In 2003, the CIA estimated that the "adult prevalence rate of HIV / AIDS was 0.7%, the number of people living with HIV / AIDS was 660,000 and the number of deaths that year from HIV / AIDS was 15,000 (www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/br.html)." One important point about the population data is that when Brazil performed its census in August 2000, it "reported a population of 169,799,170. That figure was about 3.3% lower than projections by the U.S. Census Bureau, and is close to the implied undernumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census. Estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS, and this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/br.html)."

Migration

In 2000, the net migration rate was estimated at "0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 (http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Demographics-of-Brazil)." By 2004, the net migration rate was -0.03 migrant (s)/population (www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/br.html).

Urbanization

Beginning in the 1950s, Brazil saw a huge increase of people moving from rural areas to the urban regions. By the 1970s, "Brazil's urban population grew at rates of about 5% per year and accounted for 56% of the total population in 1970, 68% in 1980, and 75% in 1991. The new pattern of population redistribution revealed by the 1991 census involved less interregional migration, with more people staying in their regions of origin or moving to large cities nearby rather than to megacities (www.mongabay.com/reference/country_studies/brazil/29.html)."

Despite these efforts, however, most public policies have continued to favor population concentration in the Southeast and in large cities by promoting industry at the cost of agriculture and by providing services and benefits primarily to urban residents (www.mongabay.com/reference/country_studies/brazil/29.html)."
Conclusion

Over the past century Brazil's population and life expectancy has continued to grow, while many of its citizens have migrated to urbanized areas. As the country continues to grow economically, statistics show that these figures will continue to increase and the people will enjoy a greater quality of life.

Works Cited

Country at a Glance. Brazil: Health. (accessed 22 April 2005). www.un.org/).

D'allegro, Joseph. "Brazil Attracting U.S. Insurers' Interest." National Underwriter Life & Health-Financial Services Edition. (1999): 25 October.

Encyclopedia: Demographics of Brazil. (accessed 22 April 2005). http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Demographics-of-Brazil).

Migration and Urbanization. (accessed 22 April 2005). www.mongabay.com/reference/country_studies/brazil/29.html).

Synder, Cindy. "Demographics to Change Business, Economists Tells Audience of Idaho

Bankers." The Times-News. (2002): 14 June.

The World Factbook-Brazil. (accessed 22 April 2005). www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/br.html).