Brazil

Geography

Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world, exceeded in size only by Russia, Canada, China, and the United States. It covers an area of 3,300,171 square miles (8,547,404 square kilometers), or about half of South America. Brazil is so vast that, although it faces the Atlantic Ocean along 4,600 miles (7,400 kilometers) of coastline, it also borders on every nation of the South American continent except Chile and Ecuador--specifically, Uruguay to the south; Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia to the southwest; Peru to the west; Colombia to the northwest; and Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guyana to the north. Stretching for approximately 2,700 miles from north to south and from east to west, it contains no desert, high mountains, or Arctic environments that limit the extent of human occupancy.

Most of the inhabitants of Brazil, the world's fifth most populous nation, are concentrated along the eastern seaboard. Its national capital, Brasilia, however, is located inland, on the outer edge of intensive settlement. Planned from scratch, Brasilia replaced Rio de Janeiro as the capital in 1960.

The physical and human features of this broad land are rich and various. The greater part of the Amazon Basin lies within Brazilian territory, the Earth's largest river system and most extensive regions of virgin rainforest. Brazil has enormous expanses of untouched tropical forest and sparsely settled savannas with a scattering of isolated villages. It is a land rich in natural resources, and its burgeoning cities, huge hydroelectric and industrial complexes, mines, and fertile farmlands have placed it among the world's most productive countries.

Economy

Brazil is the tenth-largest economy in the world, with 1999 GDP of $555 billion. With it’s per capita GDP at $6,150. It is a highly diversified economy with wide variations in levels of development. The composition of GDP by sector is: 13% agriculture, 38% industry, and 49% services.

The countries net exports are $48 billion with major markets in the United States 22%, Argentina 11%, Netherlands 5%, Japan 5%, Germany 5%, Italy 4%, France 2%. Net imports average $49 billion with major suppliers being the United States 24%, Argentina 12%, Germany 10%, Italy 5%, Japan 5%. The currency is the Brazil Real (BRL). As of 17 February 2001 the currency is $1 to 1.994 BRL. The labor force is broken up into occupations as follows services 42%, agriculture 31%, and industry 27%. Brazil has an unemployment rate of 7%.

Market opening and economic stabilization have significantly enhanced Brazil's growth prospects. Brazil's trade has almost doubled since 1990. U.S. direct foreign investment has increased from less than $19 billion in 1994 to an estimated $38 billion through 1999. The United States is the largest foreign investor in Brazil. Upcoming privatizations in the power and banking sectors will likely elicit strong interest from U.S. firms.49%. The annual real growth rate is normally around 0.8% and is projected 4.0% in 2000.

Brazil is endowed with vast agricultural resources. Brazilian agriculture is well diversified, and the country is largely self-sufficient in food. Agriculture accounts for 13% of the country's GDP, and employs about one-quarter of the labor force in more than 6 million agricultural enterprises. On a value basis, production is 60% field crop and 40% livestock. Brazil is a net exporter of agricultural and food products, which account for about 35% of the country's exports. Brazil is the world's largest producer of sugarcane and coffee, and a net exporter of cocoa, soybeans, orange juice, rice, beef, corn, cotton, tobacco, forest products, and other tropical fruits and nuts. Livestock production is important in many sections of the country, with rapid growth in the poultry, pork, and milk industries reflecting changes in consumers’ tastes.

Brazil has one of the most advanced industrial sectors in Latin America.  Accounting for one-third of GDP, Brazil's diverse industries range from automobiles, steel, and petrochemicals, to computers, aircraft, and consumer durables. Large iron and manganese reserves are important sources of industrial raw materials and export earnings. Deposits of nickel, tin, chromate, bauxite, beryllium, copper, lead, tungsten, zinc, gold, and other minerals are exploited. High-quality coking-grade coal required in the steel industry is in short supply.

The Brazilian Government has undertaken an ambitious program to reduce dependence on imported oil. Imports previously accounted for more than 70% of the country's oil needs but now account for about 33%. Brazil is one of the world's leading producers of hydroelectric power, with a current capacity of about 58,000 megawatts. Existing hydroelectric power provides 92% of the nation's electricity. Brazil also uses other forms of electricity. Brazil’s first commercial nuclear reactor, located near Rio de Janeiro has been in operation for more than 10 years and plans for second and third reactors are underway, which would have a total capacity of 3,000 megawatts when finished.

