Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest and most populous country in South America, and fifth largest in the world in both area and population. Spanning a vast area between central South America and the Atlantic Ocean, it is the easternmost country of the Americas and it borders Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and the French department of French Guiana. In fact, it borders every South American nation except for Ecuador and Chile. The countrys name is generally believed to be derived from pau-brasil (brazilwood), a tree highly valued by early colonists, though some credit the name to a mythical land mentioned in Europe during Middle Ages. Brazil is home to both extensive agricultural lands and rain forests. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is South Americas leading economic power and a regional leader. Because this country was a former colony of Portugal, Portuguese is its official language.

History

Brazil is thought to have been inhabited for at least 10,000 years by semi-nomadic populations before the first Portuguese explorers, led by Pedro Álvares Cabral, disembarked in 1500. Over the next three centuries, it was resettled by the Portuguese and exploited mainly for brazilwood (Pau-Brasil) at first, and later for sugarcane (Cana-de-Açúcar) agriculture, coffee beans and gold mining. The colonys source of manpower was initially on enslaved Amerindians, and after 1550, mainly African slaves. In 1808, Queen Maria I of Portugal and her son and regent, the future João VI of Portugal, fleeing from Napoleon, relocated to Brazil with the royal family, nobles and government.

Though they returned to Portugal in 1821, the interlude led to the opening of commercial ports to the United Kingdom — at the time isolated from most European ports by Napoleon — and to the elevation of Brazil to the status of a united kingdom with Portugals Crown. Then prince regent Dom Pedro I (later Pedro IV of Portugal) declared independence on 7 September 1822, establishing the independent Empire of Brazil. As the crown remained in the hands of the house of Bragança, this was more the severance of the Portuguese empire in two, than an independence movement as seen elsewhere in the Americas.

The Brazilian Empire was theoretically a democracy in the British style, although in practice, the emperor-premier-parliament balance of power more closely resembled the autocratic Austrian Empire. Slavery was abolished in 1888, through the "Golden Law", created by Princess Isabel, and intensive European immigration created the basis for industrialization. Pedro I was succeeded by his son, Pedro II — who in old age was caught by a political dispute between the Army and the Cabinet, a crisis arising from the Paraguay War. In order to avoid a civil war between Army and Navy, Pedro II renounced the throne on 15 November 1889, when a federal republic (officially, the Republic of the United States of Brazil) was established by Field Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Brazil attracted over 5 million European and Japanese immigrants. That period also saw Brazil industrialize, further colonize, and develop its interior. Brazilian democracy was replaced by dictatorships three times — 1930–1934 and 1937–1945 under Getúlio Vargas, and 1964–1985, under a succession of generals appointed by the military. Since 1985, Brazil has been internationally considered a democracy, specifically a presidential democracy, which was kept after a plebiscite in 1993 where voters had to choose between a presidential or parliamentary system, whilst also choosing if Brazil should reinstate its constitutional monarchy.

A key feature of democracy in contemporary Brazil is the existence of a vibrant and participatory civil society.

Government and Politics

According to the Constitution approved in 1988, Brazil is a federal presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Brazil is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system.

The structure of the state and the federation is based on the model of the United States, but the legal system is based on the Roman Law.

Executive power is exercised by the government, headed by the president, who is elected to a four-year term, with one re-election allowed. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the National Congress. The deputies of the Chamber of Deputies are elected every four years in a system of proportional representation by states. The members of the Federal Senate are elected for an eight-years term.

Administrative divisions

Brazil is a federation consisting of 26 states (estados) and 1 federal district (distrito federal), making a total of 27 units of the federation.

Brazil is organised as a federation model, the Brazilian states having a significant autonomy of government, law making, public security and taxation. The government of a state is headed by a governor (governador), elected by popular vote, and also comprises its own legislative body (assembléia legislativa).

Each state is divided into municipalities (municípios) with their own legislative council (câmara de vereadores) and a mayor (prefeito). A municipality may include other towns (distritos) besides the municipal seat; those, however, have no separate government.

Judiciary power is organized at state and federal level along a structure of districts called comarcas. One comarca may include several municipalities.

