Final answer:
The false statement is that Brazil's population is one of the fastest growing in the developing world. Brazil's family size has decreased along with its population growth rate, due to urbanization and industrialization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The false statement among the options provided is that Brazil's population is one of the fastest growing in the developing world. This is not true as Brazil's population growth has slowed down considerably. In Brazil, urbanization and industrialization have led to a decrease in family size, from 4.4 children in 1980 to 2.4 children in 2000, aligning with the patterns of economic development where urban culture tends to result in smaller family sizes and secular attitudes towards reproduction.
Brazil is indeed the largest country in South America and has an ethnically diverse population with many urban areas. The country’s urban southeast, including major cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, is the core economic area, whereas the northeast is one of the poorest subregions. However, when it comes to territorial size, Russia, Canada, China, and the United States are all larger than Brazil, making them some of the few countries with a larger physical area.
Despite the slower growth, the large cities of Brazil continue to expand as they accommodate new immigrants, and the expansion often includes the formation of slums, known as favelas, on the outer edges of these cities. Moreover, Brazil is both centrally located within South America and acts as the economic anchor for the region, integrating various sectors like energy, commercial centers, and agriculture within its industrial base.