Brazil Population: 203,429,773
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| Background | |
| Following more than three centuries under Portuguese rule, Brazil gained its independence in 1822, maintaining a monarchical system of government until the abolition of slavery in 1888 and the subsequent proclamation of a republic by the military in 1889. Brazilian coffee exporters politically dominated the country until populist leader Getulio VARGAS rose to power in 1930. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil underwent more than half a century of populist and military government until 1985, when the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's leading economic power and a regional leader, one of the first in the area to begin an economic recovery. Highly unequal income distribution and crime remain pressing problems. In January 2010, Brazil assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2010-11 term. |
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| Geography | |
| Largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador | |
| Location: | Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean |
| Geographic coordinates: | 10 00 S, 55 00 W |
| Area: | total: 8,514,877 sq km land: 8,459,417 sq km water: 55,460 sq km note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo Size comparison: slightly smaller than the US |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 16,885 km border countries: Argentina 1,261 km, Bolivia 3,423 km, Colombia 1,644 km, French Guiana 730 km, Guyana 1,606 km, Paraguay 1,365 km, Peru 2,995 km, Suriname 593 km, Uruguay 1,068 km, Venezuela 2,200 km |
| Coastline: | 7,491 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin |
| Climate: | mostly tropical, but temperate in south |
| Terrain: | mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico da Neblina 2,994 m |
| Natural resources: | bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber |
| Land use: | arable land: 6.93% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.18% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 45,000 sq km (2008) |
| Natural hazards: | recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south |
| Current Environment Issues: | deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills |
| International Environment Agreements: | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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| People | |
| Population: | 203,429,773 (July 2011 est.) note: Brazil conducted a census in August 2000, which reported a population of 169,872,855; that figure was about 3.8% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 26.2% (male 27,219,651/female 26,180,040) 15-64 years: 67% (male 67,524,642/female 68,809,357) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 5,796,433/female 7,899,650) (2011 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 29.3 years male: 28.5 years female: 30.1 years (2011 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.134% (2011 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 17.79 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Death rate: | 6.36 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 21.17 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 72.53 years male: 68.97 years female: 76.27 years (2011 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.18 children born/woman (2011 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: | noun: Brazilian(s) adjective: Brazilian |
| Ethnic groups: | white 53.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black 6.2%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2000 census) |
| Religions: | Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4% (2000 census) |
| Languages: | Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language) note: less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor Amerindian languages |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.6% male: 88.4% female: 88.8% (2004 est.) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil conventional short form: Brazil local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil local short form: Brasil |
| Government type: | federal republic |
| Capital: | name: Brasilia geographic coordinates: 15 47 S, 47 55 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins third Sunday in October; ends last Sunday in February note: Brazil is divided into three time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands |
| Administrative divisions: | 26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins |
| Independence: | 7 September 1822 (from Portugal) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 7 September (1822) |
| Constitution: | 5 October 1988 |
| Legal system: | civil law; note - a new Brazilian civil law code was enacted in 2002 replacing the 1916 code |
| Suffrage: | voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military conscripts do not vote |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Dilma ROUSSEFF (since 1 January 2011); Vice President Michel TEMER (since 1 January 2011); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Dilma ROUSSEFF (since 1 January 2011); Vice President Michel TEMER (since 1 January 2011) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held on 3 October 2010 with runoff on 31 October 2010 (next to be held on 5 October 2014 and, if necessary, a runoff election on 2 November 2014) election results: Dilma ROUSSEFF (PT) elected president in a runoff election; percent of vote - Dilma ROUSSEFF 56.01%, Jose SERRA (PSDB) 43.99% |
