Brazil

After 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 Getúlio VARGAS rose to power in 1930. VARGAS governed through various versions of democratic and authoritarian regimes from 1930 to 1945. Democratic rule returned in 1945 -- including a democratically elected VARGAS administration from 1951 to 1954 -- and lasted until 1964, when the military overthrew President João GOULART. The military regime censored journalists and repressed and tortured dissidents in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The dictatorship lasted until 1985, when the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers, and the Brazilian Congress passed its current constitution in 1988. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Having successfully weathered a period of global financial difficulty in the late 20th century, Brazil was soon seen as one of the world's strongest emerging markets and a contributor to global growth under President Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (2003-2010). The awarding of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympic Games -- the first ever to be held in South America -- to Brazil was symbolic of the country's rise. However, from about 2013 to 2016, Brazil was plagued by a sagging economy, high unemployment, and high inflation, only emerging from recession in 2017. Congress removed then-President Dilma ROUSSEFF (2011-2016) from office in 2016 for having committed impeachable acts against Brazil's budgetary laws, and her vice president, Michel TEMER, served the remainder of her second term. A money-laundering investigation, Operation Lava Jato, uncovered a vast corruption scheme and prosecutors charged several high-profile Brazilian politicians with crimes. Former President LULA was convicted of accepting bribes and served jail time (2018-19), although his conviction was overturned in 2021. LULA's revival became complete in 2022 when he narrowly defeated incumbent Jair BOLSONARO (2019-2022) in the presidential election. Positioning Brazil as an independent global leader on climate change and promoting sustainable development, LULA took on the 2024 G20 presidency, balancing the fight against deforestation with sustainable energy and other projects designed to alleviate poverty and promote economic growth, such as expanding fossil fuel exploration. 

land

8,358,140 sq km

note

note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo

total

8,515,770 sq km

water

157,630 sq km

slightly smaller than the US

mostly tropical, but temperate in south

7,491 km

highest point

Pico da Neblina 2,994 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

320 m

10 00 S, 55 00 W

note 1: largest country in South America and in the Southern Hemisphere; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador; most of the Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetland, extends through the west central part of the country; shares Iguaçu Falls (Iguazú Falls), the world's largest waterfalls system, with Argentinanote 2: cassava (manioc) the sixth most important food crop in the world -- after maize, rice, wheat, potatoes, and soybeans -- probably originated in the west-central part of Brazil; pineapples are probably indigenous to the southern Brazil-Paraguay regionnote 3: Rocas Atoll, located off the northeast coast of Brazil, is the only atoll in the South Atlantic

69,029 sq km (2017)

border countries

Argentina 1,263 km; Bolivia 3,403 km; Colombia 1,790 km; French Guiana 649 km; Guyana 1,308 km; Paraguay 1,371 km; Peru 2,659 km; Suriname 515 km; Uruguay 1,050 km; Venezuela 2,137 km

total

16,145 km

agricultural land

32.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 8.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 23.5% (2018 est.)

forest

61.9% (2018 est.)

other

5.2% (2018 est.)

Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Amazon Basin, Guarani Aquifer System, Maranhao Basin

fresh water lake(s)

Lagoa dos Patos - 10,140 sq km

salt water lake(s)

Lagoa Mirim (shared with Uruguay) - 2,970 sq km

Amazon river mouth (shared with Peru [s]) - 6,400 km; Río de la Plata/Paraná river source (shared with Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay [m]) - 4,880 km; Tocantins - 3,650 km; São Francisco - 3,180 km; Paraguay river source (shared with Argentina and Paraguay [m]) - 2,549 km; Rio Negro river mouth (shared with Colombia [s] and Venezuela) - 2,250 km; Uruguay river source (shared with Argentina and Uruguay [m]) - 1,610 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km), Paraná (2,582,704 sq km), São Francisco (617,814 sq km), Tocantins (764,213 sq km)

South America

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south

alumina, bauxite, beryllium, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, niobium, phosphates, platinum, tantalum, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

the vast majority of people live along, or relatively near, the Atlantic coast in the east; the population core is in the southeast, anchored by the cities of São Paolo, Brasília, and Rio de Janeiro

mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt

0-14 years

19.6% (male 22,025,593/female 21,088,398)

15-64 years

69.5% (male 75,889,089/female 77,118,722)

65 years and over

10.9% (2024 est.) (male 10,251,809/female 13,677,901)

beer

3.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

6.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

13.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

NA

80.5% (2019)

10.3% of GDP (2020)

55.9% (2023 est.)