Government

Brazil has had a rough political movement following its’ gain of independence in 1822. Unlike Brazils’ neighbors who adopted democracy as their initial form of government they went to a monarchy. Throughout the past Brazil has changed various forms of government to where it is now, a presidential and federative republic with considerable decentralized federalism.

The last form of government that Brazil was a militant regime that lasted 21 years from 1964 to 1985. During this period of "relative democracy" congress remained open but had greatly reduced powers. Elections were still held for congress, state assemblies, and local government. But presidential, gubernatorial, and mayoral elections were indirect.

In 1985 the current government with a civilian president took place. Brazil is composed of twenty-six states and the Federal District (Brasilia). Similar to the United States, Brazil has a check and balances system with three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judiciary.

In the executive branch presidents have a four year term that can be reelected immediately following their term with a new amendment that was approved June of 1997. The President Fernando Cardoso was elected in 1998by popular vote. The president often reorganizes the executive-branch to fit his personal style. For example, the number of ministers in the cabinet changes for every president. The current number held by President Cardoso is twenty-two ministers. The president has the power to use the line-item veto, impound appropriated funds, issue decrees and provisional measures, initiate legislation, and enact laws. Since 1964 the president and vice-president have ran on the same ticket, before this they were elected separately and in instances produced server institutional crisis. This is why the military seized power of the government.

The legislative branch is composed of the 513-member Chamber of Deputies and the eighty-one-member Senate. Congress has a basic four-year term, but senators serve for eight years. Congress enjoys administrative and fiscal autonomy, as well as full power over the budget. Under certain circumstances, it may issue legislative decrees not subject to presidential veto. An absolute majority secret vote in Congress is required to override a presidential veto. Congress also has a very important role in setting national, especially economic, policies. For example, it must approve all international agreements, including renegotiations of the foreign debt.

Legislators enjoy almost total parliamentary immunity, even for capital crimes, such as homicide. Even if the respective chamber lifts the legislator's immunity by an absolute majority secret vote, the legislator retains the privilege of being tried by the Federal Supreme Court.

Each state has three senatorial seats, and one or two seats are elected alternately every four years to eight-year terms. Election is by simple majority. Deputies have had four-year terms and must be at least twenty-one years old. The constitution granted states with small populations a minimum delegation of seven deputies; larger states counted one additional deputy for every 150,000 inhabitants up to 3 million, and after that one for every 250,000.

The judicial branch is composed of federal, state, and municipal courts. These federal courts have no chief justice or judge. The two-year presidency of each court is by rotation and is based on respecting seniority.

The (STF) Federal Supreme Court has eleven members appointed by the president with Senate approval. The STF decides conflicts between the executive and legislative branches, disputes among states, and disputes between the federal government and states. In addition, it rules on disputes involving foreign governments and extradition. The STF issues decisions regarding the constitutionality of laws, acts, and procedures of the executive and legislative branches, warrants of injunction, and writs of habeas corpus. Further, it presents three-name lists for certain judicial-branch nominations, and conducts trials of the president, cabinet ministers, and congressional and judiciary members. The president of the STF is third in the line of presidential succession and would preside over an impeachment trial held by the Senate. STF can decide on matters of constitutionality without waiting for appeals to come through the federal courts.

People

Brazilians are outgoing, fun-loving people. Friends and acquaintances are greeted with kisses, more kisses and big hugs. The people of Brazil are diverse in origin, the native Indians, the conquering Portuguese and the African slaves they brought to work in the sugar cane fields. 55% of the population is white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish), 38% is mixed white and black, 6% black, and 1%other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian). Brazil often boasts that the new "race" of Brazilians is a successful amalgam of African, European, and indigenous strains, a claim that is truer in the social than the political or economic realm. Portuguese is the official language, and Spanish, English, and French are also widely spoken. Anywhere from 70% to 90% of the population is at least nominally Roman Catholic. The population of Brazil is 171,853,126 with a growth rate of 1.16%. Most of the estimated 150,000 indigenous peoples are found in the rain forests of the Amazon River basin. Of the total population 83.3 can read and write at the age of 15. There are more than 50 universities in the country.

