The number of refugees applying to live in Brazil increased more than three times since 2010, according to United Nations figures just released. In 2012, there were more than 2,000 people asking for shelter in the South American country. That is just one tenth of the number in the United Kingdom in the same period. Still this seems to be a transformative moment for both nations, as the most industrialized countries suffer from the economy crisis and impose tougher restrictions on foreigners. (If you use Chrome and you can’t see the chart above, click here.)
Brazil seems to attractive now that even people from Syria and the Republic Democratic of Congo, who travel a long way past Europe to settle in distant South America. Brazilian law states that refugees are those persecuted because of racial, religious, national, social or political reasons. Those who come from countries where there is widespread violation of human rights are also accepted. Those who come exclusively for economic motives are refused.
Most of the applicants in Brazil last year come from Angola (1,060), Colombia (738), Democratic Republic of Congo (570), Iraq (214), Liberia (211) and Syria (138). It is possible Brazil gets even more than the 2.580 refugees the United Nation expects, according to the the Foreign Ministry. Brazil wants to get 6 million immigrants in the next few years, and some might be refugees (if you can’t see the chart above, click here.)
Even that is a small number comparing to the UK’s, but the change is notable.
In 2011, the number of asylum applicants in the UK was 19,894, the second lowest ever in the UN record. Last year, there was a small increase, to 21,785 asylum applications. There is a forecast for zero economic growth in the country for the next few years (although it that is surely better than going to more troubled economies, such as Spain, Italy or France.)
Below you can see a map of where refugees live in Brazil. The wealthy Southeast concentrates almost all of them, mainly in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. There are many in the Centre-West region, where there is a lot of farming that attracts Colombian workers. The North is also attractive for Colombians and it is a focus of problems — Haitians enter Brazil from there, but they can’t be considered refugees because there is no conflict in their country.
The South attracts many Arabs, especially in the region where Brazil borders Argentina and Paraguay — the US thinks that is the only area of terrorist activity in South America today. The Northeast is not that popular among refugees, but its beaches and real estate have attracted investments in the last few years, so the picture might change.
View Refugees in Brazil (2012) in a full screen map
I am a journalist. But that is not my fault, I assure you. I am also from Sao Paulo, Brazil. That is probably my fault.