7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Brazil’s rapid fertility decline since the 1960s is the main factor behind the country's slowing population growth rate, aging population, and fast-paced demographic transition.  As of 2023, Brazil’s total fertility rate – the average number of children born per woman – was 1.75, below the 2.1 replacement rate needed to prevent a population decrease.   The 2022 national census showed that population growth had slowed more than expected.  Factors behind the decrease include fewer births as couples marry later and more women work, an increase in the mortality rate as the population ages, the Zika epidemic, the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as economic troubles and the emigration of young people. The current window of opportunity to benefit from a demographic bonus – when the working-age population exceeds the number of children and the elderly combined – is expected to close around 2035, ten years earlier than expected.  Well-funded public pensions have nearly wiped out poverty among the elderly, and Bolsa Familia and other social programs have lifted tens of millions out of poverty. More than half of Brazil’s population is considered middle class, but poverty and income inequality levels remain high; the Northeast, North, and Center-West, women, and black, mixed race, and indigenous populations are disproportionately affected. Disparities in opportunities foster social exclusion and contribute to Brazil’s high crime rate, particularly violent crime in cities and favelas. Brazil has traditionally been a net recipient of immigrants, with its southeast being the prime destination. After abolishing slavery in 1888, the last country in the Americas to do so, Brazil sought Europeans (Italians, Portuguese, Spaniards, and Germans) and later Asians (Japanese) to work in agriculture, especially coffee cultivation.  Lebanese and Syrian immigrants arrived at the end of the 19th century and focused on trade and later commerce. Between 2011 and 2020, the largest immigrant groups came from Venezuela, Haiti, Bolivia, Colombia, and the US. Since Brazil’s economic downturn in the 1980s, emigration to the United States, Paraguay, Europe, and Japan has been rising but is negligible relative to Brazil’s total population. The majority of these emigrants are well-educated and middle-class. Fewer Brazilian peasants are emigrating to neighboring countries to take up agricultural work. 

elderly dependency ratio

13.7

potential support ratio

7.3 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

43.1

youth dependency ratio

29.4

improved: rural

rural: 96.9% of population

improved: total

total: 99.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 3.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.2% of population

6% of GDP (2019 est.)

mixed 45.3%, White 43.5%, Black 10.2%, Indigenous 0.6%, Asian 0.4% (2022 est.)

0.85 (2024 est.)

2.1 beds/1,000 population (2017)

female

11.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

14.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total

12.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language); less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and many minor Amerindian languages

major-language sample(s)

O Livro de Fatos Mundiais, a fonte indispensável para informação básica. (Brazilian Portuguese)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

female

80.1 years

male

72.6 years

total population

76.3 years (2024 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

94.9% (2022)

male

94.4%

total population

94.7%

22.620 million São Paulo, 13.728 million Rio de Janeiro, 6.248 million Belo Horizonte, 4.873 million BRASÍLIA (capital), 4.264 million Recife, 4.212 million Porto Alegre (2023)

72 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

female

36.1 years

male

34 years

total

35.1 years (2024 est.)

adjective

Brazilian

noun

Brazilian(s)

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

22.1% (2016)

2.31 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

female

111,885,021 (2024 est.)

male

108,166,491

total

220,051,512

the vast majority of people live along, or relatively near, the Atlantic coast in the east; the population core is in the southeast, anchored by the cities of São Paolo, Brasília, and Rio de Janeiro

0.61% (2024 est.)

