2020 Edition

Background

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.

Area

land

8,358,140 sq km

total

8,515,770 sq km

water

157,630 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than the US

Climate

mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Coastline

7,491 km

Elevation

highest point

Pico da Neblina 2,994 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

320 m

Geographic coordinates

10 00 S, 55 00 W

Geography - note

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 Argentina note 2: Rocas Atoll, located off the northeast coast of Brazil, is the only atoll in the South Atlantic

Irrigated land

91,833 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

agricultural land

28.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 6.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 20.7% (2023 est.)

forest

58.9% (2023 est.)

other

12.7% (2023 est.)

Location

Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Major aquifers

Amazon Basin, Guarani Aquifer System, Maranhao Basin

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lagoa dos Patos - 10,140 sq km

salt water lake(s)

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

Major rivers (by length in 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 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

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)

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

the vast majority of people live along or 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

Terrain

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

Age structure

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

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.)

Birth rate

13.04 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.5% (2019 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

56.9% (2019 est.)

Death rate

7.07 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

16.2 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

6.2 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

44.3 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

28.1 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 98% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

12.9% national budget (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.84 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

9.9% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

9% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.5 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

11.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

14.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total

12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

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.

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.1 years

male

72.6 years

total population

76.3 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

95.1% (2024 est.)

male

94.5% (2024 est.)

total population

94.8% (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

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)

Maternal mortality ratio

67 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

36.1 years

male

34 years

total

35.4 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Brazilian

noun

Brazilian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.1% (2016)

Physician density

2.36 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

female

112,605,855

male

108,753,532

total

221,359,387 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.58% (2025 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 56.8%, Evangelical 26.9%, none 9.3%, other 4%, Spirtism (Espírita) 1.8%, unspecified 1.4%, Umbanda and Candomblé 1.1%, Indigenous religions .06%, undeclared 0.2% (2022)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 65% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 91% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 94.7% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 35% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 5.3% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2022 est.)

male

15 years (2022 est.)

total

16 years (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

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.)

Tobacco use

female

8.3% (2025 est.)

male

14.4% (2025 est.)

total

11.2% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

87.8% of total population (2023)

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, Rondônia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins

Capital

etymology

the name is the Latinized form of the country name, bestowed on the new capital of Brazil in 1960; previous Brazilian capitals were Salvador (1549-1763) and Rio de Janeiro (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

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

4 years

Constitution

amendment process

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

history

several previous; latest ratified 5 October 1988

Country name

conventional long form

Federative Republic of Brazil

conventional short form

Brazil

etymology

the country name derives from the brazil 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

branch office(s)

Belo Horizonte

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Gabriel ESCOBAR (since 21 January 2025)

consulate(s) general

Recife, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo

email address and website

BrasilliaACS@state.gov https://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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Executive branch

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%

election/appointment process

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)

expected date of next election

4 October 2026

head of government

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

most recent election date

2 October 2022, with runoff on 30 October 2022

Flag

description: green with a large yellow diamond in the center, showing a blue celestial globe with 27 five-pointed white stars; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress) meaning: green stands for the country's forests, and yellow for its mineral wealth, with the diamond representing the country's shape; the blue globe and stars 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 risen with the creation of new states, from 21 to 27 (one for each state and the Federal District) history: the flag was inspired by the former Empire of Brazil's flag (1822-1889)

Government type

federal presidential republic

Independence

7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

civil law

Legislative branch

legislative structure

bicameral

legislature name

National Congress (Congresso nacional)

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

Chamber of Deputies (Cámara dos Deputados)

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

October 2026

most recent election date

10/2/2022

number of seats

513 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Liberal Party (PL) (99); Workers' Party (PT) (69); Brazil Union (União) (59); Progressive Party (PP) (47); Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) (42); Social Democratic Party (PSD) (42); Republicans (Republicanos) (40); Other (106)

percentage of women in chamber

18.1%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Federal Senate (Senado Federal)

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

October 2026

most recent election date

10/2/2022

number of seats

81 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Liberal Party (PL) (8); Brazil Union (União) (5); Workers' Party (PT) (4); Progressive Party (PP) (3); Social Democratic Party (PSD) (2); Republicans (Republicanos) (2); Other (3)

percentage of women in chamber

19.8%

scope of elections

partial renewal

term in office

8 years

National anthem(s)

history

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

lyrics/music

Joaquim Osorio Duque ESTRADA/Francisco Manoel DA SILVA

title

"Hino Nacional Brasileiro" (Brazilian National Anthem)

National color(s)

green, yellow, blue

National heritage

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);Peruaçu River Canyon (n) 

total World Heritage Sites

24 (15 cultural, 9 natural, 1 mixed)

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

National symbol(s)

Southern Cross constellation

Political parties

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 PCB Brazilian Democratic Movement or MDB Brazilian Labor Party or PTB Brazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTB Brazilian Labor Party or PTB Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB Christian Democracy or DC (formerly Christian Social Democratic Party) Cidadania (formerly Popular Socialist Party or PPS) Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB Democratic Labor Party or PDT Democratic Party or PSDC Democrats or DEM (formerly Liberal Front Party or PFL); note - dissolved in February 2022 Green Party or PV Liberal Party or PL [Valdemar Costa Neto] (formerly Party of the Republic or PR) National Mobilization Party or PMN New Party or NOVO Patriota (formerly National Ecologic Party or PEN) Podemos (formerly National Labor Party or PTN) Progressive Party (Progressistas) or PP Republican Social Order Party or PROS Republicans (Republicanos) (formerly Brazilian Republican Party or PRB) Social Christian Party or PSC Social Democratic Party or PSD Social Liberal Party or PSL Socialism and Freedom Party or PSOL Solidarity or SD Sustainability Network or REDE United Socialist Workers' Party or PSTU Workers' Cause Party or PCO Workers' Party or PT

Suffrage

voluntary between 16 to 18 years of age, over 70, and if illiterate; compulsory between 18 to 70 years of age

Agricultural products

sugarcane, soybeans, maize, milk, cassava, oranges, chicken, beef, rice, wheat (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

1.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

16.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$706.816 billion (2023 est.)

revenues

$556.303 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$42.157 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$27.933 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$61.194 billion (2024 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$198.582 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

upper-middle-income, largest Latin American economy; Mercosur, BRICS, G20 member and OECD accession candidate; growth driven by strong domestic consumption; monetary tightening helping curb inflation rate; high inequality in income and access to health and education

Exchange rates

Currency

reals (BRL) per US dollar -

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.)

