Brazil

Federative Republic of BrazilRepublica Federativa do Brasil

federative republicIndependence 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

Brazil as the 2003 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 125 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBrasilia

Position10 00 S, 55 00 W

Area8,511,965 sq km

LocationEastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Populationas each edition published it

182.03 million July 2003 est. · 152.51m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.15% 2003 est. · 1.35% in 1993

Median ageyears

27 years 2002 · 35.4 yrs in 2025

Life expectancyyears at birth

71.13 years 2003 est. · 62.7 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.01 children per woman 2003 est. · 3.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

31.74 deaths per 1,000 live births 2003 est. · 69 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$7,600 2002 est. · $2,350 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

1.5% 2002 est. · -0.2% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil has overcome more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of the interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, Brazil is today South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem.

Geography

Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

18 fields

Land useshare of 8,511,965 sq km

arable land 6.3%permanent crops 1.42%other 92.28% (1998 est.)irrigated 26,560 sq km (1998 est.)

Area

8,511,965sq km

land: 8,456,510 sq kmnote: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulowater: 55,455 sq kmslightly smaller than the US

Coastline

7,491km

contiguous zone: 24 NMterritorial sea: 12 NMcontinental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Highest point

3,014m

Pico da Neblinalowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Land boundaries

14,691km

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

Location

Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Geographic coordinates

10 00 S, 55 00 W

Map references

South America

Climate

mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Terrain

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

Natural resources

bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

Natural hazards

recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south

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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

People

19 fields

Population

182,032,604

growth rate: 1.15% (2003 est.)

Note

note: Brazil took a count 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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2003 est.)

Birth

17.67Death

6.13Net migration

-0.03

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2003 est.)71.13

67.16 · 75.3Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)31.74

35.61 · 27.68

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)86.4%

86.1% · 86.6%Median age years (2002)27

26.2 · 27.7

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish) 55%mixed white and black 38%black 6%other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 1%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.7%

(2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 27.1% (male 25,151,855; female 24,196,506)
15-64 years:: 67.2% (male 60,667,014; female 61,683,580)
65 years and over:: 5.7% (male 4,232,784; female 6,100,865) (2003 est.)

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:: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.01 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

610,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

8,400 (2001 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Brazilian(s)
adjective:: Brazilian

Religions

Roman Catholic (nominal) 80%

Languages

Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

Government

Federative republic; President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1 January 2003); President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1 January 2003)

18 fields

Federal Senate, 513 seats, elected 6 October 2002 for two-thirds of the Senateseats by party

PT 91PFL 84PMDB 74PSDB 71PPB 49PL 26PTB 26PSB 22PDT 21PPS 15PCdoB 12PRONA 6PV 5other 11

Country name

conventional long form:: Federative Republic of Brazil
conventional short form:: Brazil
local short form:: Brasil
local long form:: Republica Federativa do Brasil

Government type

federative republic

Capital

Brasilia

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

Independence

7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Constitution

5 October 1988

Legal system

based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age

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 government
election results:: in runoff election 27 October 2002, Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (PT) was elected with 61.3% of the vote; Jose SERRA (PSDB) 38.7%
elections:: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms;
election last held 6 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006);
runoff election held 27 October 2002
cabinet:: Cabinet appointed by the president
head of government:: 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 government

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)

election results:: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party PMBD 19, PFL 19, PT 14, PSDB 11, PDT 5, PSB 4, PL 3, PTB 3, PPS 1, PSD 1, PPB 1;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - PT 91, PFL 84, PMDB 74, PSDB 71, PPB 49, PL 26, PTB 26, PSB 22, PDT 21, PPS 15, PCdoB 12, PRONA 6, PV 5, other 11
elections:: Federal Senate - last held 6 October 2002 for two-thirds of the Senate (next to be held NA October 2006 for one-third of the Senate);
Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)

Judicial branch

Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate);
Higher Tribunal of Justice;
Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life)

Political parties and leaders

Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Michel TEMER];
Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Jose Carlos MARTINEZ];
Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Jose ANIBAL];
Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Miguel ARRAES];
Brazilian Progressive Party or PPB [Paulo Salim MALUF];
Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Renato RABELLO];
Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Leonel BRIZOLA];
Green Party or PV [leader NA];
Liberal Front Party or PFL [Jorge BORNHAUSEN];
Liberal Party or PL [Deputy Valdemar COSTA Neto];
National Order Reconstruction Party or PRONA [Dr. Eneas CARNEIRO];
Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Senator Roberto FREIRE];
Social Democratic Party or PSD [leader NA];
Worker's Party or PT [Jose GENOINO]

Political pressure groups and leaders

left wing of the Catholic Church;
Landless Worker's Movement;
labor unions allied to leftist Worker's Party