Roman Catholic 52.8%, Protestant 26.7% (Evangelical 25.5%, other Protestant 1.2%), African-American cultist/Umbanda 1.8%, other 3%, agnostic/atheist 0.6%, none 13.6%, unspecified 1.4% (2023 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 63.6% of population

improved: total

total: 90.2% of population

improved: urban

urban: 94.1% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 36.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 9.8% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 5.9% of population

female

16 years (2020)

male

15 years

total

16 years

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.75 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

female

9.4% (2020 est.)

male

16.2% (2020 est.)

total

12.8% (2020 est.)

1.74 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

87.8% of total population (2023)

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

etymology

name bestowed on the new capital of Brazil upon its inauguration in 1960; previous Brazilian capitals had been Salvador from 1549 to 1763 and Rio de Janeiro from 1763 to 1960

geographic coordinates

15 47 S, 47 55 W

name

Brasília

time difference

UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

time zone note

Brazil has four time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

4 years

amendments

proposed by at least one third of either house of the National Congress, by the president of the republic, or by simple majority vote by more than half of the state legislative assemblies; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote by both houses in each of two readings; constitutional provisions affecting the federal form of government, separation of powers, suffrage, or individual rights and guarantees cannot be amended; amended many times, last in 2023

history

several previous; latest ratified 5 October 1988

conventional long form

Federative Republic of Brazil

conventional short form

Brazil

etymology

the country name derives from the brazilwood tree that used to grow plentifully along the coast of Brazil and that was used to produce a deep red dye

local long form

República Federativa do Brasil

local short form

Brasil

branch office(s)

Belo Horizonte

chief of mission

Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley BAGLEY (since 3 February 2023)

consulate(s) general

Recife, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo

email address and website

BrasilliaACS@state.govhttps://br.usembassy.gov/

embassy

SES - Avenida das Nações, Quadra 801, Lote 03, 70403-900 - Brasília, DF

FAX

[55] (61) 3225-9136

mailing address

7500 Brasilia Place, Washington DC  20521-7500

telephone

[55] (61) 3312-7000

chancery

3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro VIOTTI (since 30 June 2023)

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hartford (CT), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, San Francisco

email address and website

contact.washington@itamaraty.gov.br https://www.gov.br/mre/pt-br/embaixada-washington

FAX

[1] (202) 238-2827

telephone

[1] (202) 238-2700

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2023)

election results

2022: Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (PT) 48.4%, Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 43.2%, Simone Nassar TEBET (MDB) 4.2%, Ciro GOMES (PDT) 3%, other 1.2%; percent of vote in second round - Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (PT) 50.9%, Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 49.1%2018: Jair BOLSONARO elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 46%, Fernando HADDAD (PT) 29.3%, Ciro GOMEZ (PDT) 12.5%, Geraldo ALCKMIN (PSDB) 4.8%, other 7.4%; percent of vote in second round - Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 55.1%, Fernando HADDAD (PT) 44.9%

elections/appointments

president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a single consecutive term and additional terms after at least one term has elapsed); election last held on 2 October 2022 with runoff on 30 October 2022 (next to be held on 4 October 2026)

head of government

President Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2023)

note

note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress); the current flag was inspired by the banner of the former Empire of Brazil (1822-1889); on the imperial flag, the green represented the House of Braganza of Pedro I, the first Emperor of Brazil, while the yellow stood for the Habsburg Family of his wife; on the modern flag the green represents the forests of the country and the yellow rhombus its mineral wealth (the diamond shape roughly mirrors that of the country); the blue circle and stars, which replaced the coat of arms of the original flag, depict the sky over Rio de Janeiro on the morning of 15 November 1889 - the day the Republic of Brazil was declared; the number of stars has changed with the creation of new states and has risen from an original 21 to the current 27 (one for each state and the Federal District)

note

note: one of several flags where a prominent component of the design reflects the shape of the country; other such flags are those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Eritrea, and Vanuatu

federal presidential republic

7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

AfDB (nonregional member), BIS, BRICS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, CPLP, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-5, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

highest court(s)

