Brazil

摘要

Brazil, land of the samba, Sugar Loaf Mountain and Copacabana beach, is also distinguishing itself in the midst of the worldwide financial crisis by the resilience of its economic performance.rnIn the face of the global slowdown, the Brazilian economy is predicted to grow this year by a relatively respectable 2.5%. Last year, the South American nation achieved the notable feat of being the least affected by the international economic downturn.rnAlthough business activity in Brazil slowed gradually through the last six months of 2008, its economy maintained an overall growth rate estimated at 5.2%. This was a more substantial performance than that of any of the world's most developed economies.rnSignificantly, domestic demand, rather than exports, has been the main driver of Brazil's growth. While highly unequal income distribution continues to be a major problem in this nation of almost 200 million people, it is the country's burgeoning middle class that has fueled the economy's expansion.