Diet

The extraordinary cuisine of Brazil is a mix of the cooking heritage of three disparate groups of people: the native Indians, the conquering Portuguese and the African slaves they brought to work in the sugar cane fields. The distinct contribution of each is still apparent in many Brazilian dishes today.

Brazilians eat a light breakfast, the main meal of the day is lunch, which is served from about 11:30 AM to 3 PM. Dinner, is served from 7 to 11 PM.

Brazil's greatest treasure is her bounty of fruits. Many varieties of tropical fruit are not cultivated but grow freely in the wetland areas or in the uplands. Some are palm fruits. Even today, some of these exotic fruits are only known in the region in which they grow.

An assortment of fish tempts the palate. Menus in the north feature the mammoth pirarucu, whose delicious flesh is quite meaty, almost like chicken; and the tasty tambaqui, a fruit and seed-eating fish equipped with powerful, molar-like teeth adapted for crushing its food. Other notable fish are the salmon-like dourado in the center-west and the tucunare, the beautifully colored peacock bass.

Meat reigns in the south. One must experience the popular churrasco, featuring grilled meats of all kinds. In certain restaurants, it is served rodizio style, on skewers from which select pieces are chosen in an all-you-can-eat setting. For pork, the southeast features delicious roast suckling pig and cracklings of fried pork skin.

The main stay breed for Brazil is a cheese roll made with tapioca starch and grated cheese. They are especially popular in the center-west, southeast and south.

Cachaca, pinga and aguardente are names for very potent, inexpensive sugar-cane alcohol. Mixed with fruit juice, crushed ice and sugar, Cachaca becomes a caipirinha, which when mixed right, is delicious. If vodka is used instead of Cachaca it is a caipirosca. Rum makes another alternative.

Feijoada is Brazil's national dish. It is an elaborate stew with black beans and many different smoked and sun-dried meats, especially pork, and smoked sausages. It is served with several traditional side dishes, including orange slices, shredded kale, rice, manioc (cassava) meal browned in butter and a hot pepper and lemon sauce.

Argentina

Geography

Argentina is the second largest country in South America. Argentina occupies most of the southern portion, or southern cone, of South America. With an area of 1,073,399 square miles (2,780,092 square km)--an area about the size of the United States east of the Mississippi River--it is the eighth largest country in the world. Argentina is shaped like an inverted triangle with its base at the top, its’ borders are the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay. Bolivia and Paraguay are located on the northern edge of Argentina.

The climate in Argentina varies throughout the country. It is predominantly temperate with extremes ranging from subtropical in the north, arid in the southeast, and sub Antarctic in the southwest. Seasons are reversed from those of areas north of the equator. For example, when it is winter in the United States, Argentina is having summer.

The rich plains of the Pampas occupy the northern half of Argentina while in the south the plateau of Patagonia is flat to rolling. The Andes Mountains run north and south along the western border. Only nine percent of the land is arable and only one percent is farmland. However, pasture and woodlands make up for 73 percent of the land. Copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, petroleum, tin, uranium, and zinc can all be found in Argentina.

Economy

Argentina has resumed modest economic growth in 2000, after suffering a significant recession, which began in the last quarter of 1998. Argentina’s President appointed a respected economic team that is continuing and building on past economic policies. During the 1990’s, Argentina implemented a successful economic restructuring based on macroeconomic stabilization, trade liberalization, privatization, and public administrative reform, which placed the country on a relatively sound economic footing after decades of decline and chronic bouts of high inflation. Argentina still needs to complete some difficult reforms to ensure steady growth in the future.

In 1991, the government privatized most state-controlled companies opened the economy to foreign trade and investment, improved tax collection, and created private pension and workers compensation systems. In the early 1990’s, Argentina experienced a boom in economic growth followed by erratic growth in the second half of the 1990’s, when the country experienced a small recession.
The gross domestic product per capita is $10,000. Industry and Commerce make up 36% of the work force, agriculture makes up 19% and transportation and communication make up 6%. One of Argentina’s challenges is to lower the unemployment rate. In May of 2000, the unemployment rate was at 15.4%, but is expected to decrease slowly over the next few years.

