Brazil and Mexico are both the giants of their geographic realms (de Blij and Muller 219,254). Mexico constitutes an entire geographic region of Middle America (200). The country of Brazil is also considered a single region in South America (239). Both of these regions have very large populations in comparison to the other regions of their realms. Mexico's current population of 102 million people has more than doubled in size since 1970 (219). Brazil's estimated population is currently near 167 million people (254). The populations of both regions are becoming increasingly more urban in character. At least seventy-four percent of Mexico's population resides in cities or towns (220). Similarly in Brazil, eighty percent of the population …show more content…

Sao Paulo has areas that are equally as poverty stricken as the ciudades perdidas of Mexico City. In Brazil the poorer areas are known as favelas (253). The inhabitants of these areas in both cities are mostly recent migrants to the cities from more rural areas (221, 259).

The people of Mexico and Brazil are both predominantly Roman Catholic. Brazil is the largest Roman Catholic country in the world (254). Eighty-nine percent of Mexico's population follows the Roman Catholic faith (Camp). During the colonial period the Portuguese and the Spanish placed importance on Christianizing the Amerindian populations. In Brazil the African influence has played an important role on the Catholic faith. Many Brazilians include the worship of African deities with their Christian religious practices. The Candomble sect is the most popular of these sects, its influence is strongest in the Brazilian state of Bahia (Microsoft Encarta).

Brazil and Mexico are both rich with natural resources. Oil is an important natural resource in both regions (224, 255). Brazil has also begun to produce a sugarcane-based alcohol for use as fuel (256). Some of the resources of Brazil are large manganese deposits, iron, coal, limestone, and aluminum (255, 257, 260). Mexico's resources include silver, salt, celestite, sodium sulfate, and graphite (Camp).

Agricultural pursuits are more prevalent in Brazil than in Mexico. New areas of farming in Brazil,