In Brazil, the Northern Region accounts for what percentage of the beef herd?

• A. 10%
• B. 25%
• C. 60%
• D. 40%

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is how beef cattle are spread across Brazil’s regions and what drives those totals. The Northern Region has a very large land area with extensive pasture-based ranching, and cattle farming has grown there as frontiers expanded into the Amazon. Because of the sheer size of the region, its total herd ends up representing a large share of the national beef cattle population—about two-fifths, or around 40%. Even though other regions may have higher productivity per hectare, the North’s vast grazing lands give it a large overall herd.

So 40% is the best fit because it reflects the combination of a huge area and widespread ranching that yields a large total number of cattle in the Northern Region.