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| CIA Background Information |
Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. 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 and crime remain pressing problems.
| U.S. State Department Description |
Country Description:
Brazil, a nation the size of the lower 48 United States, has an advanced developing economy. Facilities for tourism are excellent in the major cities, but vary in quality in remote areas. The capital is Brasilia. Read the Department of State Background Notes
on Brazil for additional information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A passport and visa are required for U.S. citizens traveling to Brazil for any purpose. Brazilian visas must be obtained in advance from the Brazilian Embassy or consulate nearest to the traveler's place of residence. There are no "airport ... Read this Article
People
Nationality: Brazilian.
Population (2007 est.): 192 million.
Annual growth rate: 1.33%.
Ethnic groups: Portuguese, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Arab, African, and indigenous People.
Religion: Roman Catholic (74%).
Language: Portuguese.
Education: Literacy--86% of adult population.
Health: Infant mortality rate--26.7/1,000. Life expectancy--72.5 yrs.
Work force: 99.5 million.
Government
Type: Federative republic.
Independence: September 7, 1822.
Constitution: Promulgated October 5, 1988.
... Read this Article
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Location: Brazil is Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean See Map
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 is divided into four time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands
Currency (Code): real (BRL) ...More
Area: total: 8,511,965 sq km , land: 8,456,510 sq km , water: 55,455 sq km , note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo ( 1 sq km is approximately 0.4 sq miles or 250 acres)
Area Comparison: slightly smaller than the US
Elevation Extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m , highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m (1 meter = 3.28 feet)
Population: 196,342,592
note: Brazil conducted a census 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Unemployment: 9.3% (2007 est.)
Ethnic Groups: white 53.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black 6.2%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2000 census)
Religion: Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4% (2000 census)
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
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| Geographic Info for Brazil : |
Geography
Area: 8,511,965 sq. km. (3,290,000 sq. mi.); slightly smaller than the U.S.
Cities: Capital--Brasilia (pop. 2.5 million). Other cities--Sao Paulo (10.9 million), Rio de Janeiro (6.1 million), Belo Horizonte (2.4 million), Salvador (2.9 million), Fortaleza (2.4 million), Recife (1.5 million), Porto Alegre (1.4 million), Curitiba (1.8 million).
Terrain: Dense forests in northern regions including Amazon Basin; semiarid along northeast ... Read this Article
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