Colonial Brazil

The chapel of Fazenda Santo Antonio do Paiol, near Esteves, about 160km (100 miles) from Rio de Janeiro, August 13, 2005. The Fazenda is of many former coffee plantations of the region of western Rio de Janeiro state which has been turned into a bed and breakfast. Capitalizing on the beautiful landscapes and historical architecture, entrepreneurs have been buying up the decaying plantations, most of which flourished in the latter half of the 19th century, and turning them into a tourist attractions. The plantations, which no longer produce significant amounts of coffee, now form what is called the "Coffee Circuit," which promotes historical, social and culinary tours of the area. Coffee dominated Brazilian exports in the last half of the nineteenth century and as coffee exports rose steadily, so did the numbers of imported slaves to work the plantations, a fact which has left a cultural imprint on Brazilian society today. In 1822 about 30 percent, or 1 million, of Brazil's population were African-born or descended slaves. In 1888, Brazil was one of the last countries in the world to abolish slavery. Today, about 44 percent of the population can claim African ancestors.(Australfoto/Douglas Engle)

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The chapel of Fazenda Santo Antonio do Paiol, near Esteves, about 160km (100 miles) from Rio de Janeiro, August 13, 2005. The Fazenda is of many former coffee plantations of the region of western Rio de Janeiro state which has been turned into a bed and breakfast. Capitalizing on the beautiful landscapes and historical architecture, entrepreneurs have been buying up the decaying plantations, most of which flourished in the latter half of the 19th century, and turning them into a tourist attractions. The plantations, which no longer produce significant amounts of coffee, now form what is called the "Coffee Circuit," which promotes historical, social and culinary tours of the area. Coffee dominated Brazilian exports in the last half of the nineteenth century and as coffee exports rose steadily, so did the numbers of imported slaves to work the plantations, a fact which has left a cultural imprint on Brazilian society today. In 1822 about 30 percent, or 1 million, of Brazil's population were African-born or descended slaves. In 1888, Brazil was one of the last countries in the world to abolish slavery. Today, about 44 percent of the population can claim African ancestors.(Australfoto/Douglas Engle)

brazil slave history plantation fazenda coffee trade colony engle brasil