2008 Edition

Background

Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country when in 1985 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. Highly unequal income distribution and crime remain pressing problems.

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 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

Environment - international 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 59.3 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%) per capita: 318 cu m/yr (2000)

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

29,200 sq km (2003)

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

Land use

arable land: 6.93% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.18% (2005)

Location

Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Map references

South America

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

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

Total renewable water resources

8,233 cu km (2000)

Age structure

0-14 years: 27% (male 26,986,909/female 25,961,947) 15-64 years: 66.8% (male 64,939,225/female 66,157,812) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 5,182,987/female 7,113,707) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

18.72 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

6.35 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

4% of GDP (2004)

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)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

15,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

660,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 23.33 deaths/1,000 live births male: 26.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.71 years male: 68.15 years female: 75.45 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.6% male: 88.4% female: 88.8% (2004 est.)

Median age

total: 28.3 years male: 27.5 years female: 29 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Brazilian(s) adjective: Brazilian

Net migration rate

-0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

196,342,592 note: Brazil conducted a census in August 2000, which reported a population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

1.228% (2008 est.)

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)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2005)

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 (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.22 children born/woman (2008 est.)

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

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 third Sunday in February note: Brazil is divided into four time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030 telephone: [55] (61) 3312-7000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar PATRIOTA chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700

Executive branch

chief of state: President Luiz Inacio "LULA" DA SILVA (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

FAX

[1] (202) 238-2827 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

[55] (61) 3225-9136 consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo consulate(s): Recife

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 (nonregional members), BIS, CAN (associate), CPLP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

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; 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 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 1 October 2006 for one-third of the Senate (next to be held in October 2010 for two-thirds of the Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010) election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PFL 6, PSDB 5, PMDB 4, PTB 3, PT 2, PDT 1, PSB 1, PL 1, PPS 1, PRTB 1, PP 1, PCdoB 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PMDB 89, PT 83, PFL 65, PSDB 65, PP 42, PSB 27, PDT 24, PL 23, PTB 22, PPS 21, PCdoB 13, PV 13, PSC 9, other 17; note - as of 1 January 2008: Federal Senate - seats by party - PMDB 20, DEM (formerly PFL) 14, PSDB 13, PT 12, PTB 6, PDT 5, PR 4, PRB 2, PSB 2, PCdoB 1, PP 1, PSOL 1; Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - PMDB 90, PT 83, PSDB 64, DEM (formerly PFL) 62, PP 41, PR 34, PSB 28, PDT 23, PTB 21, PPS 17, PV 13, PCdoB 13, PSC 7, PAN 4, PSOL 3, PMN 3, PTC 3, PHS 2, PTdoB 1, PRB 1

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

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 (formerly Liberal Front Party or PFL) [Federal Deputy Rodrigo MAIA]; 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 [Ricardo Jose Ribeiro BERZOINI]

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

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

Agriculture - products

coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef

Budget

revenues: $244 billion expenditures: $219.9 billion (FY07)

Central bank discount rate

17.85% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

43.72% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

real (BRL)

Currency code

BRL

Current account balance

$1.712 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$229.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

56.7 (2005)

Economic aid - recipient

$191.9 million (2005)

Economy - overview

Characterized by 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. Having weathered 2001-03 financial turmoil, capital inflows are regaining strength and the currency has resumed appreciating. The appreciation has slowed export volume growth, but since 2004, Brazil's growth has yielded increases in employment and real wages. The resilience in the economy stems from commodity-driven current account surpluses, and sound macroeconomic policies that have bolstered international reserves to historically high levels, reduced public debt, and allowed a significant decline in real interest rates. A floating exchange rate, an inflation-targeting regime, and a tight fiscal policy are the three pillars of the economic program. From 2003 to 2007, Brazil ran record trade surpluses and recorded its first current account surpluses since 1992. Productivity gains coupled with high commodity prices contributed to the surge in exports. Brazil improved its debt profile in 2006 by shifting its debt burden toward real denominated and domestically held instruments. "LULA" DA SILVA restated his commitment to fiscal responsibility by maintaining the country's primary surplus during the 2006 election. Following his second inauguration, "LULA" DA SILVA announced a package of further economic reforms to reduce taxes and increase investment in infrastructure. The government's goal of achieving strong growth while reducing the debt burden is likely to create inflationary pressures.

