Brazil

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 km

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

• 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

noun:

Brazilian(s)

adjective:

Brazilian

• 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.

total:

35.4 years (2025 est.)

male:

34 years

female:

36.1 years

• 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

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

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

total population:

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

total:

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

male:

14.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

11.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

76.3 years (2024 est.)

male:

72.6 years

female:

80.1 years

total:

6.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

3.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

11.2% (2025 est.)

male:

14.4% (2025 est.)

female:

8.3% (2025 est.)

• 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

urban population:

87.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

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

energy:

1,759.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)

agriculture:

13,761.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste:

3,361.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

other:

382.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

79.07 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

2.8% (2022 est.)

municipal:

16.397 billion cubic meters (2022)

industrial:

10.2 billion cubic meters (2022)

agricultural:

41.336 billion cubic meters (2022)

total global geoparks and regional networks:

6

global geoparks and regional networks:

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

conventional long form:

Federative Republic of Brazil

conventional short form:

Brazil

local long form:

República Federativa do Brasil

local short form:

Brasil

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

name:

Brasília

geographic coordinates:

15 47 S, 47 55 W

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

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)

• 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

history:

several previous; latest ratified 5 October 1988

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

citizenship by birth:

yes

citizenship by descent only:

yes

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

4 years

legislature name:

National Congress (Congresso nacional)

legislative structure:

bicameral

chamber name:

Chamber of Deputies (Cámara dos Deputados)

number of seats:

513 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

4 years

most recent election date:

10/2/2022

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%

expected date of next election:

October 2026

chamber name:

Federal Senate (Senado Federal)

number of seats:

81 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

plurality/majority

scope of elections:

partial renewal

term in office:

8 years

most recent election date:

10/2/2022

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%

expected date of next election:

October 2026

• 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

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)

note: one of four national flags that reflect the shape of the country in the flag design; the others are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Eritrea, and Vanuatu

title:

"Hino Nacional Brasileiro" (Brazilian National Anthem)

lyrics/music:

Joaquim Osorio Duque ESTRADA/Francisco Manoel DA SILVA

history:

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

total World Heritage Sites:

24 (15 cultural, 9 natural, 1 mixed)

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)

• 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

agriculture:

5.6% (2024 est.)

industry:

21.3% (2024 est.)

services:

59.3% (2024 est.)

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

total:

18% (2024 est.)

male:

15.7% (2024 est.)

female:

20.9% (2024 est.)

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

on food:

16.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

1.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

lowest 10%:

1.3% (2023 est.)

highest 10%:

40.8% (2023 est.)

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

Number of operational nuclear reactors:

2 (2025)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction:

1 (2025)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors:

1.88GW (2025 est.)

Percent of total electricity production:

2.2% (2023 est.)

production:

15.556 million metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption:

32.223 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports:

5,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

18.257 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

6.596 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

total petroleum production:

4.221 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

3.163 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves:

12.715 billion barrels (2021 est.)

production:

22.702 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption:

29.065 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports:

101.203 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports:

6.356 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

363.985 billion cubic meters (2021 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)

total:

29,849.9 km (2014)

standard gauge:

194 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge:

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

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

total ports:

45 (2024)

large:

4

medium:

7

small:

19

very small:

15

ports with oil terminals:

31

key ports:

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