Agricultural products in Argentina include grains, oilseeds, oilseed by-products, and livestock products. Argentina has exports totaling $23.3 billion. Argentina exports grains, meats, oilseeds, and manufactured products. They import $25.5 million of goods. Imports include machinery, vehicles and transport products, chemicals. Argentina’s trading partners include the European Union, United States, and Brazil. The currency is the Argentina Peso (ARP). As of 17 February 2001 the current exchange rate in Argentina per $1 is 0.998 ARP.

Government

The current structure of the Argentine government is classified as a Republic. Their government is much like the United States. The constitution of 1853 was revised in 1994. It mandates a separation of powers into executive, legislative, and judicial branches at the national and provincial level. Each province also has its own constitution, roughly mirroring the structure of the national constitution. The president and vice president were traditionally elected indirectly by an electoral college to a single six-year term and not allowed to seek immediate reelection. Constitutional reforms adopted in August 1994 reduced the presidential term to four year, abolished the electoral college in favor of direct voting, and limited the president and vice president to two consecutive terms.

President Fernando De La Rua is the Chief of State of the Executive Branch of Government. His Vice President is Carlos Alberto Alvarez. The president and the vice president are elected on the same ticket by the popular vote for four-year terms. The president appoints his cabinet ministers and the constitution grants him considerable power, including a line-item veto.

The Legislative Branch of Government is a bicameral congress made up of a 72-member Senate and a 257-member Chamber of Deputies. It is divided into 24 provinces and one federal district. Provinces traditionally sent two senators to the bicameral congress appointed by the provincial legislatures. Beginning in 2001, the constitution now mandates a transition to direct election for all senators, and the addition of a third senator representing the largest minority party from each province and the capital. The revised constitution reduces senatorial terms from nine to six years. One-third of the Senate will stand for reelection every 2 years. On the other hand, the Chamber of Deputies elects one-half of its members every two years.

The Judicial Branch is made up of nine Supreme Court Judges, which are appointed by the president with approval from the Senate. Asserted in 1854, the Supreme Court has the power to declare legislative act unconstitutional.

There are two large political parties in Argentina. The Justicialist (PJ) or Peronist Party was evolved out of Juan Peron’s efforts in the 1940s to expand the role of labor in the political process. The Union Civic Radical (UCR), or Radical Civic Union, was founded in 1890. Traditionally, the USR has had more urban middle-class support and the PJ more labor support.

The administration has continued economic reforms begun in the early 1990s designed to open the Argentine economy and enhance its international competitiveness. Action taken to help the Argentine economy include privatization, deregulation, fewer import barriers, and a fixed exchange rate. All of these changes have dramatically reduced the role of the Argentine state in regulating the domestic market. The reform agenda, however, remains incomplete, and improvements in the judicial system and provincial administration are still needed, among other areas.

People

Argentines are a fusion of diverse national and ethnic groups. Descendants of Italian and Spanish immigrants predominate. Waves of immigrants from many European countries arrived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Syrian, Lebanese, and other Middle Eastern immigrants number about 500,000, mainly in urban areas. Argentina has the largest Jewish population in Latin America, about 250,000 strong but only 2% of the population while 92% is roman Catholic, 2% Protestant, and 4% practice other religions.

In recent years, there has been a substantial influx of immigrants from neighboring Latin American countries. The indigenous population, now estimated at 700,000, is concentrated in the provinces of the north, northwest, and south. The Argentine population has one of Latin America's lowest growth rates (1.16%). Eighty percent of the population resides in urban areas of more than 2,000 and more than one-third of the population lives in the greater Buenos Aires area. This sprawling metropolis, with about 12 million inhabitants, serves as the focus for national life. Argentines enjoy comparatively high standards of living; half the population considers itself middle class. It is estimated that 96.2% of the population over 15 years or age can read and write. The official language is Spanish but English, Italian, German, and French are also spoken.

Diet

In Argentina, beef has traditionally been the food of choice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Although throughout the last decade the per capita consumption of beef has declined from 180lbs per year in 1990 to 140lbs in 1999. Even at this rate is well above the average consumption in most other countries. Argentines are seeking other alternatives such as fruits, vegetables, fish, and poultry. All of these other options are presently at lower prices than have ever been seen before in Argentina. The per capita consumption of poultry has doubled in the last decade rising from 24lbs per year to 48lbs. Also, hundreds of sushi bars have sprung up throughout the country.

