Brazil

Federative Republic of BrazilRepublica Federativa do Brasil

federative republicIndependence 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

Brazil as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 129 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
2004

Every edition of Brazil

Populationas each edition published it
184.1 million July 2004 est. · 152.51m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.11% 2004 est. · 1.35% in 1993
Median ageyears
27.4 years 2004 est. · 27 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
71.41 years 2004 est. · 62.7 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.97 children per woman 2004 est. · 3.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
30.66 deaths per 1,000 live births 2004 est. · 69 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$7,600 2003 est. · $2,350 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-0.2% 2003 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 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 remains a pressing problem.

Geography

Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

18 fields

Land useshare of 8,511,965 sq km

arable land 6.96%permanent crops 0.9%other 92.15% (2001)irrigated 26,560 sq km (1998 est.)
Area
8,511,965sq km
land: 8,456,510 sq kmwater: 55,455 sq kmnote: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Pauloslightly smaller than the US
Coastline
7,491km
territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
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, 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
184,101,109
growth rate: 1.11% (2004 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 2004 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2004 est.)

Birth
17.25Death
6.14Net migration
-0.03

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2004 est.)71.41
67.45 · 75.57Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)30.66
34.47 · 26.65
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)86.4%
86.1% · 86.6%Median age years (2004 est.)27.4
26.7 · 28.2
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%

Age structure

0-14 years:
26.6% (male 24,915,902; female 23,966,713)
15-64 years:
67.6% (male 61,739,012; female 62,770,480)
65 years and over:
5.8% (male 4,389,659; female 6,319,343) (2004 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:
0.7 male(s)/female
total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

15,000 (2003 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 71PP 49PL 26PTB 26PSB 22PDT 21PPS 15PCdoB 12PRONA 6PV 5other 11

Country name

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

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

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
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
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 6 October 2002 (next to be held 1 October 2006, with a runoff on 29 October 2006 if necessary);
  • runoff election held 27 October 2002
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%

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three members from each state and 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 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)
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, PP 1;
  • Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  • seats by party - PT 91, PFL 84, PMDB 74, PSDB 71, PP 49, PL 26, PTB 26, PSB 22, PDT 21, PPS 15, PCdoB 12, PRONA 6, PV 5, other 11;
  • note - many congressmen have changed party affiliation since the most recent election

Judicial branch

  • Supreme Federal Tribunal (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

Political parties and leaders

  • Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy Michel TEMER];
  • Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Federal Deputy Roberto JEFFERSON];
  • Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Eduardo AZAREDO];
  • Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Federal Deputy Miguel ARRAES];
  • Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Renato RABELO];
  • Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos LUPI];
  • Green Party or PV [Jose Luiz de Franca PENNA];
  • Liberal Front Party or PFL [Senator Jorge BORNHAUSEN];
  • Liberal Party or PL [Federal Deputy Valdemar COSTA Neto];
  • National Order Reconstruction Party or PRONA [Federal Deputy Dr. Eneas CARNEIRO];
  • Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Federal Deputy Roberto FREIRE];
  • Progressive Party or PP [Federal Deputy Pedro CORREA];
  • Worker's Party or PT [Jose GENOINO];
  • Social Christian Party or PSC [Vitor Jorge ABDALA NOSSEIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • Landless Worker's Movement;
  • large farmers' associations;
  • labor unions and federations;
  • religious groups including evangelical christian churches and the Catholic Church

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Roberto ABDENUR
chancery:
3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 238-2700
FAX:
[1] (202) 238-2827
consulate(s) general:
Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador John DANILOVICH
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

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.

46 fields
Real growth rate
-0.2%
(2003 est.)industrial production growth: 0.4% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate
12.3%
(2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2003 est.)

agriculture 10.2%industry 38.7%services 51.2% (2003 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

23%
US
20%
6.1%
Argentina
9.8%
4.2%
Germany
8.7%
6%
China
4.4%
5.8%
Netherlands
Japan
5.2%
Exports $73.28 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)Imports $48.25 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)(2003)

Budget

Revenues
$147.2 billionExpenditures
$172.4 billion (2003)
expenditures including capital expenditures of NA

Electricity

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. From 2001-03 real wages fell and Brazil's economy grew, on average, only 1.1% per year, as the country absorbed a series of domestic and international economic shocks.