Central-West Region

Distrito Federal (DF)
Goiás (GO)
Mato Grosso (MT)
Mato Grosso do Sul (MS)

Northeast Region

Alagoas (AL)
Bahia (BA)
Ceará (CE)
Maranhão (MA)
Paraíba (PB)
Pernambuco (PE)
Piauí (PI)
Rio Grande do Norte (RN)
Sergipe (SE) 

North Region 

Acre (AC)
Amapá (AP)
Amazonas (AM)
Pará (PA)
Rondônia (RO)
Roraima (RR)
Tocantins (TO)

Southeast Region

Espírito Santo (ES)
Minas Gerais (MG)
Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
São Paulo (SP)

South Region

Paraná (PR)
Rio Grande do Sul (RS)
Santa Catarina (SC)

Main Urban areas

1. São Paulo
2. Rio de Janeiro
3. Belo Horizonte
4. Salvador
5. Porto Alegre
6. Recife

Main urban areas in millions of inhabitants

1. São Paulo - São Paulo - 20,5
2. Rio de Janeiro - Rio de Janeiro - 11,6
3. Belo Horizonte - Minas Gerais - 4,6
4. Porto Alegre - Rio Grande do Sul - 3,9
5. Recife - Pernambuco - 3,5
6. Salvador - Bahia - 3,3

Main cities in millions of inhabitants

1. São Paulo - 10,83
2. Rio de Janeiro - 6,09
3. Salvador - 2,63
4. Belo Horizonte - 2,35
5. Fortaleza - 2,33
6. Brasília - 2,28
7. Curitiba - 1,73
8. Manaus - 1,59
9. Recife - 1,49
10. Porto Alegre - 1,42

Geography

Brazil is characterized by the extensive low-lying Amazon Rainforest in the north and a more open terrain of hills and low mountains to the south — home to most of Brazils population and its agricultural base. Along the Atlantic seacoast are also found several mountain ranges, reaching roughly 2,900 metres (9,500 ft) high. The highest peak is the Pico da Neblina at 3,014 metres (9,735 ft), in Guianas highlands. Major rivers include the Amazon, the largest river in the world by volume, and the second-longest in the world; the Paraná and its major tributary, the Iguaçu River, where the impressive Iguaçu falls are located; the Negro, São Francisco, Xingu, Madeira and the Tapajós rivers.

Situated mainly within the tropics, Brazils climate has little seasonal variation. Despite that, the subtropical south is more temperate, occasionally experiencing frost and snow. Precipitation is abundant in the humid Amazon Basin, but more arid landscapes are found as well, particularly in the northeast.

A number of islands in the Atlantic Ocean are part of Brazil:

Saint Peter and Paul Rocks
Rocas Atoll
Fernando de Noronha
Trindade and Martim Vaz

Mainland Brazil is commonly geographically divided into 5 distinctive regions: North, Northeast, Center-West, Southeast and South. 

The North constitutes 45.27% of the surface of Brazil and it is simultaneously the region with the lowest number of inhabitants. It is a fairly unindustrialized and undeveloped region, but it accommodates most of the largest rainforest of the world, the Amazon, and many indigenous tribes.

The Northeast has 1/3 of Brazils population. The region is culturally diverse, with roots from the Portuguese colonial period, Afro-Brazilian culture and some Brazilian Indian influence. It is also the poorest region of Brazil, with long periods of dry climate. It is well-known for its beautiful coast.

The Central-West is the second largest region of Brazil, but has a low demographic density. It is where the Brazilian capital, Brasília, is located. The region accommodates the Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland area, and a small part of the Amazon rainforest, in its northwestern area. However, much of the region is dominated by Cerrado, the largest savanna in the world, which has two distinct seasons: a rainy season (from October to April) and a dry one (from May to September). It is also the most important area for agriculture in the country. The most important cities are: Brasília, Goiânia, Cuiabá and Campo Grande.

The Southeast is the richest and most populated region of Brazil. It has more inhabitants than any other South American country, with one of the largest megalopolises of the world, whose main cities are the countrys two biggest ones; São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The region is very diverse, including the major business center of São Paulo, the Historical cities of Minas Gerais, the world famous beaches of Rio de Janeiro, and the acclaimed coast of Espírito Santo.