With the increase of both microwave ovens and freezers becoming more common in households. The buying habits of the Argentines have changed with the lifestyles that bring new demands. It is now common that women work outside of the house and are looking for the conveniences of new products that make up for the lost free time.

Chile

Geography

Chile is situated along the western seaboard of South America and extending approximately 2,700 miles (4,300 kilometers) from its boundary with Peru. Cape Horn is at the tip of South America; it’s only about 400 miles north of Antarctica. A long, narrow country, it has an average width of only about 110 miles, with a maximum of 217 miles. It is bounded in the north by Peru and Bolivia, on its long eastern border by Argentina, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean. Continental Chile and its offshore islands comprise 292,135 square miles (756,626 square kilometers).

Chile's relief is for the most part mountainous, with the Andes range dominating the landscape. Because of the country's extreme length it has a wide variety of climates, from the coastal desert beginning in the tropical north to the cold sub Antarctic southern tip. Chile is also a land of extreme natural events: volcanic eruptions, violent earthquakes, and tsunamis originating along major faults of the ocean floor periodically beset the country. Fierce winter storms and flash floods alternate with severe summer droughts.

Much of northern Chile is desert; the central part of the country is a temperate region where the bulk of the population lives and where the larger cities, are located. South-central Chile, with a lake and forest region, is temperate, humid, and suitable for grain cultivation; and the southernmost third of the country, cut by deep fjords, is an inhospitable region--cold, wet, windy, and limited in resources. The economy of Chile is based on primary economic activities: agricultural production; copper, iron, and nitrate mining; and the exploitation of sea resources.

Economy

Chile is currently experiencing a prosperous, essentially free-market economy. Since the military was removed form power in 1990, the new civilian government has been reducing its role in the economy and moved its spending into social programs. Currently growth is 7.1%. Even though Chile’s economy is very strong it is still very dependent on a few sectors particularly copper mining, fishing, and forestry. The government has a goal of 5% increase in GDP but reaching this goal depends on the prices of these commodities. The government has a very conservative fiscal stance in order to continue this strong growth rate.

The GDP of Chile is $168.5 billion. The gross domestic product per capita is $12, 400. The composition of GDP by sector is: 8% agriculture, 33% industry, and 59% services. 5.7 million people encompass the labor force with 38% in services (including government, 12%), 34% in industry and commerce, 19% in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, 2% in mining, and 6% in construction. Employment is currently at 6.1%.
The industry sector composes one-third of Chile’s GDP. The products of industry include copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, and textiles.

One-tenth of Chile’s GDP is compromised of Agricultural. Agricultural products in Chile include wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beats, potatoes, fruit, beef, poultry, wool, and timber.

Chile has exports totaling $17 billion. Chilean exports include copper, other metals, wood products, fish and fishmeal, and fruits. Chile imports $18 million of goods. Imports include items like capital goods, spare parts, raw materials, petroleum, and foodstuffs. Chile’s trading partners include the European Union, United States, Asia, and Latin America. The currency is the Chile peso (CLP). As of 17 February 2001 the current exchange rate in Chile per $1 is 563.1 CLP.

Government

The government of Chile is classified as a republic. Like the United States, the government has three different branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Chile is divided into thirteen administrative regions.

The head of the executive branch is the president. The president is not only the head of the government but also the chief of state. Presidents are elected for six-year terms by a popular vote. The last election was in December of 1999 was the closest one in the history of the nation and required a runoff in January. The winner was Ricardo Lagos Escobar. The President appoints the cabinet of Chile.

The legislative branch is composed of a bicameral Congress. The first part is the Senate that has forty-nine seats. Thirty-eight are elected, nine appointed, and two appointed for life. The life-long Senators are the former Presidents, under the constitution any President who serves for more than six years is entitled to a lifelong senate seat. These two former Presidents are Pinochet who served from 1970-1988 and Frei who served from 1993-2000. Senators serve eight-year terms with half coming up for election every four years. The other part of Congress is the Chamber of Deputies consisting of one hundred twenty members, who are elected to four-year terms by a popular vote. In December, both parts of Congress may see changes because of the upcoming election.

