Brazil
Federative Republic of BrazilRepublica Federativa do Brasil
federal republicIndependence 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
Brazil as the 2015 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 167 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Following 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 Getulio VARGAS rose to power in 1930. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil underwent more than a half century of populist and military government until 1985, when 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 largest economy and a regional leader. Pressing problems include high income inequality, crime, inflation, rising unemployment, and corruption.
Geography
Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean
20 fieldsMore
- border countries (10):
- 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
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, rare earth elements, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber
Land use
- agricultural land:
- 32.9%;
- arable land 8.6%;
- permanent crops 0.8%;
- permanent pasture 23.5%
- forest:
- 61.9%
- other:
- 5.2% (2011 est.)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 58.07 cu km/yr (28%/17%/55%)
- per capita:
- 306 cu m/yr (2006)
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 and in the Southern Hemisphere; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador
People and Society
35 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2015 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2015 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2010 est.)
Religions(2010 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
Demographic profile
Brazil's rapid fertility decline since the 1960s is the main factor behind the country's slowing population growth rate, aging population, and fast-paced demographic transition. Brasilia has not taken full advantage of its large working-age population to develop its human capital and strengthen its social and economic institutions but is funding a study abroad program to bring advanced skills back to the country.
The current favorable age structure will begin to shift around 2025, with the labor force shrinking and the elderly starting to compose an increasing share of the total population. Well-funded public pensions have nearly wiped out poverty among the elderly, and Bolsa Familia and other social programs have lifted tens of millions out of poverty.
More than half of Brazil's population is considered middle class, but poverty and income inequality levels remain high; the Northeast, North, and Center-West, women, and black, mixed race, and indigenous populations are disproportionately affected. Disparities in opportunities foster social exclusion and contribute to Brazil's high crime rate, particularly violent crime in cities and favelas.
Brazil has traditionally been a net recipient of immigrants, with its southeast being the prime destination. After the importation of African slaves was outlawed in the mid-19th century, Brazil sought Europeans (Italians, Portuguese, Spaniards, and Germans) and later Asians (Japanese) to work in agriculture, especially coffee cultivation.
Recent immigrants come mainly from Argentina, Chile, and Andean countries (many are unskilled illegal migrants) or are returning Brazilian nationals. Since Brazil's economic downturn in the 1980s, emigration to the United States, Europe, and Japan has been rising but is negligible relative to Brazil's total population.
The majority of these emigrants are well-educated and middle-class. Fewer Brazilian peasants are emigrating to neighboring countries to take up agricultural work.
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 0.98 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 0.89 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.74 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.97 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
Child labor - children ages 5-14
- total number:
- 959,942
- percentage:
- 3%
note: data represents children ages 5-13 (2009 est.)
Government
Federal republic; President Dilma ROUSSEFF (since 1 January 2011); President Dilma ROUSSEFF (since 1 January 2011)
21 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Federal Senate, 513 seats, elected 5 October 2014 for one-third of the Senateseats by party
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Federative Republic of Brazil
- conventional short form:
- Brazil
- local long form:
- Republica Federativa do Brasil
- local short form:
- Brasil
note: the country name derives from the brazilwood tree that used to grow plentifully along the coast of Brazil and that was used to produce a deep red dye