| Legislative branch: | bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members from each state and federal district elected according to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third and two-thirds of members elected every four years, alternately) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Federal Senate - last held on 3 October 2010 for two-thirds of the Senate (next to be held in October 2014 for one-third of the Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 3 October 2010 (next to be held in October 2014) election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PMDB 20, PT 13, PSDB 10, DEM (formerly PFL) 7, PTdoB 6, PP 5, PDT 4, PR 4, PSB 4, PPS 1, PRB 1, other 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PT 87, PMDB 80, PSDB 53, DEM (formerly PFL) 43, PP 41, PR 41, PSB 34, PDT 28, PTdoB 21, PSC 17, PCdoB 15, PV 15, PPS 12, other 18 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Federal Tribunal or STF (11 ministers are appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life); note - though appointed "for life," judges, like all federal employees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70 |
| Political parties and leaders: | Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy Michel TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Roberto JEFFERSON]; Brazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTB [Jose Levy FIDELIX da Cruz]; Brazilian Republican Party or PRB [Vitor Paulo Araujo DOS SANTOS]; Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Sergio GUERRA]; Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Governor Eduardo Henrique Accioly CAMPOS]; Christian Labor Party or PTC [Daniel TOURINHO]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Jose Renato RABELO]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos Roberto LUPI]; the Democrats or DEM [Federal Deputy Rodrigo MAIA] (formerly Liberal Front Party or PFL); Freedom and Socialism Party or PSOL [Heloisa HELENA]; Green Party or PV [Jose Luiz de Franca PENNA]; Humanist Party of Solidarity or PHS [Paulo Roberto MATOS]; Labor Party of Brazil or PTdoB [Luis Henrique de Oliveira RESENDE]; Liberal Front Party or PFL (now known as the Democrats or DEM); National Mobilization Party or PMN [Oscar Noronha FILHO]; Party of the Republic or PR [Sergio TAMER]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Federal Deputy Fernando CORUJA]; Progressive Party or PP [Francisco DORNELLES]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Vitor Jorge Abdala NOSSEIS]; Workers' Party or PT [Jose Eduardo DUTRA] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Landless Workers' Movement or MST other: labor unions and federations; large farmers' associations; religious groups including evangelical Christian churches and the Catholic Church |
| International organization participation: | AfDB (nonregional member), BIS, CAN (associate), CPLP, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, RG, SICA (observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Mauro Luiz Iecker VIEIRA chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-2805 FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas A. SHANNON embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia mailing address: Unit 7500, DPO, AA 34030 telephone: [55] (61) 3312-7000 FAX: [55] (61) 3225-9136 consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo consulate(s): Recife |
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| Economy | |
| Characterized by large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that of all other South American countries, and Brazil is expanding its presence in world markets. Since 2003, Brazil has steadily improved its macroeconomic stability, building up foreign reserves, and reducing its debt profile by shifting its debt burden toward real denominated and domestically held instruments. In 2008, Brazil became a net external creditor and two ratings agencies awarded investment grade status to its debt. After record growth in 2007 and 2008, the onset of the global financial crisis hit Brazil in September 2008. Brazil experienced two quarters of recession, as global demand for Brazil's commodity-based exports dwindled and external credit dried up. However, Brazil was one of the first emerging markets to begin a recovery. Consumer and investor confidence revived and GDP growth returned to positive in 2010, boosted by an export recovery. Brazil's strong growth and high interest rates make it an attractive destination for foreign investors. Large capital inflows over the past year have contributed to the rapid appreciation of its currency and led the government to raise taxes on some foreign investments. President Dilma ROUSSEFF has pledged to retain the previous administration's commitment to inflation targeting by the Central Bank, a floating exchange rate, and fiscal restraint. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.172 trillion (2010 est.) $2.021 trillion (2009 est.) $2.034 trillion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $2.09 trillion (2010 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 7.5% (2010 est.) -0.6% (2009 est.) 5.2% (2008 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $10,800 (2010 est.) $10,200 (2009 est.) $10,400 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 5.8% industry: 26.8% services: 67.4% (2010 est.) |
| Labor force: | 103.6 million (2010 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 20% industry: 14% services: 66% (2003 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 6.7% (2010 est.) 8.1% (2009 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 26% (2008) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 42.5% (2009) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 53.9 (2009) 60.7 (1998) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2010 est.) 4.9% (2009 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 18.4% of GDP (2010 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $485.5 billion expenditures: $572.3 billion (2010 est.) |
| Public debt: | 59% of GDP (2010 est.) 57.5% of GDP (2009 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef |
| Industries: | textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 10.5% (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 461.1 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 421 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 1.08 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 39.67 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2009 est.) |
