1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 8,511,965 sq km land: 8,456,510 sq km water: 55,455 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
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than the US
Climate
mostly tropical, but temperate in south
Coastline
7,491 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m
Environment--current issues
deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers the existence of a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; 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
Environment--international agreements
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geographic coordinates
10 00 S, 55 00 W
Geography--note
largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador
Irrigated land
28,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 14,691 km border countries: Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia 1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km, Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km
Land use
arable land: 5% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 22% forests and woodland: 58% other: 14% (1993 est.)
Location
Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean
Map references
South America
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south
Natural resources
bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber
Terrain
mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 30% (male 26,059,687; female 25,095,236) 15-64 years: 65% (male 55,037,161; female 56,727,196) 65 years and over: 5% (male 3,626,893; female 5,306,953) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
20.42 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
8.79 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish) 55%, mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 1%
Infant mortality rate
35.37 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 64.06 years male: 59.35 years female: 69.01 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.3% male: 83.3% female: 83.2% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Brazilian(s) adjective: Brazilian
Net migration rate
-0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
171,853,126 (July 1999 est.) note: Brazil took a census in August 1996 which reported a population of 157,079,573; that figure was about 5% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6% for 1991; the Factbook's demographic statistics for Brazil do not take into consideration the results of the1996 census since the full results have not been released for analysis
Population growth rate
1.16% (1999 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic (nominal) 70%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.28 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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
Capital
Brasilia
Constitution
5 October 1988
Country name
conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil conventional short form: Brazil local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil local short form: Brasil
Data code
BR
Executive branch
chief of state: President Fernando Henrique CARDOSO (since 1 January 1995); Vice President Marco MACIEL (since 1 January 1995); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Fernando Henrique CARDOSO (since 1 January 1995); Vice President Marco MACIEL (since 1 January 1995); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 4 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2002) election results: Fernando Henrique CARDOSO reelected president; percent of vote--53%
Flag description
green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)
Government type
federal republic
Independence
7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
International organization participation
AfDB, BIS, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rubens Antonio BARBOSA chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate J. Brian ATWOOD embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Brasilia, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900 Brazil mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030 consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo consulate(s): Recife
Judicial branch
Supreme Federal Tribunal, 11 judges are appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate Political parties and leaders: Brazilian Democratic Movement Political pressure groups and leaders: left wing of the Catholic Church, Landless Worker's Movement, and labor unions allied to leftist Workers' Party are critical of government's social and economic policies
Legal system
based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three members from each state or federal district elected according to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after a four year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year period) 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 4 October 1998 for one-third of Senate (next to be held NA October 2002 for two-thirds of the Senate); Chamber of Deputies--last held 4 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2002) election results: Federal Senate--percent of vote by party--NA%; seats by party--PMDB 27, PFL 20, PSDB 16, PT 7, PPB 5; Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote by party--NA%; seats by party--PFL 106, PSDB 99, PMDB 82, PPB 60, PT 58
National holiday
Independence Day, 7 September (1822)
Suffrage
voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age
Economy
Agriculture--products
coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef
Budget
revenues: $151 billion expenditures: $149 billion, including capital expenditures of $36 billion (1998)
Currency
1 real (R$) = 100 centavos
Debt--external
$258.1 billion (December 1998)
Economic aid--recipient
$1.012 billion (1995)
Economy--overview
Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence in world markets. Prior to the institution of a stabilization plan--the Plano Real (Real Plan) in mid-1994, stratospheric inflation rates had disrupted economic activity and discouraged foreign investment. Since then, tight monetary policy has brought inflation under control--consumer prices increased by 2% in 1998 compared to more than 1,000% in 1994. At the same time, GDP growth slowed from 5.7% in 1994 to about 3.0% in 1997 due to tighter credit. The Real Plan faced its strongest challenge in 1998, as the world financial crisis caused investors to more closely examine the country's structural weaknesses. The most severe spillover for Brazil--after Russia's debt default in August 1998--created unrelenting pressure on the currency which forced the country to hike annual interest rates to 50%. Approximately $30 billion in capital left the country in August and September. After crafting a fiscal adjustment program and pledging progress on structural reform, Brazil received a $41.5 billion IMF-led international support program in November 1998. Capital continued to leach out of the country, and investors, concerned about the rising mountain of debt and currency widely-viewed as overvalued, stayed on the sidelines. In January 1999, Brazil made an abrupt shift of course in exchange rate policy, abandoning the strong currency anti-inflation anchor of the Real Plan. On 13 January 1999, Central Bank officials announced a one-time 8% devaluation of the real, and on 15 January 1999, the currency was declared to be freely floating. President CARDOSO remains committed to limiting inflation and weathering the financial crisis through austerity and sacrifice as the country rides out a deep recession. He hopes the country will resume economic growth in the second half of 1999, so that he can once again focus on his longer-term goal of reducing poverty and income inequality. CARDOSO still hopes to address mandated revenue sharing with the states and cumbersome procedures to amend the constitution before the end of his second term.