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 has three time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands
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
Constitution
- several previous;
- latest ratified 5 October 1988;
- amended many times, last in 2015 (2015)
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage
- voluntary between 16 to 18 years of age and over 70;
- compulsory between 18 to 70 years of age;
- note - military conscripts by law cannot vote
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Dilma ROUSSEFF (since 1 January 2011);
- Vice President Michel Miguel Elias TEMER Lulia (since 1 January 2011);
- note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
- head of government:
- President Dilma ROUSSEFF (since 1 January 2011); Vice President Michel Miguel Elias TEMER Lulia (since 1 January 2011)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by the president
- elections/appointments:
- president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 4-year term (eligible for a second term);
- election last held on 5 October 2014 with runoff on 26 October 2014 (next to be held October 2018)
- election results:
- Dilma ROUSSEFF reelected president in a runoff election; percent of vote - Dilma ROUSSEFF (PT) 51.6%, Aecio NEVES (PSDB) 48.4%
Legislative branch
- description:
- bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members each from 26 states and 3 from the federal district directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 8-year terms, with one-third and two-thirds of the membership elected alternately every 4 years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
- elections:
- Federal Senate - last held on 5 October 2014 for one-third of the Senate (next to be held in October 2018 for two-thirds of the Senate);
- Chamber of Deputies - last held on 5 October 2014 (next to be held in October 2018)
- election results:
- Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - PMDB 5, PSDB 4, PDT 4, PSB 3, DEM (formerly PFL) 3, PT 2, PSD 2, PTB 2, PP 1, PR 1;
- Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - PT 70, PMDB 66, PSDB 54, PSD 37, PP 36, PR 34, PSB 34, PTB 25, DEM (formerly PFL) 22, PRB 21, PDT 19, SD 15, PSC 12, PROS 11, PCdoB 10, PPS 10, PV 8, PHS 5, PSOL 5, PTN 4, PMN 3, PRP 3, PEN 2, PTC 2, PSDC 2, PTdoB 1, PSL 1, PRTB 1
note: Federal Senate - seats by party as of 1 May 2015 - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PMDB 18, PT 12, PSDB 10, PDT 6, PSB 6, DEM 5,
PP 5, PR 4, PSD 4, PTB 3, PRB 1, SD 1, PROS 1, PCdoB 1, PV 1, PSOL 1, PSC 1, PPS 1
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Federal Court (consists of 11 justices)
- judge selection and term of office:
- justices appointed by the president and approved by the Federal Senate; justices appointed to serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
- subordinate courts:
- Federal Appeals Court, Superior Court of Justice, Superior Electoral Court, regional federal courts; state court system
Political parties and leaders
- Brazilian Communist Party or PCB [Ivan Martins PINHEIRO]
- Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Michel TEMER]
- Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Cristiane BRASIL]
- Brazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTB [Jose Levy FIDELIX da Cruz]
- Brazilian Republican Party or PRB [Marcos Antonio PEREIRA]
- Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Aecio NEVES]
- Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Carlos Roberto SIQUEIRA de Barros]
- Christian Labor Party or PTC [Daniel TOURINHO]
- Christian Social Democratic Party or PSDC [Jose Maria EYMAEL]
- Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Jose Renato RABELO]
- Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos Roberto LUPI]
- The Democrats or DEM [Jose AGRIPINO] (formerly Liberal Front Party or PFL)
- Free Homeland Party or PPL [Sergio RUBENS]
- Green Party or PV [Jose Luiz PENNA]
- Humanist Party of Solidarity or PHS [Eduardo MACHADO]
- Labor Party of Brazil or PTdoB [Luis Henrique de Oliveira RESENDE]
- National Ecologic Party or PEN [Adilson Barroso OLIVEIRA]
- National Labor Party or PTN [Jose Masci de ABREU]
- National Mobilization Party or PMN [Telma RIBEIRO dos Santos]
- Party of the Republic or PR [Alfredo NASCIMENTO]
- Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Roberto Joao Pereira FREIRE]
- Progressive Party or PP [Ciro NOGUEIRA]
- Progressive Republican Party or PRP [Ovasco Roma Altimari RESENDE]
- Republican Social Order Party or PROS [Euripedes JUNIOR]
- Social Christian Party or PSC [Vitor Jorge Abdala NOSSEIS]
- Social Democratic Party or PSD [Guilherme CAMPOS]
- Social Liberal Party or PSL [Luciano Caldas BIVAR]
- Socialism and Freedom Party or PSOL [Luiz ARAUJO]
- Solidarity or SD [Paulo PEREIRA DA SILVA]