Exchange rates 2024

5.389 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$380.492 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$389.192 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$388.333 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

soybeans, crude petroleum, iron ore, raw sugar, corn (2023)

Exports - partners

China 30%, USA 10%, Argentina 5%, Netherlands 3%, Chile 2% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

18% (2024 est.)

government consumption

18.8% (2024 est.)

household consumption

63.8% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-17.5% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

17% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.1% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

5.6% (2024 est.)

industry

21.3% (2024 est.)

services

59.3% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.179 trillion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

51.6 (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

40.8% (2023 est.)

lowest 10%

1.3% (2023 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$369.861 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$340.195 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$377.05 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, fertilizers, crude petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, gas turbines (2023)

Imports - partners

China 23%, USA 16%, Germany 5%, Argentina 5%, Russia 4% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

3.3% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

9.3% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4.6% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

4.4% (2024 est.)

Labor force

106.79 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

4.2% (2016 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2023

83% of GDP (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$3.902 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$4.029 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$4.165 trillion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.2% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

3.4% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$18,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$19,100 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$19,600 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

0.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

0.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$324.673 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$355.021 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$329.732 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

9.3% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

8% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

7.7% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

20.9% (2024 est.)

male

15.7% (2024 est.)

total

18% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

32.223 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

5,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

18.257 million metric tons (2023 est.)

production

15.556 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

6.596 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

608.451 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

7.186 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

22.294 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

240.251 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

106.916 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

97.3%

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

100%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

8.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

8.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

60.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

13.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

48.889 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

29.065 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

101.203 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

6.356 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

22.702 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

363.985 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

1.88GW (2025 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction

1 (2025)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

2 (2025)

Percent of total electricity production

2.2% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

12.715 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

3.163 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

4.221 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

23 (2023 est.)

total

48.4 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

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)

Internet country code

.br

Internet users

percent of population

84% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

22.5 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

102 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

216 million (2024 est.)

Airports

5,297 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

PP

Heliports

1,871 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

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

total

888 (2023)

Ports

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

Railways

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)

Military - note

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 an 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 missions; it also cooperates with neighboring countries such as Argentina and Paraguay to combat cross-border 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 cooperation the 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 (2025)

Military and security forces

Brazilian Armed Forces (Forças Armadas Brasileiras): Brazilian Army (Exercito Brasileiro, EB), Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil; includes Naval Aviation (Aviacao Naval Brasileira) and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 360,000 active Armed Forces (220,000 Army; 70,000 Navy; 70,000 Air Force) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

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 (2025)

Military expenditures

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.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.1% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-45 years of age for compulsory military service for men (only 5-10% of those inducted are required to serve); compulsory service obligation is generally 12 months; 17-45 (18 for women) years of age for voluntary service (2025)

Illicit drugs

USG identification

major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

19,043 (2024 est.)

refugees

331,097 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

27 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Brazil did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period and was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/brazil/

Key space-program milestones

1960s - established a national space program under the Air Force 1984 - began satellite launch vehicle (SLV) program (Veículo Lançador de Satélites or VLS-1)  1985 - first communications satellite jointly produced with Canada and launched on European SLV 1993 - first domestically built experimental communications satellite (Satélite de Coleta de Dados, SCD-1) launched by US 2004 - launched a sounding rocket into sub-orbital space, but the subsequent catastrophic failure of a VLS-1 during a test launch led to scaling back the program 2006 - first Brazilian astronaut to the International Space Station on a Russian rocket 2008 - began work on a 3-stage microsatellite launch vehicle (Veículo Lançador de Microssatélite or VLM-1) in partnership with Germany 2021 - first independently produced remote sensing (RS) satellite (Amazonia-1) launched by India; signed US-led Artemis Accords on space exploration cooperation and signed cooperation agreements with the space agencies of China, India, Russia, and South Africa for the joint development of an RS satellite constellation 2022 - successfully launched suborbital rocket more than 225 km (140 miles) in height

Space agency/agencies

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 (INPE, under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations); Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA, under the Aeronautics Command (COMAER) of the Ministry of Defense) (2025)

Space launch site(s)

Alcantara Launch Center (Maranhão state); Barreira do Inferno Launch Center (Rio Grande do Norte state) (2025)

Space program overview

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 satellite 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 ESA, individual ESA 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 (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

Hizballah; Tren de Aragua (TdA)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

53.664 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

53.026 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

331.079 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

437.769 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

deforestation in Amazon Basin; illegal wildlife trade; illegal poaching; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and other large cities; land degradation and water pollution from mining; wetland degradation; oil spills

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

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

total global geoparks and regional networks

6

International environmental agreements

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

Methane emissions

agriculture

13,761.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

1,759.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

382.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

3,361.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

10.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

8.647 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

41.336 billion cubic meters (2022)

industrial

10.2 billion cubic meters (2022)

municipal

16.397 billion cubic meters (2022)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

79.07 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

2.8% (2022 est.)