Poverty in Brazil

The Geography of Brazil’s Poverty

Here is a map that shows the proportion of poverty in Brazil by region:

Documentary on Poverty in Brazil

In December, The Brazilian government’s TV channel, TVNBR, released a very interesting short documentary about extreme poverty in Brazil. While Brazil has become a development success story due to a growing middle class and declining levels of poverty, this documentary points out that pockets of extreme poverty still persist.

The film focuses on two cities: Brasília and Recife. When you think of cities with poverty in Brazil, the country’s capital might not be the first one to come to mind, but it’s one of the most unequal cities in the country. The documentary discusses how a lack of government investment has left parts of the city with few services; some residents working as trash pickers at the local landfill to make ends meet. Later, it talks about Recife, where government programs and investments in one of the city’s poorest and most violent neighborhoods helped turn the community around.

While this film is recommended for intermediate and advanced speakers (there are no subtitles!), it will also help you practice listening to different accents, particularly the Pernambuco accent.