Supreme Federal Court or Supremo Tribunal Federal (consists of 11 justices)

judge selection and term of office

justices appointed by the president and approved by absolute majority by the Federal Senate; justices appointed to serve until mandatory retirement at age 75

subordinate courts

Tribunal of the Union, Federal Appeals Court, Superior Court of Justice, Superior Electoral Court, regional federal courts; state court system

civil law; note - a new civil law code was enacted in 2002 replacing the 1916 code

description

bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of:Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members each from 26 states and 3 from the federal district directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 8-year terms, with one-third and two-thirds of the membership elected alternately every 4 years)Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open party-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)

election results

Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - PL 25.4%, PSB 13.7%, PT 12.1%, PSD 11.4%, Progressistas 7.6%, Brazil Union 5.5%, PSC 4.3%, Republicans 4.3%, MDB 3.9%, other 11.8%; seats by party - PL 8, Brazil Union 5, PT 4, PP 3, Republicans 2, PSD 2, MDB 1, PSB 1, PSC 1note - composition of the Federal Senate as of March 2024 - seats by party - PL 13, Brazil Union 12, MDB 10, PSD 10, PT 9, Progressistas 7, Podemos 6, PSDB 4, Republicans 3, PDT 2, Cidadania 1, PSB 1, PSC 1, PROS 1, REDE 1; composition - men 67, women 14, percentage women 17.3%  Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PL 16.6%, PT 12.1%, Brazil Union 9.3%, PP 8%, PSD 7.6%, MDB 7.2%, Republicans 7%, PSB 3.8%, PDT 3.5%, PSOL 3.5%, Podemos 3.3%, PSDB 3%, Avante 2%, PSC 1.8%, SD 1.6%, Cidadania 1.5%, Patriota 1.4%, PTB 1.3%, NOVO 1.2%, PCdoB 1.1%, PV 0.9%, PROS 0.7%, REDE 0.7%, other 0.9%; seats by party - PL 99, PT 69, Brazil Union 59, PP 47, MDB 42, PSD 42, Republicans 40, PDT 17, PSB 14, PSDB 13, Podemos 12, PSOL 12, Avante 7, PCdoB 6, PSC 6, PV 6, Cidadania 5, Patriota 4, SD 4, NOVO 3, PROS 3, REDE 2, PTB 1; composition - men 423, women 90, percentage women 17.5%; total National Congress percentage women 17.5%

elections

Federal Senate - last held on 2 October 2022 for one-third of the Senate (next to be held on 4 October 2026 for two-thirds of the seats)Chamber of Deputies - last held on 2 October 2022 (next to be held on 4 October 2026)

lyrics/music

Joaquim Osorio Duque ESTRADA/Francisco Manoel DA SILVA

name

"Hino Nacional Brasileiro" (Brazilian National Anthem)

note

note: music adopted 1890, lyrics adopted 1922; the anthem's music, composed in 1822, was used unofficially for many years before it was adopted

selected World Heritage Site locales

Brasilia (c); Historic Salvador de Bahia (c); Historic Ouro Preto (c); Historic Center of the Town of Olinda (c); Iguaçu National Park (n); Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis (c); Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes (c); Central Amazon Conservation Complex (n); Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves (n); Historic Center of Salvador de Bahia (c); Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas  (c ); Brasilia (c ); Serra da Capivara National Park (c ); Historic Center of Sao Luis( c); Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves  (n); Historic Center of the Town of Diamantina (c ); Pantanal Conservation Area (n); Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves (n); Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks (n); Historic Centre of the Town of Goiás  (c); São Francisco Square in the Town of São Cristóvão (c ); Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea (c ); Pampulha Modern Ensemble (c ); Valongo Wharf Archaeological Site (c ); Paraty and Ilha Grande – Culture and Biodiversity (m); Sítio Roberto Burle Marx (c ); Lençóis Maranhenses National Park (n)

total World Heritage Sites

24 (15 cultural, 8 natural, 1 mixed)

Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Southern Cross constellation; national colors: green, yellow, blue