The South is the wealthiest region per capita, with the highest standard of living in the country. It is also the coldest part of Brazil, with occasional occurrences of frosts and snowstorms. The region has been heavily settled by European immigrants, mainly of German, Italian, and Slavic genealogy, and shows clear influences from those cultures.

Economy

Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, as well as a large labor pool, Brazils GDP (PPP) outweighs that of any other Latin American country, being the core economy of Mercosur. The country has been expanding its presence in world markets. Major export products include aircraft, coffee, vehicles, soybean, iron ore, orange juice, steel, textiles, footwear and electrical equipment. 

Brazil has the eleventh largest economy in the world at purchasing power parity in 2004. Brazil has a diversified middle income economy with wide variations in levels of development. Most large industry is concentrated in the south and south east. The Northeast is traditionally the poorest part of Brazil, but it is beginning to attract new investment.

Brazil has the most advanced industrial sector in Latin America. Accounting for one-third of GDP, Brazils diverse industries range from automobiles, steel and petrochemicals to computers, aircraft, and consumer durables. With the increased economic stability provided by the Plano Real, Brazilian and multinational businesses have invested heavily in new equipment and technology, a large proportion of which has been purchased from U.S. firms. Brazil has a diverse and sophisticated services industry as well. During the early 1990s, the banking sector accounted for as much as 16% of GDP. Although undergoing a major overhaul, Brazils financial services industry provides local businesses with a wide range of products and is attracting numerous new entrants, including U.S. financial firms. The São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro stock exchanges are undergoing a consolidation.

Economic Details

Currency: 1 Real (R$, BRL) = 100 centavos
Fiscal year: Calendar year
Trade organisations: WTO and SACN

Statistics

GDP ranking: 9th (List of countries by GDP (PPP))
GDP: $1,482,859 million (2004 est.)
GDP growth: 2.3% (2005)
GDP per capita: $8,100 (2004 est.)
GDP by sector: agriculture (10.1%), industry (38.6%), services (51.3%) (2004 est.)
Inflation: 6.0% (2005 est.)
Pop below poverty line: 20% ~40 million people
Labour force: 92.860.128 (2004) (50% of pop.)
Labour force by occupation: agriculture (20%), industry (14%), services (66%) (2003 est.)
Unemployment: 10.1% (2005 est. - official figures; actually about half of the country´s labour force has no legalized work)
Main industries: textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment

Trading Partners

Exports: $118,309 billion f.o.b. (2005)
Main partners: U.S. 19.2%, Argentina 8.4%, China 5.8%, Netherlands 4.5%, Germany 4.2% (2005)
Imports: $73,545 billion f.o.b. (2005)
Main Partners: U.S. 17.5%, Argentina 8.5%, Germany 8.4%, China 7.3%, Japan 4.6% (2005)

Public finances

Public debt: R$1020 billion (feb 2006)
External debt: US$170.3 billion (mar 2006 est.)
Revenues: $140.6 billion (2004)
Expenses: $172.4 billion (2004)
Economic aid: $30 billion (2002)

Demographics

The dominant ancestry among Brazilians is the Portuguese through the descendants of the early Portuguese colonists (from the 16th century onwards) and later Portuguese immigrants (19th and 20th centuries). The settlement of Portuguese started in Brazil after 1532, when the active process of colonization began since the founding of São Vicente. Until independence in 1822, the Portuguese were the only European nation that successfully settled in Brazil, and most of Brazils culture is based on that of Portugal.

Other European countries had some presence during the Colonial period. The Dutch and the French tried to colonize Brazil during the 17th century, but their presence lasted only a few decades.

The original Amerindian population of Brazil (between 3-5 million) has in large part been exterminated or assimilated into the Portuguese population. Since the beginning of Brazils colonization, intermarriage between the Portuguese and Native Brazilians has been common. Nowadays, there are 700,000 natives in Brazil, composing less than 1% of the national population.

Brazil has a large black population, descended from African slaves brought to the country from the 16th century until the 19th century. More than 3 million Africans were brought to Brazil until the end of slave trafficking in 1850. They were mainly from Angola, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, the Ivory Coast and São Tomé e Príncipe. The African population in Brazil has mixed substantially with the Portuguese, resulting in a large mixed-race population.