That Brazil absorbed these shocks without financial collapse is a tribute to the resiliency of the Brazilian economy and the economic program put in place by former President CARDOSO and strengthened by President Lula DA SILVA. The three pillars of the economic program are a floating exchange rate, an inflation-targeting regime, and tight fiscal policy, which have been reinforced by a series of IMF programs.

The currency depreciated sharply in 2001 and 2002, which contributed to a dramatic current account adjustment: in 2003, Brazil ran a record trade surplus and recorded the first current account surplus since 1992. While economic management has been good, there remain important economic vulnerabilities.

The most significant are debt-related: the government's largely domestic debt increased steadily from 1994 to 2003, straining government finances, while Brazil's foreign debt (a mix of private and public debt) is large in relation to Brazil's modest (but growing) export base. Another challenge is maintaining economic growth over a period of time to generate employment and make the government debt burden more manageable.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.375 trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

18% of GDP (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
0.7%
highest 10%:
48% (1998)

Labor force

82.59 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 23%, industry 24%, services 53%

Public debt

58.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products

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

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 (1 January 2002)

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 (1 January 2002)

Current account balance

$3.52 billion (2003)

Exports

$73.28 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Imports

$48.25 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products, oil

Debt - external

$214.9 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient

$30 billion IMF disbursement (2002)

Currency

real (BRL)

Exchange rates

reals per US dollar - 3.0771 (2003), 2.9208 (2002), 2.3577 (2001), 1.8301 (2000), 1.8147 (1999) 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
46,373,300
(2003)
Internet users
3,163,349
(2003)
Fixed lines
38.81 million
(2002) · 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:
  • country code - 55;
  • 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)

Internet users

14.3 million (2002)

Transportation

10 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

7
over 3,047 m
1
23
2,438 to 3,047 m
158
1,524 to 2,437 m
78
461
914 to 1,523 m
1,579
49
under 914 m
1,780
Paved 698Unpaved 3,438

Networkskm

Highways
1,724,929Railways
29,412Waterways
50,000 (2004)
Highways: paved: 94,871 km · unpaved: 1,630,058 km (2000) · Railways: (1,610 km electrified) · broad gauge: 4,907 km 1.600-m gauge (942 km electrified) · standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge · narrow gauge: 23,915 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) (2003) · Waterways: (most in areas remote from industry and population)

Railways

total:
29,412 km (1,610 km electrified)
broad gauge:
4,907 km 1.600-m gauge (942 km electrified)
standard gauge:
194 km 1.440-m gauge
narrow gauge:
23,915 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) (2003)

Highways

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

Waterways

50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2004)

Pipelines

  • condensate/gas 244 km;
  • gas 10,739 km;
  • liquid petroleum gas 341 km;
  • oil 5,212 km;
  • refined products 4,755 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

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

Merchant marine

total:
151 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,961,431 GRT/4,725,267 DWT
by type:
bulk 29, cargo 22, chemical tanker 7, combination ore/oil 6, container 12, liquefied gas 12, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 48, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned:
Chile 2, Germany 7, Monaco 9, Panama 1, Spain 7
registered in other countries:
11 (2004 est.)

Airports

3,803 (2003 est.)

Heliports

417 (2003 est.)

Military

Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (including Naval Air and Marines), Brazilian Air Force (FAB)

7 fields

Military branches

Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (including Naval Air and Marines), Brazilian Air Force (FAB)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 17 years of age for voluntary service (2001)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 52,100,042 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 34,799,098 (2004 est.)

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 fundraising for extremist organizations;
  • 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 Bolivian, Colombian and Peruvian cocaine headed for Europe and the US;
  • 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 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/brazil/2004.

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