Brazil - Migration case study (MOCK)

Question 1

Brazil (EDC) GDP and GDP per capita

Answer 1

• GDP - $1.8 trillion (2016)

- GDP per capita - $8,727 (2016)

Question 2

Brazil (EDC) population

Answer 2

208 million (2017)

Question 3

Brazil (EDC) HDI

Answer 3

0.754 (2015) - 79th

Question 4

Sectoral contribution to GDP in Brazil

Answer 4

69% tertiary secto

Question 5

What are the current immigration patterns in Brazil?

Answer 5

• Influx of migrants from Haiti and some African countries. These migrants often use Ecuador and Chile as ‘transit countries’, in order to reach Brazil
• Rise in number of international labour migrants - especially due to demand for construction workers before 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games

Question 6

What are the current emigration patterns in Brazil (inc net migration loss)?

Answer 6

• Net migration of 500,000 between 2005-2009 and 190,000 in 2010-2014
• Increased migration between Brazil and neighbouring countries, especially members of ‘Mercosur’ (Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina)
• Fewer low skilled migrants are moving to the USA
• More highly skilled Brazilians are moving to EU, USA and Japan

Question 7

What are the current internal migration patterns in Brazil?

Answer 7

Strong and continuing internal migration - especially from the northeast to cities in the southeast, such as Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo

Question 8

Why was Brazil a net recipient of migrants in the 20th century?

Answer 8

• Due to Europeans (Italians/Germans/Portuguese) being attracted to work in the agricultural sector (coffee cultivation)
• Migrants were attracted from Japan to work in the agriculture and industry
• Economic migration with neighbours Paraguay and Argentina
• Political crises have also caused migration from Bolivia, Angola and Lebanon

Question 9

Modern day immigration in Brazil (stats)

Answer 9

Immigration - in the last 15 years, immigration has slowed, 80,000 less immigrants in Brazil than in 2000

Question 10

Modern day emigration in Brazil (stats)

Answer 10

Emigration has increased - 1.77 million Brazilians living abroad as of 2013 - compared to 0.98 million in 2000. The largest number living in any one country is USA, mainly for economic reasons.

Question 11

Brazil’s interdependence with Portugal

Answer 11

• Political, social and economic links
• Brazil = ex Portuguese colony
• Economic migrants can use Portugal as gateway to EU, + higher paying jobs mean migrant remittances sent back to Brazil
• Shared language + family ancestry = easy transition

Question 12

Brazil’s interdependence with USA

Answer 12

• Political, socio-economic + environmental links
• Low-skilled economic migrants migrate from Brazil to USA + send back remittances. Returning migrants bring back new skills + cultural knowledge
• Highly skilled Brazilians are also finding opportunities to work in US service sector
• USA has agreements w Brazil regarding agriculture, trade, finance + education
• USAID funds Brazil in many environmental projects, eg helping indigenous tribes to protect their lands from fires, to creating + implementing sustainable forest management laws

Question 13

Brazil migrant flows w Haiti (stats, human rights and explain why haitians make the move)

Answer 13

• Political, econommic + humanitarian links
• National Immigration Council for Brazil enables Haitians to obtain visas relatively easily - great benefit to Haitians who were part of 1.5 million displaced in 2010 earthquake
• Over 10,000 Haitians moved to Brazil between 2010-2013
• Continues to be large flows of Haitians towards Brazil due to political instability, high unemployment and high poverty rates in Haiti. Haiti also has terrible human rights record - gender-based vioence
• Low-skilled jobs on offer for Haitians

Question 14

Impact of immigration and emigration in Brazil: Economic Development

Answer 14

• Waves of immigration in different periods from Japan, Portugal, Italy, etc have contributed to growth in manufacturing + agriculture sectors.
• Recent arrivals of highly skilled workers have contributed to a boost in entrepreneurship and innovation
• Economic emigration has resulted in migrant remittances ($2.4 billion in 2014)

Question 15

Impact of immigration and emigration in Brazil: Political stability

Answer 15

• Brazil has a stable + democratic political system, is a member of Mercosur, the G20 + OECD + is also part of BRICS group of emerging nations
• Stable political relationships with countries w which has significant bilateral migrant flows eg USA + Portugal
• Brazil’s government set up a system to make visas easily obtainable for political + environmental refugees

Question 16

Impact of immigration and emigration in Brazil: Social inequality

Answer 16

• Inequalities between different ethnic groups w/in Brazil - existing housing provision, education + income. Brazilians of African descent are most affected.
• Inequalities are often concentrated in rural areas or in favelas (to which poor people migrate)
• Prejudice exists in labour market, often against black + indigenous people