How Brazil got its borders

Transcript

Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth largest in the world. But did you know that the border of modern-day Brazil actually started with this straight line in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean? You see in the late 15th century the European map of the world looks something like this. Spain and Portugal are looking for a sea route to the riches of Asia. Portugal is looking for a way around Africa while Spain sends Columbus west hoping to sail around the world and reach the shores of Japan and China. And Columbus does find land, but as it turns out later, it wasn't Asia at all. Both countries claim the new lands, so who gets to decide? The Pope, of course. In 1493 and all his divine wisdom, he draws a line across the Atlantic. Everything west of this line belongs to Spain and everything east belongs to Portugal. But Portugal isn't happy and demands to move the line farther west to get more room in the Atlantic for sailing around Africa. So a year later the two countries agree on a new line in the Treaty of Tortecias. And what luck, in 1500 when the Portuguese reached the shores of what will become Brazil, the eastern part of South America turns out to be on their side. The Portuguese start colonizing this part of the continent and gradually move far beyond the line. Centuries later Brazil and its neighbors gain independence and further border agreements help shape the modern map. That's why Brazil speaks Portuguese today, while almost all the rest of South America speaks Spanish.

Transcribed automatically from the video, so small errors are possible.