Brazilian Island facts for kids
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Uruguay River |
| Coordinates | 30°11′06″S 57°37′48″W / 30.185°S 57.63°W |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Area | 2.5 km2 (0.97 sq mi)(approximate) |
| Administration | |
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Brazil in practice
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| State |  Rio Grande do Sul |
| Municipality | Barra do Quaraí |
| Department |  Artigas |
| Municipality | Bella Unión |
| Demographics | |
| Population | uninhabited |
Brazilian Island (also called Ilha Brasileira in Portuguese and Isla Brasileña in Spanish) is a small island in a river. It's located where the Uruguay River and the Quaraí River meet. This spot is right where the borders of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay come together. The island is currently uninhabited, meaning no one lives there.
Brazil and Uruguay both claim the island as their own. The island is about 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles) long and 0.9 kilometers (0.6 miles) wide. It's a unique place because of its location and the friendly discussion over who owns it.
Contents
A Small Island with a Big Story
Brazilian Island has been claimed by both Brazil and Uruguay for a long time. Brazilian officials say the island is part of their municipality of Barra do Quaraí, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. On the other hand, Uruguayan officials believe it belongs to their municipality of Bella Unión, in the Artigas Department.
Even though both countries claim the island, they haven't sent troops or tried to force their claim. This friendly disagreement hasn't stopped Brazil and Uruguay from having strong diplomatic and economic ties. They are still close neighbors and friends!
The Island's Only Resident
For many years, from 1964 to 2011, Brazilian Island had only one house and one person living there. This person was a Brazilian farmer named José Jorge Daniel. He was the island's sole resident for nearly 50 years!
In 2011, Mr. Daniel had some health problems. He moved off the island to live with his family in a nearby city in Brazil. He passed away shortly after, at the age of 93 or 95. Since then, Brazilian Island has been completely empty, with no one living there.
Fire on the Island
On August 7, 2009, a large fire broke out on Brazilian Island. The cause of the fire is still unknown, but some people thought it might have been started on purpose. The fire burned at least 40% of the island's area, causing a lot of damage.
Firefighters from both Barra do Quaraí (Brazil) and Bella Unión (Uruguay) worked together to put out the fire. This was a great example of how the two countries cooperate, even with the island's disputed status. Luckily, Mr. Daniel, who still lived on the island at the time, and his house were safe from the flames.
After the fire, teams of biologists and students from nearby universities started visiting the island. They work with environmental groups from Brazil and Uruguay. Their goal is to study how the fire affected the local wildlife and to help restore the island's natural ecosystem.
See Also
- Masoller - A village in Uruguay near another area disputed by Brazil.
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