Act (Agir) (formerly Christian Labor Party or PTC)Avante (formerly Labor Party of Brazil or PTdoB)Brazil Union (União Brasil); note - founded from a merger between the Democrats (DEM) and the Social Liberal Party (PSL)  Brazilian Communist Party or PCBBrazilian Democratic Movement or MDBBrazilian Labor Party or PTBBrazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTBBrazilian Labor Party or PTBBrazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDBBrazilian Socialist Party or PSBChristian Democracy or DC (formerly Christian Social Democratic Party)Cidadania (formerly Popular Socialist Party or PPS)Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoBDemocratic Labor Party or PDTDemocratic Party or PSDCDemocrats or DEM (formerly Liberal Front Party or PFL); note - dissolved in February 2022Green Party or PVLiberal Party or PL [Valdemar Costa Neto] (formerly Party of the Republic or PR)National Mobilization Party or PMNNew Party or NOVOPatriota (formerly National Ecologic Party or PEN)Podemos (formerly National Labor Party or PTN) Progressive Party (Progressistas) or PPRepublican Social Order Party or PROSRepublicans (Republicanos) (formerly Brazilian Republican Party or PRB)Social Christian Party or PSCSocial Democratic Party or PSDSocial Liberal Party or PSLSocialism and Freedom Party or PSOLSolidarity or SDSustainability Network or REDEUnited Socialist Workers' Party or PSTUWorkers' Cause Party or PCOWorkers' Party or PT

voluntary between 16 to 18 years of age, over 70, and if illiterate; compulsory between 18 to 70 years of age; note - military conscripts by law cannot vote

sugarcane, soybeans, maize, milk, cassava, oranges, chicken, rice, beef, wheat (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

on alcohol and tobacco

1.7% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

16.2% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

expenditures

$666.279 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$578.267 billion (2022 est.)

Fitch rating

BB (2023)

Moody's rating

Ba2 (2016)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BB- (2018)

Current account balance 2021

-$46.358 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$48.253 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$30.828 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external 2022

$164.448 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

upper-middle income, largest Latin American economy; Mercosur, BRICS, G20 member and OECD accession candidate; growth driven by strong domestic consumption; tax simplification reforms aimed at addressing business conditions and lagging productivity; high inequality in income and access to health and education

Currency

reals (BRL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

3.944 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

5.155 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

5.394 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

5.164 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

4.994 (2023 est.)

Exports 2021

$315.494 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$380.619 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$389.626 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

soybeans, crude petroleum, iron ore, refined petroleum, corn (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

China 26%, US 11%, Argentina 5%, Netherlands 3%, Spain 3% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

18.1% (2023 est.)

government consumption

18.2% (2023 est.)

household consumption

63.3% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-15.7% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

16.5% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.5% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

6.2% (2023 est.)

industry

22.3% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

58.9% (2023 est.)

$2.174 trillion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

52 (2022 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

highest 10%

41% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

1.2% (2022 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports 2021

$306.087 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$376.084 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$346.639 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, fertilizers, vehicle parts/accessories, crude petroleum, pesticides (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

China 24%, US 18%, Germany 5%, Argentina 5%, India 4% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

1.59% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

8.3% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

9.28% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4.59% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

108.695 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

4.2% (2016 est.)

note

note: approximately 4% of the population are below the "extreme" poverty line

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2022

79.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$3.788 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$3.902 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$4.016 trillion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.76% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3.02% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

2.91% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$17,700 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$18,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$18,600 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

0.25% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.25% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$362.21 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$324.673 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$355.021 billion (2023 est.)

14.73% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

13.16% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

9.23% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

7.95% (2023 est.)

female

20.9% (2023 est.)

male

15.6% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

17.9% (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

54.455 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

57.749 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

404.548 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

516.752 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

consumption

32.787 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

7,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

20.389 million metric tons (2022 est.)

production

15.644 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

6.596 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption

583.184 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

4.979 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

17.887 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

220.319 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

103.995 billion kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - rural areas

97.3%

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

100%

biomass and waste

8.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

9.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

63.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

nuclear

2.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

12.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

50.037 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

consumption

31.654 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports

75.122 million cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

8.812 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

22.67 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

363.985 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

1.88GW (2023 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction

1 (2023)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

2 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

2.2% (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

12.715 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

3.027 million bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

4.221 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

17 (2020 est.)

