The need for infrastructure development in Brazil has never been stronger apart from it’s booming economy Brazil will of course be hosting the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic games. Both events will attract tourists in their millions and as the Secretary of Rio’s official travel bureau said recently, “it’s impossible to develop tourism without infrastructure.”

The Brazilian government is investing heavily in its road and rail networks. One of the most high profile of these is the $17 billion USD rail link between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Due to be completed by 2016, it will provide businesses travellers and tourists a viable alternative to flying.

The Minha Casa, Minha Vida (my house, my life) project is no small undertaking, with the promise of building 1 million low cost homes across the country. This is aimed to help address the current housing deficit which is estimated between 6 and 8 million homes.

Houses are required for all income levels, for example, many ascending professionals still don’t own their own home yet.

Brazil was one of the last G20 countries to be hit by the recession and after just two quarters of relatively mild contraction it has emerged as one of the first countries back out. It is now in significantly better shape than the rest of the world with GDP growth is expected to be an enviable 5% this year.

The rapidly expanding middle class are starting to utilize loans and mortgages for the first time. The Spanish Banking group, Santander, is Brazil’s fourth largest bank and currently earns an astonishing one-fifth of global profit from Brazil. It plans to open 600 new branches in the country over the next four years and experts predict it will generate more profit in Brazil than Spain in 2010.

On a clear day from the beaches of Rio you can see an oil platform which is beginning to tap into the third largest discovery of oil in the world, found in 2006.

The alternative energy sector too has had its own excitement recently announcing a USD$12 Billion joint venture between Shell and the Brazilian sugar and ethanol producer, Cosan. This is seen as a major vote of confidence for Brazilian ethanol, demand for which is growing at 15% -20% per year. It will now start to export in a major way and the Shell partnership is a critical step in a global presence for Brazilian biofuel.

On the technology front, a new service has been introduced called “Pago” which allows customers to use their mobile phones like credit or debit cards.

There’s an old Brazilian joke “Brazil’s the country of the future and always will be” which you don’t hear too much of these days. Speak to Brazilian’s on the street, business owners, workers and shoppers and you’re likely to hear that they firmly believe now is Brazil’s time. Paulo Skaf, a leading business figure said, “now it’s the country of the present”