<P> In contrast to the neighboring Spanish possessions , which had several viceroyalties with jurisdiction initially over New Spain ( Mexico ) and Peru , and in the eighteenth century expanded to viceroyalties of Rio de la Plata and New Granada , the Portuguese colony of Brazil was settled mainly in the coastal area by the Portuguese and a large black slave population working sugar plantations and mines . The boom and bust economic cycles were linked to export products . Brazil 's sugar age , with the development of plantation slavery , merchants serving as middle men between production sites , Brazilian ports , and Europe was undermined by the growth of the sugar industry in the Caribbean on islands that European powers seized from Spain . Gold and diamonds were discovered and mined in southern Brazil through the end of the colonial era . Brazilian cities were largely port cities and the colonial administrative capital was moved several times in response to the rise and fall of export products ' importance . Unlike Spanish America that fragmented in many republics , Brazil remained as a single administrative unit with a monarch , giving rise to the largest country in Latin America . Like Spanish America with European Spanish , Brazil had linguistic integrity of Portuguese . Both Spanish America and Brazil were Roman Catholic . </P>
<P> In contrast to the neighboring Spanish possessions , which had several viceroyalties with jurisdiction initially over New Spain ( Mexico ) and Peru , and in the eighteenth century expanded to viceroyalties of Rio de la Plata and New Granada , the Portuguese colony of Brazil was settled mainly in the coastal area by the Portuguese and a large black slave population working sugar plantations and mines . The boom and bust economic cycles were linked to export products . Brazil 's sugar age , with the development of plantation slavery , merchants serving as middle men between production sites , Brazilian ports , and Europe was undermined by the growth of the sugar industry in the Caribbean on islands that European powers seized from Spain . Gold and diamonds were discovered and mined in southern Brazil through the end of the colonial era . Brazilian cities were largely port cities and the colonial administrative capital was moved several times in response to the rise and fall of export products ' importance . Unlike Spanish America that fragmented in many republics , Brazil remained as a single administrative unit with a monarch , giving rise to the largest country in Latin America . Like Spanish America with European Spanish , Brazil had linguistic integrity of Portuguese . Both Spanish America and Brazil were Roman Catholic . </P>
where did the portuguese establish brazilian sugar plantations
where did the portuguese establish brazilian sugar plantations
mainly in the coastal area
mainly in the coastal area