The judicial branch is independent and includes a court of appeal, a system of military courts, a constitutional tribunal, and the Supreme Court. The president appoints the Supreme Court judges that are then ratified by the Senate.

In Chile, the elections are governed by a binomial system that rewards coalition slates and not just political parties. For example President Escobar represents the Concentration coalition, which represents the Socialist Party and Party for Democracy. The main coalitions of Chile are the Coalition of Parties for Democracy (CPD), which consists of the Christian Democratic Party, Socialist Party, Party for Democracy, and the Radical Social Democratic Party. The other coalition is the Union for the Progress of Chile consists of two parties: National Renewal and the Independent Democratic Union. Each coalition can run two candidates for the two Senatorial seats and the two lower house seats apportioned to each chamber’s electoral districts. Typically the two largest coalitions split the seats. Currently the Christian Democratic Party and the National Renewal Party have the largest share of seats in Congress.

Before 1990, Pinochet was the President and ruled with military force. Many of his early actions were considered to be unjust and now faces' criminal charges for his actions. In 1988, he lost his reelection effort, after this the constitution of 1980 was amended and the government is now civilian. The political situation in Chile is currently very stable. The presidential transfer was very smooth and things seem to be doing fine. It will be interesting to watch the Congressional elections coming up this December. Hopefully the political stability, which has been there since 1990, will maintain and allow the economic growth to continue.

People

Chile has a population of 15.2 million people. The majority of the population is located in the cities with 86% living in urban areas. The largest concentration of the population is in the center part of the nation around Santiago. There are three main ethnic groups in Chile. The largest group is the Mestizo; these people are of European and Native American ancestry, which make up 66% of the population. The next group is the people of European descent and make up 25% of the population. The last group, which makes up 7% of the population, is the Native Americans. The official language of the nation is Spanish.

The predominant religion in Chile is Christianity with 77% of the people being Catholic, another 13% being Protestant or Evangelical. The next 7% is indifferent or atheists, and the last 4% consist of a variety of other religions.

The education system in Chile is very simple, with eight years of primary education and another four years of secondary education. Only 10% of the population goes on to secondary school, but the adult literacy rate is 95% with most people going to school for seven and a half years.

The most important holidays of the year are Christmas and Easter, but the month of September is full of many national holidays. The first one is Fiesta Partrias, which is in the middle of the month. 18 September is the National Independence Day, which is full of spirited partying and rodeos, and then on the 19 there is Armed Forces Day. Visitors can have a lot of fun when visiting during this time.

Diet

Due to its geographic isolation, Chile has many unique items when it comes to their food. The people of Chile make good use of the land and sea products. Corn or choclo as the Chileans call it, is an ingredient in almost every dish they eat. A couple examples of this include corn tamales, which are actually served in the cornhusks, and corn pies, which are served in unglazed ceramic pots (pastel de cholco). Chileans do make chunky soups with ingredients like meat or chicken, stewed beans and corn are also very popular. Seafood is a popular item in Chile, including items like swordfish, sea bass, conger eel, stuffed crabs, and sea urchins. One interesting dish is Curanto, which is a steamed mixture of fish, shellfish, pork, chicken, sausage, and potatoes and is prepared by digging a hole and lining it with heated stones. The empanada is the main dough based product of the nation. It is simply thin crust filled with spiced meat fried with onions.

There are many deserts of Chile, the most popular being Mote Con Huesillos that is a drink of dried peaches with cooked cracked wheat. There are also many fresh fruits in Chile like apples, strawberries, raspberries, and kiwis, which are used in preserves. Sweet rolls (brazo de reina) and manjar de blanco, which is a sweet caramelized mixture of milk and sugar, is a couple of national treasures.

Chile is famous for its superb wine, which is known world wide for its body and bouquet. The history of the nation is closely associated with its ability to make wine. This all started when monks wanted wine for communion and brought grapes over and began raising them. Ever since this humble beginning, wine is an important part of the Chilean diet. Among adults in Chile the most popular drink is Pisco which is made by extracting the juice and pulp from grapes and allowing them to ferment and then adding distilled water to this liquid to get the desired alcohol level. The two ways to drink this are a Piscola, which is simply adding Coca Cola to Pisco or a Pisco Sour, which is made by adding lemon juice and powdered sugar to Pisco. For those who enjoy milder drinks, chicha is a cider like drink made from fermented apple or grape juice.