total

36,344,670 (2020 est.)

state-run Radiobras operates a radio and a TV network; more than 1,000 radio stations and more than 100 TV channels operating - mostly privately owned; private media ownership highly concentrated (2022)

.br

percent of population

81% (2021 est.)

total

170.1 million (2021 est.)

domestic

fixed-line connections stand at roughly 13 per 100 persons;  mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 102 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Brazil is one of the largest mobile and broadband markets in Latin America with healthy competition and pricing; 5G services was provided to all capital cities in July 2022, as well as about 35,500km of the national highway network; the country also has one of the largest fixed line broadband markets in Latin America, though broadband subscriptions is only slightly above the regional average, trailing behind Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay; amendments to the licensing regime adopted in October 2019 also require that ISPs which have switched to authorizations invest money saved from lighter regulations in the expansion of broadband services; the fixed line broadband market has seen rapid growth for a number of years, with a growing focus on fiber broadband; in 2019 the number of fiber accesses overtook DSL connections; the country is a key landing point for a number of important submarine cables connecting to the US, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa; several new cable systems are due to come into service through to 2022, which will increase bandwidth and push down broadband prices for end-users; investments have also been made into terrestrial fiber cables between Brazil, Argentina, and Chile (2022)

international

country code - 55; landing points for a number of submarine cables, including Malbec, ARBR, Tamnat, SAC, SAm-1, Atlantis -2, Seabras-1, Monet, EllaLink, BRUSA, GlobeNet, AMX-1, Brazilian Festoon, Bicentenario, Unisur, Junior, Americas -II, SAE x1, SAIL, SACS and SABR 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; satellites is a major communication platform, as it is almost impossible to lay fiber optic cable in the thick vegetation (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

13 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

27.258 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

99 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

212.926 million (2022 est.)

4,919 (2024)

PP

1,768 (2024)

by type

bulk carrier 13, container ship 20, general cargo 38, oil tanker 27, other 790

total

888 (2023)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1,845,650,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

102,109,977 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

443

number of registered air carriers

9 (2020)

5,959 km refined petroleum product (1,165 km distribution, 4,794 km transport), 11,696 km natural gas (2,274 km distribution, 9,422 km transport), 1,985 km crude oil (distribution), 77 km ethanol/petrochemical (37 km distribution, 40 km transport) (2016)

key ports

Belem, DTSE/Gegua Oil Terminal, Itajai, Port de Salvador, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Santos, Tubarao, Vitoria

large

4

medium

7

ports with oil terminals

31

small

19

total ports

45 (2024)

very small

15

broad gauge

5,822.3 km (2014) 1.600-m gauge (498.3 km electrified)

dual gauge

492 km (2014) 1.600-1.000-m gauge

narrow gauge

23,341.6 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (24 km electrified)

standard gauge

194 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

total

29,849.9 km (2014)

paved

246,000 km

total

2 million km

unpaved

1.754 million km (2018)

50,000 km (2012) (most in areas remote from industry and population)

the Brazilian Armed Forces (BAF) are the second largest military in the Western Hemisphere behind the US; they are responsible for external security and protecting the country's sovereignty but also have a considerable internal security role; the BAF’s missions include patrolling and protecting the country’s long borders and coastline and extensive territorial waters and river network, assisting with internal security, providing domestic disaster response and humanitarian assistance, and participating in multinational peacekeeping missionsin the past decade, the BAF has mobilized thousands of troops to conduct counternarcotics operations, support the police in combating crime, assist with disease outbreaks and humanitarian missions, and provide security for major events such as the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics; it has also cooperated regularly with neighboring countries such as Argentina and Paraguay on border security to combat smuggling and trafficking Brazil has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperationthe origins of Brazil's military stretch back to the 1640s; Brazil provided a 25,000-man expeditionary force with air and ground units to fight with the Allies in the Mediterranean Theater during World War II; the Navy participated in the Battle of the Atlantic (2024)

