Brazilian Beach Systems cap. 19

Abstract

Brazil possesses one of the great national coastlines of the world, extend- ing for approximately 9000 km between latitudes 4°N and 34°S. The Amazon, the world largest river dominates the northern 1500 km. South of the Amazon, sandy beaches increasingly dominate the shore with more than 4000 beaches occupying much of the coast. This chapter provides an overview of the range of beach systems that occupy the Brazilian coast. This is followed by a review of previous research on the Brazilian coast together with management issues facing the coast. It then pro- vides an updated classification of the entire coast, dividing it into seven coastal regions based on coastal processes, geology and geomorphology, that include from the northern Amazon Gulf mud coast; Northern tide-dominated; Northern tide- modified; Northeast wave-dominated; Eastern wave-dominated, Southeast wave- dominated; and Southern wave-dominated. 1.1