Nuclear Energy in Brazil

From the Historical Background to Issues on Economy and Foreign Affairs

Abstract

In the 1930s, great deposits of uranium were discovered in Brazil, but in the next decade, the South American country continued to be primarily an exporter of raw materials on the international market, particulary as partner of the US. Nuclear research could only begin in the late 1940s. Nuclear investigations were connected to the ambitious economic programs in the 1950s, but the Brazilian government did not make great strides in nuclear development. After the oil crisis in 1973, the enhancement of nuclear research became more important, since Brazilian economy had been relying on favourable external conditions and cheap energy sources. The aim of this study is to analyse the development of the use of nuclear energy in Brazil, primarily in terms of foreign policy issues.