Brazilian Armed Forces (Forças Armadas Brasileiras): Brazilian Army (Exercito Brasileiro, EB), Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil, MB, includes Naval Aviation (Aviacao Naval Brasileira) and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira, FAB) (2024)

note

note: the three national police forces – the Federal Police, Federal Highway Police, and Federal Railway Police – have domestic security responsibilities and report to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (Ministry of Justice); there are two distinct units within the state police forces: the civil police, which performs an investigative role, and the military police, charged with maintaining law and order in the states and the Federal District; despite the name, military police forces report to the Ministry of Justice, not the Ministry of Defense; the armed forces also have some domestic security responsibilities and report to the Ministry of Defense

approximately 360,000 active military personnel (220,000 Army; 70,000 Navy; 70,000 Air Force); approximately 400,000 paramilitary security forces (2024)

the Brazilian military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced and imported weapons, largely from Europe and the US; Brazil's defense industry designs and manufactures equipment for all three military services and for export; it also jointly produces equipment with other countries (2024)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

18-45 years of age for compulsory military service for men (women exempted); only 5-10% of those inducted are required to serve; conscript service obligation is 10-12 months; 17-45 (18 for women) years of age for voluntary service (2024)

note

note: in 2024, women were reported to comprise approximately 10% of the Brazilian military

a significant drug transit and destination country for cocaine bound for Europe and other destinations including the United States; domestic drug use and addiction is a significant problem and it is second only to the United States in cocaine consumption; a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics

IDPs

5,600 (2022)

refugees (country of origin)

510,499 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay) (2023)

stateless persons

12 (2022)

Brazilian Space Agency (Agência Espacial Brasileira, AEB; established in 1994 when Brazil’s space program was transferred from the military to civilian control); National Institute for Space Research (established, 1971; part of the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations); Space Operations Command (Armed Forces); Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA; established in 1953 as a military space research program under the Brazilian Air Force) (2024)

Alcantara Launch Site (Maranhão state); Barreira do Inferno Launch Center (Rio Grande do Norte state) (2024)

has an active program with a long history; develops, builds, operates, and tracks satellites, including communications, remote sensing (RS), multi-mission, navigational, and scientific/testing/research; satellites are launched by foreign partners, but Brazil has a long-standing sounding (research) rocket and space launch vehicle (SLV) program and rocket launch facilities; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of Argentina, Canada, the European Space Agency and individual member states (particularly France and Germany), India, Japan, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Ukraine, and the US; has a state-controlled communications company that operates Brazil’s communications satellites and a growing commercial space sector with expertise in satellite technology (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Hizballah

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

carbon dioxide emissions

462.3 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

401.83 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

10.94 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

mostly tropical, but temperate in south

deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; illegal wildlife trade; illegal poaching; 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

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Marine Dumping-London Protocol

global geoparks and regional networks

Araripe; Cacapava; Quarta Colonia; Serido; Southern Canyons Pathways; Uberaba (2024)

total global geoparks and regional networks

6

agricultural land

32.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 8.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 23.5% (2018 est.)

forest

61.9% (2018 est.)

other

5.2% (2018 est.)

Amazon Basin, Guarani Aquifer System, Maranhao Basin

fresh water lake(s)

Lagoa dos Patos - 10,140 sq km

salt water lake(s)

Lagoa Mirim (shared with Uruguay) - 2,970 sq km

Amazon river mouth (shared with Peru [s]) - 6,400 km; Río de la Plata/Paraná river source (shared with Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay [m]) - 4,880 km; Tocantins - 3,650 km; São Francisco - 3,180 km; Paraguay river source (shared with Argentina and Paraguay [m]) - 2,549 km; Rio Negro river mouth (shared with Colombia [s] and Venezuela) - 2,250 km; Uruguay river source (shared with Argentina and Uruguay [m]) - 1,610 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km), Paraná (2,582,704 sq km), São Francisco (617,814 sq km), Tocantins (764,213 sq km)

0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)

0.62% of GDP (2018 est.)

8.65 trillion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural

41.42 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

9.51 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

16.13 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

87.8% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

79,889,010 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

1,118,446 tons (2014 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

1.4% (2014 est.)