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 Capital: Brasilia
Population: 198,739,269
Currency: Real (BRL)
- Language: Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language)
- Spanish (border aeas and schools)
- German
- Italian
- Japanese
- English
- Large number of minor Amerindian languages
- Time zone: UTC-3
- Government: Federal Republic
- Chief of State: Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA
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GDP real growth rate :
- 5.2% (2008 est.)
- 5.4% (2007 est.)
- 4% (2006 est.)
- Main Export Partners(2007):
- US 16.1%
- Argentina 9.2%
- China 6.8%
- Netherlands 5.6%
- Germany 4.6%
- Main Import partners (2007):
- US 15.7%
- China 10.5%
- Argentina 8.6%
- Germany 7.2%
- Nigeria 4.4%
- Country dialing code: +55
- Emergency numbers: 190 to contact the police 192 for medical assistance
- National Airline: Varig
- Voltage: 110V
Detailed country profile
ECONOMY
GDP real growth rate:
- 5.2% (2008 est.)
- 5.4% (2007 est.)
- 4% (2006 est.)
GDP - Composition by sector (2008)
- Agriculture: 5.5%
- Industry: 28.5%
- Services: 66%
Labor force by occupation (2008):
- 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 : $200 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)
Export Commodities
- Transport equipment
- Iron ore
- Soybeans
- Footwear
- Coffee
- Autos
Main Export Partners(2007):
- US 16.1%
- Argentina 9.2%
- China 6.8%
- Netherlands 5.6%
- Germany 4.6%
Imports:$176 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)
Import commodities:
- Machinery
- Electrical and transport equipment
- Chemical products
- Oil
- Automotive parts
- Electronics
Import partners(2007):
- US 15.7%
- China 10.5%
- Argentina 8.6%
- Germany 7.2%
- Nigeria 4.4%
Ports and Terminal:
- Guaiba
- Ilha Grande
- Paranagua
- Rio Grande
- Santos
- Sao Sebastiao
- Tubarao
Unemployment rate:8% (2008 est.)
GOVERNMENT
Government Type: Federal Republic
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
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 1 October 2006 with runoff 29 October 2006 (next to be held 3 October 2010 and, if necessary, 31 October 2010)
Legal system:
Supreme Federal Tribunal or STF (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
GEOGRAPHY
Land Boundaries:Total: 16,885 km
Border countries:
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.
Source: www.cia.gov
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