The Southeast Region is the main one in the country, its importance lies in its industrial and economic prominence. The total population is 80.3 million inhabitants and the demographic density is 87 inhabitants per kilometer square, consolidating itself as the most populous and most populated in the country - of 100 Brazilians, 42 reside in the Region Southeast. Its territory, with an extension of 924,511.3 square kilometers, represents 11% of the country's total.
The factors of industrialization in the Southeast
Industrial development in the region took place mainly from the 20th century onwards, after the decline of coffee. Coffee occupied a prominent place in exports for a long time and these “held” the Brazilian economy. In the Southeast region, the coffee producing states were mainly São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo.
The decline of coffee at the end of the 1920s was caused by the crisis of the 29th, as it did not offer large profits, a large portion of farmers sold their properties. With the resources acquired in the sale of the farms, they invested, among others, in industry, the former being limited to the textile, food, consumer goods, soap and candles sector.
The emergence of industries in the Southeast region is linked to coffee production due to:
• Large numbers of coffee production workers were attracted to work in the industries that started their activities.
• Transport network, as infrastructure was used to transport coffee production from farms to the ports, with the introduction of industries, these same routes served to transport raw material and goods.
• Of the large number of immigrant labor in Brazil, these already had industrial experiences, as most were of European origin and in this period Europe had already gone through the process of industrialization.
Industry and natural resources
Minerals and energies favored the expansion of industries, considering that these two are important and fundamental elements within the industrialization process, in this regard, the region was well served, providing for the installation of factories in its mediations.
At the end of the 40's and 50's, basic industries were created in Brazil, more precisely in the Southeast region, such as CSN (Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional), Vale do Rio Doce and Petrobras. All changes to implement the industry promoted the expansion of various industrial segments.
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In Minas Gerais, the main deposits were for the extraction of iron, manganese, bauxite and gold, the place became known as the iron quadrilateral. At the same time, several hydroelectric plants were built, an important fact, as there was a growing energy demand to supply or supply the needs of this productive sector, in addition to homes and commerce.
Transport and the integration of the Southeast Region
The development of transport favored the industrial and economic development of the entire region and also of Brazil. Aliened to the growth of industries and the evolution of transport, there was simultaneously a population increase, generating a greater flow of goods and raw materials.
The commercial expansion contributed to an integration between the states that make up the region. One of the main and most important stages of the industrial and economic process was the implementation of motor vehicle manufacturing companies, in the 50s, which boosted the construction of highways, their creation contributed to greater integration between the entities in the region and also with other states, which further favored the process of population. In a short time, the highways surpassed the railroads, so much so that the current railroads continue with the same length of the coffee production period, about 12,400 km.
The distribution of industry in the Southeast
The distribution of industries in the Southeast Region has a hierarchy, in which some states are more industrially developed based on the concentration of the number of industries present. Thus, it is ordered as follows: first, Greater São Paulo, second, Rio de Janeiro and third, Belo Horizonte, with the first and second being the Brazilian megalopolises.
Eduardo de Freitas
Graduated in Geography
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
FRANCISCO, Wagner de Cerqueira e. "Industrialization of the Southeast Region"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/brasil/industrializacao-regiao-sudeste.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