| Oil - production: | 2.746 million bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 2.654 million bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 699,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil - imports: | 720,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 12.86 billion bbl (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 12.41 billion cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 25.13 billion cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | NA (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 12.72 billion cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 366.4 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$47.36 billion (2010 est.) -$24.3 billion (2009 est.) |
| Exports: | $201.9 billion (2010 est.) $153 billion (2009 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos |
| Exports - partners: | China 15.2%, US 9.6%, Argentina 9.2%, Netherlands 5.1%, Germany 4% (2010) |
| Imports: | $181.7 billion (2010 est.) $127.7 billion (2009 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products, oil, automotive parts, electronics |
| Imports - partners: | US 15%, China 14.1%, Argentina 7.9%, Germany 6.9%, South Korea 4.6% (2010) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $288.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $238.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $346.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $276.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $368.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $319.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $128.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $117.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $1.546 trillion (31 December 2010) $1.167 trillion (31 December 2009) $589.4 billion (31 December 2008) |
| Exchange rates: | reals (BRL) per US dollar - 1.77 (2010) 2 (2009) 1.8644 (2008) 1.85 (2007) 2.1761 (2006) |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 41.497 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 6 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 173.959 million (2009) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: good working system including an extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations; mobile-cellular usage has more than tripled in the past 5 years domestic: fixed-line connections have remained relatively stable in recent years and stand at about 20 per 100 persons; less expensive mobile-cellular technology has been a major driver in expanding telephone service to the lower-income segments of the population with mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 90 per 100 persons in 2009 international: country code - 55; landing point for a number of submarine cables, including Americas-1, Americas-2, Atlantis-2, GlobeNet, South Amrica-1, South American Crossing/Latin American Nautilius, and UNISUR that provide direct connectivity to South and Central America, the Caribbean, the US, Africa, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station (2009) |
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| Internet country code: | .br |
| Internet hosts: | 19.316 million (2010) |
| Internet users: | 75.982 million (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 4,072 (2010) country comparison to the world: 2 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 726 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 176 914 to 1,523 m: 460 under 914 m: 55 (2010) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 3,346 1,524 to 2,437 m: 87 914 to 1,523 m: 1,617 under 914 m: 1,642 (2010) |
| Heliports: | 13 (2010) |
| Pipelines: | condensate/gas 62 km; gas 13,514 km; liquid petroleum gas 352 km; oil 3,729 km; refined products 4,684 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 28,538 km broad gauge: 5,627 km 1.600-m gauge (467 km electrified) standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge narrow gauge: 22,717 km 1.000-m gauge (2010) |
| Roadways: | total: 1,751,868 km paved: 96,353 km unpaved: 1,655,515 km (2004) |
| Waterways: | 50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2010) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 126 by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 18, chemical tanker 6, container 12, liquefied gas 12, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 42, roll on/roll off 7 foreign-owned: 26 (Chile 1, Denmark 3, Germany 6, Greece 1, Norway 3, Spain 12) registered in other countries: 27 (Argentina 1, Bahamas 1, Ghana 1, Liberia 20, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 3) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | cargo ports (tonnage): Ilha Grande (Gebig), Paranagua, Rio Grande, Santos, Sao Sebastiao, Tubarao container ports (TEUs): Santos (2,677,839), Itajai (693,580) oil terminals: DTSE/Gegua oil terminal, Guaiba Island terminal, Guamare oil terminal |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Brazilian Army (Exercito Brasileiro, EB), Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil (MB), includes Naval Air and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira, FAB) (2011) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 21-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 9 to 12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; an increasing percentage of the ranks are "long-service" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s when the Brazilian Army became the first army in South America to accept women into career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve Corps (2001) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 53,350,703 females age 16-49: 53,433,918 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 38,993,989 females age 16-49: 44,841,661 (2010 est.) |
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