Brazil 5-CENTAVOS (KM587.1)¶
-
Reverse GUZERAT (COW)
-
Obverse "Republic" (allegorical)
- Composition
- Stainless Steel
- Country
- Brazil
- Approx. Size
- 21.5mm
- Area
- South America
- Animal Class
- Mammals
- Species
- Guzerat
- KM#
- 587
The Guzerat is a huge floppy-eared breed of Zebu cattle. Since large herds of pure Guzerat cattle are maintained in Brazil, the Zoo Keeper is assuming this coin pictures a Guzerat, and not that other floppy-eared cow, the Braham. The legend "alimentos para o mundo" is Portugese for "food for the world."
Brazil¶
- Area
- South America
Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world, and the largest country in South America where it occupies half the continent and borders every other country except Ecuador and Chile. It also features the largest river in the world -- the Amazon -- which cuts its way across the top of the country through the vast Amazon Rainforest before arriving at the North Atlantic. Brazil has been inhabited for at least 10,000 years and was recently claimed by the Portugese in 1500. The Portugese royal family took up residence in Rio de Janeiro during the Napoleonic wars.The country was declared an independent empire by Dom Pedro I (the new emperor) in 1822. That lasted until 1889, when Brazil became a federal republic. Brazilian democracy was interrupted by two brief dictatorships (1930-34, 1937-45), and by one long one after a 1964 military coup that saw a progression of generals running the show until 1985. Brazil enjoys vast amounts of natural mineral resources, and has lots of coffee beans and cocoa (among other things) for the rest of the world. Brazil is the only South American country whose national language is Portugese.