Electricity - consumption

402.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

2.034 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

40.47 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

437.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 8.3% hydro: 82.7% nuclear: 4.4% other: 4.6% (2001)

Exchange rates

reals (BRL) per US dollar - 1.85 (2007 est.), 2.1761 (2006), 2.4344 (2005), 2.9251 (2004), 3.0771 (2003)

Exports

$160.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos

Exports - partners

US 16.1%, Argentina 9.2%, China 6.8%, Netherlands 5.6%, Germany 4.6% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 5.5% industry: 28.7% services: 65.8% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$9,500 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.4% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.314 trillion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.849 trillion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 44.8% (2004)

Imports

$120.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products, oil, automotive parts, electronics

Imports - partners

US 15.7%, China 10.5%, Argentina 8.6%, Germany 7.2%, Nigeria 4.4% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

4.9% (2007 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.6% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

17.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

99.23 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 20% industry: 14% services: 66% (2003 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$711.1 billion (2006)

Natural gas - consumption

19.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

10 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

9.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

347.7 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Oil - consumption

2.372 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - exports

481,100 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

648,800 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

2.277 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

12.18 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Population below poverty line

31% (2005)

Public debt

45.1% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$180.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$107.1 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$248.9 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$1.377 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$131.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$792.8 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

9.3% (2007 est.)

Internet country code

.br

Internet hosts

9.573 million (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

50 (2000)

Internet users

50 million (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM stations) (1999)

Radios

71 million (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: good working system; fixed-line connections have remained relatively stable in recent years and stand at about 20 per 100 persons; less expensive mobile cellular technology is a major driver in expanding telephone service to the low-income segment of the population with mobile-cellular telephone density reaching nearly 65 per 100 persons domestic: 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 international: country code - 55; landing point for a number of submarine cables that provide direct links 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 (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

39.4 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular

120.98 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

138 (1997)

Televisions

36.5 million (1997)

Airports

4,263 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 718 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 167 914 to 1,523 m: 467 under 914 m: 52 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 3,545 1,524 to 2,437 m: 83 914 to 1,523 m: 1,555 under 914 m: 1,907 (2007)

Heliports

16 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 136 by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 22, carrier 1, chemical tanker 7, container 11, liquefied gas 12, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 45, roll on/roll off 7 foreign-owned: 25 (Chile 1, Denmark 2, Germany 6, Greece 1, Mexico 1, Norway 5, Spain 9) registered in other countries: 8 (Argentina 1, Bahamas 2, Ghana 1, Liberia 3, Marshall Islands 1) (2008)

Pipelines

condensate/gas 244 km; gas 12,070 km; liquid petroleum gas 351 km; oil 5,214 km; refined products 4,410 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

Guaiba, Ilha Grande, Paranagua, Rio Grande, Santos, Sao Sebastiao, Tubarao

Railways

total: 29,295 km broad gauge: 4,932 km 1.600-m gauge (939 km electrified) standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge narrow gauge: 23,773 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified) dual gauge: 396 km 1.000 m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways

total: 1,751,868 km paved: 96,353 km unpaved: 1,655,515 km (2004)

Transportation - note

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Atlantic Ocean as a significant risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Waterways

50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2007)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 52,449,957 females age 16-49: 52,375,921 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 39,263,710 females age 16-49: 44,109,056 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 1,666,791 female: 1,608,363 (2008 est.)

Military branches

Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil (MB), includes Naval Air and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira, FAB) (2008)

Military expenditures

2.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

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)

Disputes - international

unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested boundary dispute with Uruguay over Isla Brasilera at the confluence of the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada rivers, that form a tripoint with Argentina; the Itaipú Dam reservoir covers over a once contested section of Brazil-Paraguay boundary west of Guaira Falls on the Rio Parana; an accord placed the long-disputed Isla Suárez/Ilha de Guajará-Mirim, a fluvial island on the Río Mamoré, under Bolivian administration in 1958, but sovereignty remains in dispute

Illicit drugs

second-largest consumer of cocaine in the world; illicit producer of cannabis; trace amounts of coca cultivation in the Amazon region, 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 Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics proceeds earned in Brazil are often laundered through the financial system; significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008