Well, yes. The most relatable definition of a developing country is one with a low level of economic or industrial development.
According to the World Population Review, Brazil is a developing country. And if you research deeper, you’ll discover that Brazil is one of the least developed countries.
In this article, I’ll explain why this reality exists in Brazil.
Read on!
Why Brazil is a Developing Country
According to the United Nations, the metric for determining whether a country is developed, developing, or underdeveloped is the Human Development Index (HDI).
The HDI covers a lot of issues — the quality of life, education, life expectancy, and health. 1.0 is the highest HDI score. Any country with less than 0.80 is tagged developing.
The Gross National Income (GNI) is another veritable tool used to determine whether a country is developed or developing.
In 2022, the World Bank set a standard for countries based on their respective GNIs. Countries with $12,696 GNI or above were categorized as developed countries.
Countries with GNIs below $12,696 were considered developing countries. In 2022, the World Population Review released a list of developing countries with their respective HDIs for 2019. Brazil was listed as one of them, having a Human Development Index of 0.765 (below 0.80).
Common Difficulties Faced by Developing Countries
Developing countries within the same range of HDI battle the same problems. This is why the United Nations Organization is working tirelessly to help these developing countries get past this stage of their economic development.
Some of these challenges include:
Poverty
Brazil has a poverty rate of 19.60%. This means that 19.60% of the population lives below $5.50 per day. And Brazil’s population 215,301,555. This is disturbing and alarming at the same time.
Low Quality of Education
Brazil ranks 79 on the United Nations Human Development Index. Education in Brazil is considered a luxury. Over one-third of its population is illiterate.
And the racial barriers in Brazil don’t help. Every poor country eventually becomes poor in education. It’s an unavoidable cycle— No money = no education = no job.
Corruption
Corruption is one of the greatest barriers to economic development in Brazil. According to Transparency International, Brazil ranks 96 out of 180 countries for corruption. It’s almost impossible for any country held down by corruption to rise above an economic crisis.
Lack of Infrastructure
In a recent Ipsos Survey, Brazilians supported the lack of infrastructure as the most dissatisfactory reality of the country.
The current infrastructure inventory shows that Brazil lacks relevant infrastructure in comparison with countries with similar income levels. Even basic transportation and sanitation provisions fall short.
Lack of infrastructure means poor country performance and a slow rate of growth.
High Rate of Violence
The rate of homicide in Brazil is one of the highest in the world. In 2020, the rate was 30.76 per 100,000 residents. DATASUS records that this was triple the world’s average.
The high rate of violent crime can be traced to Brazil’s drug use. As one of the marked drug routes, it’s only natural that violent crime accompanies any territory marked for crack use.
Gender Inequality
Brazilian culture requires that women stay at home while the husbands provide for the family. Sadly, the women in the survey preferred to work at jobs than stay home.
According to statista.com, the overall gap between genders in Brazil was 30% in 2021. This means that 30% of women in Brazil don’t have the opportunities men have.
Inequality is a major indicator for developing countries. In contrast, developed nations of the world harness the potential of women for the development of their countries.
Health and Environmental Challenges
Brazil is popular for owning 60% of the world’s biggest rainforest — the Amazon. Because of this, deforestation is the greatest environmental issue in Brazil.
These environmental challenges translate to health issues in the long run. Some of the prevalent issues are water pollution, illegal poaching, oil spills, and pesticide use, amongst others.
In the course of deforestation, there are greenhouse gas emissions that shoot carbon dioxide in the air. All these are detrimental to both the environment and the health of residents.
Finally
Every developed country was once a developing country. Brazil is a developing country because these issues still exist. The likelihood of Brazil becoming a developed nation boils down to the measures put in place to change the trajectory of things.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brazil
What is Brazil’s GDP Per Capita?
A country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita is realized by dividing the country’s GDP by the total country population. The most recent GDP per capita for Brazil was recorded in 2020 at $8,228.79.
Is Brazil a good country to live in?
Well, it depends on your definition of good. The place and the people are welcoming. While Brazilians are known for their hospitality, Brazil itself is wrought with many attributes that’ll appeal to you.
Save for crime and drugs, Brazil is culturally diverse and aesthetically pleasing. If it appeals to you, you can choose to live there.
Is English widely spoken in Brazil?
No, English is not widely spoken in Brazil. According to a report by the British Council in 2019, only 5% of Brazilians speak English.
The most popular language spoken in Brazil is Portuguese. German and Italian languages follow suit. Here’s why these are the popular languages in Brazil.
Why does Brazil have so many Japanese?
That’s because the Japanese were the first immigrants to Brazil in 1907. Following a government treaty permitting Japanese migration to Brazil, the population began to increase. Today, they’re over 1.5 million Japanese in Brazil.
Is there a Chinatown in Brazil?
I wouldn’t call it a permanent Chinatown, but there’s a growing Chinese community in a part of Brazil. They’re over 250,000 Chinese immigrants in Brazil. With this, São Paulo has become the largest “Chinatown” in Latin America.
