1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Area
8,521,100 km2; 4% cultivated, 13% pasture, 23% built-on area, waste, and other, 60% forested
Coastline
7,491 km
Land boundaries
13,076 km WATER
Limits of territorial waters (claimed)
200 nm
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
60% white, 30% mixed, 8% Negro, and 2% Indian (1960 est.)
Labor force
about 40 million in 1976—36.3% agriculture, livestock, forestry, and fishing; 23.2% industry; 18.9% services, transportation, and communication; 9.2% commerce; 6.1% social activities; 3.5% public administration; 2.8% other
Language
Portuguese
Literacy
83% of the population 15 years or older (1978)
Nationality
noun—Brazilian(s); adjective—Brazilian
Organized labor
about 50% of labor force; only about 1.5 million pay dues
Population
127,734,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 2.3%
Religion
93% Roman Catholic (nominal)
Government
Branches
strong executive with very broad powers; bicameral legislature (powers of the two bodies have been sharply reduced); 11-man Supreme Court Government leader; President Gen. (Ret.) Joao Baptista de Oliveira FIGUEIREDO
Capital
Brasilia
Communists
6,000, less than 1,000 militants
Elections
Figueiredo, who took office on 15 March 1979, was elected by an electoral college, composed of the members of Congress and delegates selected from the state legislatures on 15 October 1978; next presidential election 1984
Legal system
based on Latin codes; dual system of courts, state and federal; constitution adopted 1967 and extensively amended in 1969; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Member of
FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMCO, IMF, IPU, ISO, ITU, IWC—International Wheat Council, LAFTA, OAS, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
National holiday
Independence Day, 7 September
Official name
Federative Republic of Brazil
Other political or pressure groups
the Catholic Church, over the years, has been a consistent critic of the regime; labor unions, at least as far as wage demands, have become highly active
Political subdivisions
23 states, 3 territories, federal district (Brasilia)
Suffrage
compulsory over age 18, except illiterates; approximately 50 million eligible to register in mid-1982
Type
federal republic; military-backed presidential regime since April 1964
Voting strength
(November 1974 congressional elections) 33.6% ARENA, 31.9% MDB, 35.5% blank and void Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party (PDS), progovernment, Jose Sarney, president; Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), Ulysses Guimaraes, president; plus several smaller parties
Economy
Agriculture
main products—coffee, rice, beans, corn, sugarcane, soybeans, cotton, manioc, oranges; nearly self-sufficient; caloric intake, 2,400 calories per day per capita (1975)
Budget
(1981 est.) revenues $21.0 billion, expenditures $20.4 billion (Treasury budget only)
Crude steel
12.5 million metric tons capacity (1978); 12.5 million metric tons produced (1981 est.)
Electric power
32,271,000 kW capacity (1981); 126.0 billion kWh produced (1981), 1,033 kWh per capita
Exports
$23 billion (f.o.b., 1981 est); coffee, manufactures, iron ore, cotton, soybeans, sugar, wood, cocoa, beef, shoes
Fiscal year
calendar year
Fishing
catch 857,971 metric tons (1978); exports, $140 million (f.o.b., 1981 est.); imports, $90 million (f.o.b., 1981 est.)
GNP
$250 billion (1981 est.), $2,000 per capita; 20% gross investment, 84% consumption,—4% net foreign balance (1981 est.); real growth rate 1% (1981 est.)
Imports
$22 billion (f.o,b.> 1981 est.); machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, petroleum, wheat, copper, aluminum
Major industries
textiles and other consumer goods, chemicals, cement, lumber, steel, motor vehicles, other metalworking industries, capital goods
Major trade partners
exports—17% US, 5% West Germany, 6% Netherlands, 5% Japan, 4% Italy, 4% Argentina, 4% France (1981 est); imports—40% oil exporters, 17% US, 5% West Germany, 5% Japan, 3% Argentina (1981 est.)
Monetary conversion rate
125 cruzeiros=US$l (December 1981, changes frequently)
Communications
Civil air
169 major transport aircraft, including 9 leased in Airfields:' 4,464 total, 3,633 usable; 220 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 17 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 412 with runways 1,220–2,439 m
Highways
1,385,600 km total; 83,700 km paved, 1,301,900 km gravel or earth
Inland waterways
50,000 km navigable
Pipelines
crude oil, 2,000 km; refined products, 465 km; natural gas, 257 km
Ports
8 major, 23 significant minor
Railroads
24,600 km total; 22,450 km meter gauge (1.000 m), 1,750 km 1.60-meter gauge, 200 km standard gauge (1.435 m), 200 km 0.76-meter gauge; 1,050 km electrified
Telecommunications
fair telecom system; good radio relay facilities; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT station with 2 antennas; 10 domestic satellite stations; 6.49 million telephones (5.1 per 100 popl); 1,100 AM, 150 FM, and 170 TV stations; 2 coaxial submarine cables
Military and Security
Military budget
for fiscal year ending 31 December 1981, $1,757.5 million; 7.8% of central government budget
Military manpower
males 15-49, 31,263,000; 21,155,000 fit for military service; 1,393,000 reach military age (18) annually