Jamie Douglas

Patagonia

I encourage you to write me at cruzansailor [at] gmail [dot] com with any questions or suggestions you may have. Disclaimer: I am not in any travel-related business. My advice is based on my own experiences and is free of charge (Donations welcome). It is always my pleasure to act as a beneficial counselor to those who are seekers of the next adventure.

Brazil’s Biodiversity

article from January 13, 2011

by Julie R Butler

Brazil is considered by biologists to be the most biologically diverse nation in the world. It is home to the largest number of different species, and it is the enormous Amazon Rainforest that holds the largest collection of living plant and animal species of them all regions. The entire rainforest covers a mind-boggling 5.5 million sq km (1.4 billion acres), and according to the World Wide Fund for Nature, it is home to one-tenth of all known species in the world. Sixty percent of the Amazon Rainforest lies within the boundaries of Brazil.

But the Amazon Rainforest is just one of Brazil’s many ecosystems, existing in the North Region of this immense country. The four other regions that exist in Brazil contain a wide variety of geographies and habitats. The Atlantic Forest is also vast and includes a diversity of ecosystems that range from tropical and subtropical jungles, to forest types known as semi-deciduous, tropical dry, montane moist, and mangrove, to coastal restigas, as well as the transitional areas between them all.

The Cerrado, which means closed, is a region that covers a huge swath of the central interior of Brazil with tropical savannah crossed by gallery forests that line the rivers and streams. It contains a surprisingly high level of diversity in the wide variety of grasses and twisted, woody trees that form nearly impossible to penetrate closed canopy forests.

In northeastern Brazil, there is an ecoregion called the Caatinga that is characterized as xeric shrubland and thorn forest. Here, the brief rainy season nurtures cacti, thorny brush, thick-stemmed plants, grasses that thrive in the arid climate, and a spurt of short-lived annuals. Water rights and irrigation policies are a major issue in the Caatinga.

At the other end of the spectrum is the Pantanal, a tropical wetland that is the world’s largest wetland of any kind. This is a floodplain ecosystem much like the Nile River in Egypt, with 80% of this river delta region becoming submerged during the rainy season. The water arrives as runoff from the Mato Grosso Plateau to the northeast, then slowly releases into the Paraguay River, which flows into the mighty Paraná, which empties into to the world’s broadest estuary, the Río de la Plata. The Pantanal ecosystem is a coming together of the surrounding bioregions, where the biology is adapted to the radical cycle of inundation and dehydration.

Altogether, the results are an enormous variety of species that exist in Brazil:

55,000 plant species

3000 freshwater fish

1622 birds

+520 mammals

468 reptiles

The significance of all this? Biodiversity is considered to be a measure of the health of the ecosystem. As the result of some 3.5 billion years of evolution, diversity of species can be seen as a survival tool of the ecosystem as a whole. The adverse effects inflicted on the planet by a single species should therefore be understood not only as a tragedy, but also a danger of huge proportions.

Julie R Butler is a writer, journalist, editor, and author of several books, including Nine Months in Uruguay and No Stranger To Strange Lands (click here for more info). She is a contributor to Speakout at Truthout.org, and her current blog is Connectively Speaking.

email: julierbutler [at] yahoo [dot] com, Twitter: @JulieRButler

Geography of Brazil

article from January 11, 2011

by Julie R Butler

Dominating the map of South America, the world’s fifth largest nation by geographical size is also the fifth largest by population. Brasília, the capital of Brazil, is centrally located, the original, highly planned city having been built in just 41 months beginning in November 1956. While Brazil’s human population of 190,732,694 tends to stick to the more than 7,491 km (4,655 mi) of coastline, the vast interior is home to the world’s richest biodiversity.

The country is made up of five regions. Northern Brazil is dominated by the Amazon River, the second longest in the world after the Nile, along with its extensive equatorial rainforest system.

The area that extends farthest east is known as the Northeast Region, even though it is south of the mouth of the Amazon. This is the heart of colonial Brazil and is known for its rich culture as much as for its hot weather and lovely beaches. Inland, the term sertão refers to the semi-arid highlands, and a sertajeno is a Brazilian cowboy.

The Central-West Region holds Brazil’s immense reaches of tropical savannah, as well as tropical wetlands and more Amazonian rainforest in the north.

The Southeast Region is where all the human action is, concentrated along the coast where São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are located. With mountain ranges and plains, forests and savannahs, the tropical and the subtropical, caves and dunes, this region is known for its high level of biodiversity as well as for its industry and world-renowned cities.

Southern Brazil has subtropical as well as temperate zones, where it can get surprisingly cold in July, even snowy in the mountains. The region is characterized as having the highest living standards in all of Brazil. It is distinctive due to a large amount of agricultural immigration from Italy and Germany as well as Portugal during the 19th century.

Today, Brazil is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and is expected to become among the five largest within a matter of decades. According to Wikipedia’s article on the economy of Brazil:

“The service sector is the largest component of GDP at 66.8 percent, followed by the industrial sector at 29.7 percent (2007 est.). Agriculture represents 3.5 percent of GDP (2008 est.). Brazilian labor force is estimated at 100.77 million of which 10 percent is occupied in agriculture, 19 percent in the industry sector and 71 percent in the service sector.”

Innovation and a focus on the reduction of economic disparities, along with careful measures taken to balance the economy and instill consistency, have brought experts to proclaim that Brazil will come through the current economic crisis with flying colors. Perhaps Brazil’s Green Party, which was strong enough to have cost Dilma Rousseff the first-round win in the recent elections, can point to these successes in making the case that the time is ripe for introducing more environmental considerations into the great balancing act that is today’s Brazil.

[Image via Wikipedia]

Julie R Butler is a writer, journalist, editor, and author of several books, including Nine Months in Uruguay and No Stranger To Strange Lands (click here for more info). She is a contributor to Speakout at Truthout.org, and her current blog is Connectively Speaking.

email: julierbutler [at] yahoo [dot] com, Twitter: @JulieRButler