Brazil

Exotic Coffees of Central and South America

Gift set includes 5 .045 Kg vacuum-sealed bag of whole bean coffee. Each coffee comes in it’s own collector tin with information about its location and mystique.
    Brazil Santos Jamaican Blue Mountain
    Haitian Blue Costa Rica’s Doka Estate
    Cafe Bueno Premium Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic)
Price of Coffee is approximately $70 plus tin cost and import taxes. We are looking at having 200 gifts sets for our first lot. Price on the gift set will be $125 to $150, plus shipping.

Overview of the Coffee

BRAZIL SANTOS Only 10% of Brazil's coffee is actually good enough to be considered "specialty coffees." In order to meet connoisseurs' specifications, production units were established in an area of the state of Minas Gerais, within the so-called "Triangulo Mineiro", where the altitude of 3600 feet. Very mild and soft in the cup, this coffee has a nice subtle aroma, sure to please almost anyone.

JAMAICAIN BLUE MOUNTIAN "The best in the world," the Blue Mountains, in eastern Jamaica, reach a height of 7,400 feet. Coffee is planted on terraces on the mountains' slopes, 1,500 to 5,000 feet above sea level, and is often shaded by avocado and banana trees. A balanced classic coffee with rich flavor, full body, and a smooth yet vibrant acidity

HAITIAN BLUE once said to be 18th Century Europe's most sought after coffee, it wasn't until 1995 that Haitian Bleu was brought to America. The "blue bean" of Haiti is perfectly balanced, with rich flavor, snappy acidity and wonderful mellow body. This coffee rates as one of the worlds best.

COSTA RICAN "DOKA" ESTATE Costa Rican coffee is considered by some to be one of the best Central American coffees, possessing a very full body and flavor, with just a touch of acidity. It is most frequently used in America as a favorite ingredient in many blends; however, Costa Rican Coffee is one of Europe's favorites, particularly in France. In the 2000 Costa Rican Cupping Competition Doka Estate received 1st place. One of the finest coffees out of Costa Rica, this estate has won one of the top three finishes in the annual Costa Rican Cupping Competition for the last four years. Light and clean flavor with a sweet tantalizing finish.

CAFÉ BUENO PREMIUM SANTO DOMINGO is grown on steep hillsides in the deep shade of mature Cacao groves on small individually owned farms. These freeholds support several generations of growers who bring many decades of experience to the task of cultivating coffee the traditional way.

Coffee from The Dominican Republic is great for roasting dark, developing a sweet, hard-candy taste without the bitterness of many dark-roast coffees." Timothy James Castle, The Perfect Cup, 1991.

Cup of Excellence 2001 Brazil Gift Set

We are planning on buying the top 3 lots of coffee from the Best of Brazil Auction. We will have these vacuum packed and placed in a collector’s tin. Each tin will contain 0.45 Kg of whole beans to retain freshness. Last years top three coffees sold for $3.04/lbs, $1.87/lbs, and $1.46/lbs respectively. We will be looking at a 100% to 200% price markup at retail.

To see last years results go to http://bsca.com.br/resulats.html

Characteristics of each coffee will be included on the tin.

Argentina

Wine

Currently Argentina is the one of the most promising countries that is exporting wine. With an increase in the techniques and equipment have taken Argentina great strides in the 1990’s. The majority of the wines (70%) are produced in the foothills of the Andes Mountains near the city of Mendoza.

Altos de las Hormigas - Can be purchased for around for $7.99 a bottle plus shipping and handling. This wine is made up of a Malbec grape. The result is a delicious, sappy red, easily one of the Malbecs currently on the market.

Chile

Wine

Chateau La Soya - can be purchased for $11.99 a bottle plus shipping and handling.

During the 1990’s Chilean wine has proven that it can compete with the wines of the world. Wines grown in Chile are proven to have higher levels of natural antioxidants and fluorides than comes from other parts of the world. Much of the success comes from the "blackcurrant flavored Caberent Sauvignon, crisp fresh tasting Sauvignon Blancs, soft fleshy Merlots and creamy, fruity Chardonnays." The moderate warm and dry climate provide a virtually disease free growing region. With the lack of diseases has furnished vines with the longevity of up to 100 years. Wines are blended but this practice is discouraged to allow for an increasingly characteristic for each of the individual wine producing regions. The lack of blending permits for premium wines to be formed.