- United Socialist Workers' Party or PSTU [Jose Maria DE ALMEIDA]
- Workers' Cause Party or PCO [Rui Costa PIMENTA]
- Workers' Party or PT [Rui FALCAO]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Landless Workers' Movement or MST
- other:
- industrial federations;
- labor unions and federations;
- large farmers' associations;
- religious groups including evangelical Christian churches and the Catholic Church
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, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Luiz Alberto FIGUEIREDO Machado (since 18 May 2015)
- chancery:
- 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 238-2700
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 238-2827
- consulate(s) general:
- Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hartford (CT), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Liliana AYALDE (since 31 October 2013)
- embassy:
- Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia
- mailing address:
- Unit 7500, DPO, AA 34030
- telephone:
- [55] (61) 3312-7000
- FAX:
- [55] (61) 3225-9136
- consulate(s) general:
- Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo
Flag description
- green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars;
- the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress);
- the current flag was inspired by the banner of the former Empire of Brazil (1822-1889);
- on the imperial flag, the green represented the House of Braganza of Pedro I, the first Emperor of Brazil, while the yellow stood for the Habsburg Family of his wife;
- on the modern flag the green represents the forests of the country and the yellow rhombus its mineral wealth;
- the blue circle and stars, which replaced the coat of arms of the original flag, 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 changed with the creation of new states and has risen from an original 21 to the current 27 (one for each state and the Federal District)
National anthem
- name:
- "Hino Nacional Brasileiro" (Brazilian National Anthem)
- lyrics/music:
- Joaquim Osorio Duque ESTRADA/Francisco Manoel DA SILVA
note: music adopted 1890, lyrics adopted 1922; the anthem's music, composed in 1822, was used unofficially for many years before it was adopted
Economy
41 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2014 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP
Economy - overview
Characterized by large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, and a rapidly expanding middle class, Brazil's economy outweighs that of all other South American countries, and Brazil is expanding its presence in world markets. Since 2003, Brazil has steadily improved its macroeconomic stability, building up foreign reserves, and reducing its debt profile by shifting its debt burden toward real denominated and domestically held instruments.
Since 2008, Brazil became a net external creditor and all three of the major ratings agencies awarded investment grade status to its debt. After strong growth in 2007 and 2008, the onset of the global financial crisis hit Brazil in 2008. Brazil experienced two quarters of recession, as global demand for Brazil's commodity-based exports dwindled and external credit dried up.
However, Brazil was one of the first emerging markets to begin a recovery. In 2010, consumer and investor confidence revived and GDP growth reached 7.5%, the highest growth rate in the past 25 years. After reaching historic lows of 4.5% in early 2014, the unemployment rate remains low, but is rising.
Brazil's traditionally high level of income inequality has declined for each of the last 15 years. GDP growth has slowed since 2011, due to several factors, including: overdependence on exports of raw commodities, low productivity, high operational costs, persistently high inflation, and low levels of investment.
Brazil’s fiscal and current account balances have eroded during the past four years as the government attempted to boost economic growth through targeted tax cuts for industry and incentives to spur household consumption. After winning re-election in October 2014 by a historically narrow margin, President Dilma ROUSSEFF appointed a new economic team led by Finance Minister Joaquim LEVY, who introduced a fiscal austerity package intended to restore the primary account surplus to 1.2% of GDP and preserve the country’s investment-grade sovereign credit rating.
Brazil seeks to strengthen its workforce and its economy over the long run by imposing local content and technology transfer requirements on foreign businesses, by investing in education through social programs such as Bolsa Familia and the Brazil Science Mobility Program, and by investing in research in the areas of space, nanotechnology, healthcare, and energy.
