In January, the real average income of workers in the six main metropolitan regions of Brazil that are studied by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) grew 2.2% when compared to December, reaching US$ 352.44, at current exchange rates. In comparison to January 2004, income grew the same 2.2%.
The figures of the Monthly Employment Study show that the greatest income increases from December to January took place in the southeastern Brazilian metropolitan regions of Belo Horizonte, (Minas Gerais state) where the growth reached 4.2%, Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro state – 3.2%) and São Paulo (São Paulo state – 2.6%).
Worker income dropped in the northeastern metropolitan regions of Recife, 2.3% and Salvador, 1.3%, and 0.4% in Porto Alegre, in southern Brazil.
The Distrito Federal, where the capital Brasilia is located, accodring to earlier data remains Brazil’s leader in per capita income, a position it has held since 1995.
The report on regional income for the period 1985-2001, by the IBGE showed that in 2001 average per capita income in the Distrito Federal was 15,725 reais (per year – which is the equivalent of around US 5,200).
In second place was São Paulo with 10,642 reais (US$ 3,500), in third Rio de Janeiro with 10,160 reais. In last place was Maranhão with 1,796 reais (almost US$ 600).
ABr