Brazil

Health and particularly beauty is an important apart of most Brazilian’s lifestyle. We will import New Zealand’s Golden Stag deer velvet beauty aids. They will be marketed to upscale health and beauty counters. We will not import the products that contain blood or nervous tissue.
 

Name	Short Description	Price $US
Immune Response/ Tonic Capsule	Specially selected pure velvet powder in jars of 60 x 300mg capsules.	$16.50
Mobility Capsule	250mg of highest quality velvet powder with 50mg of deer sinew powder in jars of 60 x 300mg capsules.	$16.50
Traditional Capsule	Pure velvet powder from top quality whole antler in jars of 60 x 300mg capsules.	$13.75

Golden Stag Beauty Aides

Auckland New Zealand to Sao Paulo

Cost For 12 bottles of each pill (36 total) $184
Cost for 100 36 bottle cases $2565 Fed Ex $5.70/lb

Coffee will also be imported from Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Costa Rica for our Exotic coffee gift set. Current purchase prices are as follows.

Blue Mountain coffee roasted whole bean 10 lb Bulk Pack Grade 1 Price: $235.00 * 20 lbs = $4700. Café Bueno Premium Santo Domingo Coffee. Fresh roasted whole bean, 1 lb- $10.70 * 200 lbs = $2140. Haitian Bleu whole bean $2150 200 lbs, Costa Rican Doka Estate whole bean $2300 for 200lbs. This gives us a total of $13190 ($1900 for Brazil Santos) in coffee cost for our set. We plan on a rough cost of $2,500 in assembly import (shipping) costs. There will be 200 gift sets assembled from this shipment of coffee.

Coffee 200lb lots to Sao Paulo, Brazil
Port Au Prince, Haiti $938 Fed Ex $4.69/lb
Montego Bay, Jamaica $938 Fed Ex $4.69/lb
Puerto Limon, Costa Rica $1508 Fed Ex $7.54/lb
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic $938 Fed Ex $4.69/lb

Argentina

The people of Argentina love to eat desserts. At every meal an eloquent dessert is prepared to impress the guests that may be there. In order for us to take advantage of Argentina’s sweet tooth we have decided to imports desserts. The first thing we have decided to import is Austrian Strudels from Frizls Austrian Grill and Dessert Shop. This is a high dollar item, so we have decided to send them to fancy restaurants. The two restaurants we have decided to use are Campos del Pilar, phone: 806-1111, which serves regional food, so tourists may eat here when visiting, the dessert would make their dining experience even more enjoyable and La Biela, phone: 804-0449, one most famous dining establishments in Argentina. Both of these restaurants are located in the city of Buenos Aires.

Austrian Strudel from Frizls Grill & Dessert Shop
Vienna Austria to Buenos Aires Argentina
Cost of 100 5lb boxes of three strudels $2418 Fed Ex $24.18 per box

Chile

Yellowfin Tuna; supplied by Tebra Halal Meat LTD, P.O. Box 12092 Suva, ph: (679) 311996, prices run $7.50 for Skin-on Loins.

Yellowfin Tuna will be shipped to D&S, Chile’s Number 1 supermarket chain with around 22% of the market share. D&S operates more than 60 supermarkets that operate under the Ekono banner and has 14Lider hypermarkets (large food and nonfood stores) that account for about half of its total sales. D&S is located at S.A. Av. Presidente Eduardo Frei Montaiva #8301 C.P. 7490562 Quilicura Santiago – Chile. Ph: (56) 2 200 5000 Fax (56) 2 200 5100.

The Yellowfin Tuna will also be shipped to four fine dining locations in Santiago Chile. The names and locations are as follows.

San Fruttuoso
Mallinkrodt 180
(56) 2 777-1476

El Otro Sitio
Antonia Lope de Bello 53
(56) 2 777-3059

El Madroxal
Vitacura 2911
(56) 2 233-6312

Cocoa
Jose V. Lastarria 297
(56) 2 632-1272

Cost of Shipping:
150lbs Yellowfin Tuna to Santiago Chile from Suva Fiji
$885 Fed Ex $5.90/lb