Beginning in the 19th century, the Brazilian government stimulated European immigration to substitute for the manpower of the former slaves. The first non-Portuguese immigrants to settle in Brazil were German, in 1824. In 1869 the first Polish immigrants settled in Brazil. However, strong European immigration to Brazil began only after 1875, when immigration from Italy, Portugal and Spain increased. According to the Memorial do Imigrante, between 1870 and 1953, Brazil attracted nearly 5.5 million immigrants -- approximately 1,550,000 Italians, 1,470,000 Portuguese, 650,000 Spaniards, 210,000 Germans, French, 190,000 Japanese, 120,000 Poles and Russians, and 650,000 of many other nationalities. These figures may be a serious undercounting of the actual numbers of immigrants, since the spouses were often not counted; there were large numbers of illegals never counted; the family names were changed to hide national origins; and Brazilian record-keeping was slipshod. Brazil is home to the largest Italian population outside of Italy, with 25 million Italians and Italian-descended Brazilians. Brazil is also home to the largest Lebanese community outside of Lebanon, roughly 8 million.

Starting in the early 20th century, Brazil also received a large number of Asians: Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Japanese immigrants. The Japanese are the largest Asian minority in Brazil, and Japanese-Brazilians are the largest Japanese population outside of Japan (1.5 million).

Brazils population is mostly concentrated along the coast, with a lower population density in the interior. The population of the southern states is mainly of European descent, while the majority of the inhabitants of the north and northeast are of mixed ancestry (Amerindians, Africans and Europeans).

Languages

Portuguese is the only official language of Brazil. It is spoken by the entire population and is virtually the only language used in schools, newspapers, radio, TV and for all business and administrative purposes. Moreover, Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking nation in the Americas, making the language part of Brazilian national identity. Brazilian Portuguese has had its own development, with great influence by Amerindian and African languages. Due to these influences, the language is somewhat different from that spoken in Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries, mainly for phonological and orthographic differences-- like the difference between American English and British English.

Many indigenous languages are spoken daily in indigenous communities, primarily in Northern Brazil. Although many of these communities have significant contact with Portuguese, today there are incentives for teaching native languages. Some dialects are still spoken by descendants of immigrants, who are usually bilingual, in small rural communities in Southern Brazil. The most important are the Brazilian German dialects, such as Riograndenser Hunsrückisch and the Pomeranian language, and the Talian, based on the Italian Venetian language. In the city of São Paulo, Japanese can be heard in the immigrant neighborhoods, like Liberdade.

English is part of the official high school curriculum, but few Brazilians are truly fluent. Spanish is understood in varying degrees by most Portuguese speakers due to the great similarity between the two languages.

Culture

Brazil is a large country whose population was formed by multiple immigration sources from many countries, each one bringing its own culture. The Brazilian idea of culture is one of mixed unity, containing many diverse ingredients, but composing one meal, so to speak.

Sports

The most popular sport in Brazil is football (soccer), and the country is renowned for the quality of its players, including Ronaldo, Pelé, Jairzinho, Rivelino, Zico, Romario, Carlos Alberto, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Garrincha, and most recently, one of the worlds most recognized players and the current holder of the title of best football player in the world, Ronaldinho. The Brazilian national football team has been victorious in the World Cup tournament a record five times and after the third time, Brazil kept the World Cup trophy permanently.

Brazil has also achieved success in other international sports, mainly volleyball, basketball, tennis, gymnastics and auto racing.  Many sports also have originated in Brazil, such as Beach soccer, created in the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, Footvolley, a mix of football and volleyball, also played in sand, Capoeira, a martial art of African heritage, Vale tudo, a fight sport, Brazilian jiu-jitsu a variation of the jiu-jitsu and Biribol, an aquatic variation of Volleyball.

Science and technology

Some of Brazils most important technology nodes are located in São José dos Campos, Campinas, São Carlos, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Recife and São Paulo.

Brazilian Information Technology is considered one of the most advanced in the world. Catering for the internal market, Brazilian IT is recognized as a leader in financial services, defense, CRM, eGovernment, and healthcare.