Electricity--consumption
323.215 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
8 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
37.5 billion kWh (1996) note: imported electricity from Paraguay
Electricity--production
291.63 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 4.38% hydro: 92.09% nuclear: 0.8% other: 2.73% (1996)
Exchange rates
reals (R$) per US$1--1.501 (January 1999), 1.161 (1998), 1.078 (1997), 1.005 (1996), 0.918 (1995), 0.639 (1994); CR$ per US$1--390.845 (January 1994) note: the real (R$) was introduced on 1 July 1994, equal to 2,750 cruzeiro reais; from October 1994 through 14 January 1999, the official rate was determined by a managed float; since 15 January 1999, the official rate floats independently with respect to the US$
Exports
$51 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities
iron ore, soybean bran, orange juice, footwear, coffee, motor vehicle parts
Exports--partners
EU 28%, Latin America (excluding Argentina) 23%, US 20%, Argentina 12% (1996)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$1.0352 trillion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 14% industry: 36% services: 50% (1997)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$6,100 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
0.5% (1998)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 47.9% (1995)
Imports
$57.6 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities
crude oil, capital goods, chemical products, foodstuffs, coal
Imports--partners
EU 26%, US 22%, Argentina 13%, Japan 5% (1996)
Industrial production growth rate
4.5% (1997 est.)
Industries
textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2% (1998)
Labor force
57 million (1989 est.)
Labor force--by occupation
services 42%, agriculture 31%, industry 27%
Population below poverty line
17.4% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate
8.5% (1998 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1,627, FM 251, shortwave 114 (of which 91 are associated with AM stations) (1998)
Radios
60 million (1993 est.)
Telephone system
good working system domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations international: 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations--3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean Region East)
Telephones
14,426,673 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations
138 (1997)
Televisions
30 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
Airports
3,265 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 514 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 134 914 to 1,523 m: 325 under 914 m: 31 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 2,751 1,524 to 2,437 m: 73 914 to 1,523 m: 1,312 under 914 m: 1,366 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 1.98 million km paved: 184,140 km unpaved: 1,795,860 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 179 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,132,037 GRT/6,642,442 DWT ships by type: bulk 35, cargo 28, chemical tanker 6, combination ore/oil 10, container 10, liquefied gas tanker 10, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 61, passenger-cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 11, short-sea passenger 1 (1998 est.)
Pipelines
crude oil 2,980 km; petroleum products 4,762 km; natural gas 4,246 km (1998) Ports and harbors: Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus, Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, Santos, Vitoria
Railways
total: 28,862 km (1,187 km electrified) broad gauge: 4,123 km 1.600-m gauge narrow gauge: 24,390 km 1.000-m gauge; 13 km 0.760-m gauge dual gauge: 336 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails)
Waterways
50,000 km navigable
Military and Security
Military branches
Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes naval air and marines), Brazilian Air Force, Federal Police (paramilitary)
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$14.7 billion (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
1.9% (1998)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 47,230,426 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 31,723,597 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
18 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 1,841,858 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
two short sections of boundary with Uruguay are in dispute--Arroio Invernada (Arroyo de la Invernada) area of the Rio Quarai (Rio Cuareim) and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Quarai and the Uruguay River
Illicit drugs
limited illicit producer of cannabis, minor coca cultivation in the Amazon region, mostly used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian, and Peruvian cocaine headed for the US and Europe; increasingly used by traffickers as a way station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia