O territory of Brazil occupies an area of 8 514 876 km². Due to its territorial extension, Brazil is considered a continental country as it occupies a large part of South America. The country ranks fifth in territory size.
The Brazilian population is unevenly distributed, as a large part of the population lives in the coastal region, where the largest cities in the country are located. This is nothing more than a historical heritage, a result of the way Brazil was populated, the first urban centers arose on the coast.
Until the 16th century, Brazil had only the area established by the Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494 by Portugal and Spain. This treaty divided the lands of South America between Portugal and Spain.
The main historical events that contributed to the settlement of the country were:
in the 16th century: the occupation was limited to the coast, the main economic activity of that period was the cultivation of cane to produce sugar, a very popular product in Europe, the production was intended for export. Rural properties were large tracts of land, cultivated with slave labor. The growth of exports led to the first urban centers on the coast, the port cities.
17th and 18th century: were marked by the pastoral production that entered the west of the country and also by the discovery of gold and diamond deposits in the states of Goiás, Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso. This period was called the gold and gave rise to several cities.
XIX century: the activity that contributed to the urbanization process was coffee production, mainly in the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. This activity also contributed to the emergence of several cities.
Eduardo de Freitas
Graduated in Geography
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/brasil/formacao-organizacao-territorio-brasileiro.htm