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.
Capital: Brasilia
Population: 205,716,890 (July 2012 est.)
Currency: Real (BRL)
Language:Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language)
Spanish (border areas and schools)
German
Italian
Japanese
English
Large number of minor Amerindian languages
Time zone:UTC-3
Government: Federal Republic
Chief of State: Dilma Rousseff
Country dialing code: +55
Emergency numbers: 190 to contact the police192 for medical assistance
National Airline: Varig
Voltage: 110V
Detailed country profile
ECONOMY
GDP real growth rate:
2.7% (2011 est.)
7.5% (2010 est.)
-0.6% (2009 est.)
5.2% (2008 est.)
5.4% (2007 est.)
4% (2006 est.)
GDP - Composition by sector (2011)
Agriculture: 5.5%
Industry: 27.5%
Services: 67%
Labor force by occupation (2003):
Agriculture: 20%
Industry: 14%
Services: 66%
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
Exports :
$250.8 billion (2011 est.)
$201.9 billion (2010)
Export Commodities
Transport equipment
Iron ore
Soybeans
Footwear
Coffee
Autos
Main Export Partners (2009):
China 15.2%
US 9.6%
Argentina 9.2%
Netherlands 5.1%
Germany 4%
Imports:
$219.6 billion (2011 est.)
$181.7 billion (2010 est.)
Import commodities:
Machinery
Electrical and transport equipment
Chemical products
Oil
Automotive parts
Electronics
Import partners (2009):
US 15%
China 14.1%
Argentina 7.9%
Germany 6.9%
South Korea 4.6%
Ports and Terminal:
Guaiba
Ilha Grande
Paranagua
Rio Grande
Santos
Sao Sebastiao
Tubarao
Unemployment rate:
6% (2011 est.)
6.7% (2010 est.)
GOVERNMENT
Government Type: Federal Republic
Executive Branch:
Chief of state: President Dilma ROUSSEFF (since 1 January 2011) Vice President Michel TEMER (since 1 January 2011) 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 a single four-year term; election last held on 3 October 2010 with runoff on 31 October 2010 (next to be held on 5 October 2014 and, if necessary, a runoff election on 2 November 2014)
Legal system: civil law; note - a new civil law code was enacted in 2002 replacing the 1916 code
GEOGRAPHY
Land Boundaries:Total: 16,885 km
Border countries:
Argentina 1,261 km
Bolivia 3,423 km
Colombia 1,644 km
French Guiana 730 km
Guyana 1,606 km
Paraguay 1,365 km
Peru 2,995 km
Suriname 593 km
Uruguay 1,068 km
Venezuela 2,200 km
Climate:Mostly tropical, but temperate in south
Terrain:Mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt
Elevation Extremes:
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m
Natural resources:
Bauxite
Gold
Iron ore
Manganese
Nickel
Phosphates
Platinum
Tin
Uranium
Petroleum
Hydropower
Timber
Environment and international agreement:
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
Environment and current issues:
Deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area
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
PEOPLE
Ethnic groups(2000 census):
White 53.7%
Mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%
Black 6.2%
Other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%
Unspecified 0.7%
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
Religion(2000 census):
Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%
Protestant 15.4%
Spiritualist 1.3%
Bantu/voodoo 0.3%
Other 1.8%
Unspecified 0.2%
None 7.4%
HISTORY
Express History
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.
12-17-11 by Emmanuel Besserve
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.
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