International organization participation

AfDB, BIS, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Rubens Antonio BARBOSA; note - Ambassador-Designate Roberto ABDENUR expected to arrive March 2004
FAX:: [1] (202) 238-2827
consulate(s) general:: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco
chancery:: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 238-2700

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Donna J. HRINAK
embassy:: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia
mailing address:: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030
telephone:: [55] (61) 312-7000
FAX:: [55] (61) 225-9136
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)

Economy

43 fields

Real growth rate

1.5%

(2002 est.)industrial production growth: 2.3% (2002 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

8.3%

(2002)

Unemployment rate

6.4%

(2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

22%

(1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2001 est.)

agriculture 8%industry 36%services 56% (2001 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

23.8%

23.3%

8.5%

Argentina

12.6%

Germany

8.7%

France

5.2%

4.3%

China

4.2%

Netherlands

Exports $59.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)Imports $46.2 billion f.o.b. (2002)(2002)

Budget

Revenues

$100.6 billionExpenditures

$91.6 billion (2000)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

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

Electricity production

321.2 billion (2001)Electricity consumption

335.9 billion (2001)Electricity imports

37.19 billion (2001)

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. The maintenance of large current account deficits via capital account surpluses became problematic as investors became more risk averse to emerging markets as a consequence of the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the Russian bond default in August 1998.

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. In January 1999, the Brazilian Central Bank announced that the real would no longer be pegged to the US dollar.

The consequent devaluation helped moderate the downturn in economic growth in 1999, and the country posted moderate GDP growth in 2000. Economic growth slowed considerably in 2001-03 - to less than 2% - because of a slowdown in major markets and the hiking of interest rates by the Central Bank to combat inflationary pressures.

New president DA SILVA, who took office 1 January 2003, has given priority to reforming the complex tax code, trimming the overblown civil service pension system, and continuing the fight against inflation.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.376 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2002 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

60.7 (1998)

Labor force

79 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

services 53%, agriculture 23%, industry 24%

Industries

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

Oil - production

1.561 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

2.199 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves

8.507 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production

5.95 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

9.59 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

3.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

221.7 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

$59.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Imports

$46.2 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities

machinery, electrical, and transport equipment, chemical products, oil

Debt - external

$222.4 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient

$30 billion IMF disbursement (2002)

Currency

real (BRL)

Currency code

BRL

Exchange rates

reals per US dollar - 2.92 (2002), 2.36 (2001), 1.83 (2000), 1.81 (1999), 1.16 (1998) note: 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 dollar

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

4.4 million

(1997)

Internet users

(2000)

Fixed lines

17.039 million

(1997) · country code .br

Telephone system

general assessment:: 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), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station

Radio broadcast stations

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

Television broadcast stations

138 (1997)

Internet users

13.98 million (2002)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

155

1,524 to 2,437 m

435

914 to 1,523 m

1,384

under 914 m

1,471

Paved 665Unpaved 2,925

Networkskm

Highways

1,724,929Railways

31,543Waterways

50,000

Highways: paved: 94,871 km · unpaved: 1,630,058 km (2000) · Railways: (1,981 km electrified) · broad gauge: 4,961 km 1.600-m gauge (692 km electrified) · narrow gauge: 25,992 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) (2002) · standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge (630 km electrified)

Railways

total:: 31,543 km (1,981 km electrified)
broad gauge:: 4,961 km 1.600-m gauge (692 km electrified)
narrow gauge:: 25,992 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) (2002)
standard gauge:: 194 km 1.440-m gauge (630 km electrified)

Highways

total:: 1,724,929 km
paved:: 94,871 km
unpaved:: 1,630,058 km (2000)

Pipelines

condensate/gas 243 km;
gas 10,984 km;
liquid petroleum gas 341 km;
oil 5,113 km;
refined products 4,800 km (2003)

Ports and harbors

Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus, Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, Santos, Vitoria

Merchant marine

total:: 159 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,257,186 GRT/5,101,578 DWT

note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Chile 2, Germany 6, Greece 1, Monaco 1 (2002 est.)

ships by type:: bulk 29, cargo 23, chemical tanker 7, combination ore/oil 7, container 12, liquefied gas 11, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 53, roll on/roll off 10, short-sea passenger 1

Airports

3,590 (2002)

Military

Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes naval air and marines), Brazilian Air Force, Federal Police (paramilitary)

7 fields

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.9%

(FY99)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug trafficking, and harbors Islamist militants;
uncontested dispute with Uruguay over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada boundary streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis;
minor coca cultivation in the Amazon region, used for domestic consumption;
government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis;
important transshipment country for Colombian and Peruvian cocaine headed for the US and 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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Brazil.” The World Factbook 2003. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/brazil/2003.

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