CHAPTER II 

 LOCAL CHARACTERISTICS 



Land tenure Origin of Brazilian titles to real estate Absence 

 of any survey of properties Small value of real estates as security 

 for loans Characteristic features of the soil Possible future 

 development Tax on land transfer Export and import duties 

 Federal and State contributions Political relations of Federal 

 and State Governments The waterways of the Amazon Valley 

 Impediments to navigation Means of communication and social 

 life Exchange and industrial enterprise. 



THE tenure of land in the Amazon Valley is on a 

 very unsatisfactory basis ; in the great majority of 

 properties the title is defective, and practically always 

 open to dispute in regard to boundaries whenever a 

 transfer of ownership takes place. The titles of rural 

 real estate so far as Brazil is concerned may be classified 

 under six separate headings. These are (i) Old grants 

 issued by the Portuguese Crown during the colonial 

 period ; (2) grants given under the Empire ; (3) con- 

 cessions sanctioned after the establishment of the 

 Republic in 1889; (4) lands sold or conceded for a 

 nominal consideration by the authorities of the States 

 of Para, Amazonas, and Matto Grosso; (5) lands 

 purchased outright from the National or State Govern- 

 ment; and (6) lands acquired by occupation under 

 the conditions of settlers' rights. 



With the exception of a very few properties owned 

 by foreigners or in the hands of foreign syndicates, no 



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