roduct (GDP) $432 billion
Per Capita GDP Growth Rate 3 percent
Total Exports (1993) $38.8 billion
Total External Debt (1993) $123 billion
Debt Service Ratio (1992) 24.4
Exports by Sector (1990) [visually estimated from graphs]
Purchasing power (pct of US) 23 pct
Cost of living (pct of NYC) 60 pct
Urbanization 76 pct
Literacy Rate 81 pct
UN Human Development Index 74 pct
Life Expectancy -- Female 68 yrs
Income Distribution by Decile (1980):
1 Poorest 10 pct of pop. 1.1 pct of income
2 1.8
3 2.7
4 3.7
7 8.4
8 11.4
9 17.1
10 Wealthiest 10 pct of pop. 42.6 pct of income
(No detailed recent data on income distribution patterns were available; however, it should be noted that the above distribution was little changed since 1960. Given the remarks from Hoover's Handbook (1993, p. 520) regarding income inequality, it appears improbable that income distribution has changed greatly since 1980.)
Numerous areas of strength are visible in the statistical picture of Brazil presented above. The relative per capita GDP and cost-of-living data are unfortunately mapped against differing baselines; the first against the United States as a whole and the second against New York City. (If we make the simplifying assumption that the cost of living in New York is equal to the average U.S. cost of living, we arrive at a Brazilian average material standard of living that stands at 38 percent of the American standard.) Since living costs in New York are surely above the U.S. average, this undo
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