Gross national saving
16.2% of GDP (2014 est.) · 17.6% of GDP (2013 est.) · 18.1% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
Industries
textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment
Population below poverty line
21.4% note: approximately 4% of the population are below the "extreme" poverty line (2009 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
51.9 (2012) · 55.3 (2001) country comparison to the world: 16
Central bank discount rate
10% (31 December 2013) · 11% (31 December 2011) country comparison to the world: 18
Commercial bank prime lending rate
33% (31 December 2014 est.) · 27.4% (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 4
Stock of narrow money
$160.4 billion (31 December 2014 est.) · $147.1 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 25
Stock of broad money
$928.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.) · $835.3 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 18
Stock of domestic credit
$2.564 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) · $2.277 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 11
Current account balance
-$91.29 billion (2014 est.) · -$81.22 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Imports - commodities
machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products, oil, automotive parts, electronics
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$381 billion (31 December 2014 est.) · $358.8 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 8
Debt - external
$535.4 billion (31 December 2014 est.) · $482.8 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 24
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$728.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.) · $668.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$177.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.) · $173.6 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 25
Exchange rates
reals (BRL) per US dollar - 2.36 (2014 est.) · 2.1576 (2013 est.) · 1.95 (2012 est.) · 1.675 (2011 est.) · 1.7592 (2010 est.)
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 119.1 million kW(2011 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves
13.22 billion bbl (1 January 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
Natural gas - proved reserves
388.7 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
500.2 million Mt (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Communications
8 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2014 est.)
Telephone system
- general assessment:
- good working system including an extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations
- domestic:
- fixed-line connections have remained relatively stable in recent years and stand at about 20 per 100 persons;
- less-expensive mobile-cellular technology has been a major driver in expanding telephone service to the lower-income segments of the population with mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 120 per 100 persons
- international:
- country code - 55;
- landing point for a number of submarine cables, including Americas-1, Americas-2, Atlantis-2, GlobeNet, South America-1, South American Crossing/Latin American Nautilus, and UNISUR that provide direct connectivity 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 (2011)
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 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM stations) (1999)
Transportation
10 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Pipelines
- condensate/gas 251 km;
- gas 17,312 km;
- liquid petroleum gas 352 km;
- oil 4,831 km;
- refined products 4,722 km (2013)
Railways
- total:
- 28,538 km
- broad gauge:
- 5,822.3 km 1.600-m gauge (498.3 km electrified)
- dual gauge:
- 492 km 1.600-1.000-m gauge
- standard gauge:
- 194 km 1.435-m gauge
- narrow gauge:
- 23,341.6 km 1.000-m gauge (24 km electrified) (2014)
country comparison to the world: 10
Roadways
- total:
- 1,580,964 km
- paved:
- 212,798 km
- unpaved:
- 1,368,166 km
note: does not include urban roads (2010)
country comparison to the world: 4
Waterways
50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2012) country comparison to the world: 3
Merchant marine
- total:
- 109
- by type:
- bulk carrier 18, cargo 16, chemical tanker 7, container 13, liquefied gas 11, petroleum tanker 39, roll on/roll off 5
- foreign-owned:
- 27 (Chile 1, Denmark 3, Germany 6, Greece 1, Norway 3, Spain 12, Turkey 1)
- registered in other countries:
- 36 (Argentina 1, Bahamas 1, Ghana 1, Liberia 20, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 3, Singapore 9) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 50
Ports and terminals
- major seaport(s):
- Belem, Paranagua, Rio Grande, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Sao Sebastiao, Tubarao
- river port(s):
- Manaus (Amazon)
- dry bulk cargo port(s):
- Sepetiba ore terminal, Tubarao
- container ports (TEUs):
- Santos (2,985,922), Itajai (983,985)(2011)
- oil terminal(s):
- DTSE/Gegua oil terminal, Ilha Grande (Gebig), Guaiba Island terminal, Guamare oil terminal
- LNG terminal(s) (import):
- Pecem, Rio de Janiero
Military
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Brazilian Army (Exercito Brasileiro, EB), Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil (MB), includes Naval Air and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira, FAB) (2011)
Military service age and obligation
- 18-45 years of age for compulsory military service;
- conscript service obligation is 10-12 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 (2012)
Manpower available for military service
- males age 16-49:
- 53,350,703
- females age 16-49:
- 53,433,918 (2010 est.)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
- uncontested boundary dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question;
- smuggling of firearms and narcotics continues to be an issue along the Uruguay-Brazil border;
- Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Brazil's border region with Venezuela
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 are often laundered through the financial system;
- significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area (2008)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Brazil.” The World Factbook 2015. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/brazil/2015.