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Brazil (, ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil As on for example the . (, ), is the largest country in South America . It is the world's fifth largest country, both by list of countries and outlying territories by total area|geographical area and list of countries by population|by population with over 192 million people. It is the only Community of Portuguese Language Countries|Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas and the largest lusophone country in the world.

Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Brazil has a coastline of . It is bordered on the north by Venezuela , Guyana , Suriname and the France|French overseas region of French Guiana ; on the northwest by Colombia ; on the west by Bolivia and Peru ; on the southwest by Argentina and Paraguay and on the south by Uruguay . Numerous archipelago s form part of Brazilian territory, such as Fernando de Noronha , Rocas Atoll , Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago|Saint Peter and Paul Rocks , and Trindade and Martim Vaz . It borders all other South American countries except Ecuador and Chile .

Brazil was a colony of Portugal from the landing of Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500 until 1815, when it was elevated to the rank of kingdom and the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves was formed. The colonial bond was in fact broken in 1808, when the capital of the Portuguese Empire|Portuguese colonial empire was Transfer of the Portuguese Court to Brazil|transferred from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro , after Napoleon invaded Portugal. Brazilian Independence|Independence was achieved in 1822 with the formation of the Empire of Brazil , a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system . The country became a Presidential system|presidential republic in 1889, when a military coup d'état Proclamation of the Republic (Brazil)|proclaimed the Republic , although the bicameralism|bicameral legislature, now called National Congress of Brazil|Congress , dates back to the ratification of the first constitution in 1824. Its current Constitution of Brazil|Constitution , formulated in 1988, defines Brazil as a Federal republic|Federal Republic . The Federation is formed by the union of the Brazilian Federal District|Federal District , the 26 States of Brazil|States , and the 5,564 Municipalities of Brazil|Municipalities .

The Economy of Brazil|Brazilian economy is the world's List of countries by GDP (nominal)|seventh largest by nominal Gross domestic product|GDP and the List of countries by GDP (PPP)|eighth largest by purchasing power parity ."" (PDF file), World Bank, 7 October 2009. Brazil is one of the world's Economic growth|fastest growing major economies. Economic reforms have given the country new international recognition. Brazil is a founding member of the United Nations , the G-20 major economies|G20 , CPLP , Latin Union , the Organization of Ibero-American States , the Organization of American States , Mercosur|Mercosul and the Union of South American Nations , and is one of the BRIC countries. Brazil is also one of the 17 Megadiverse countries , home to diverse Wildlife of Brazil|wildlife , natural environment s, and extensive natural resource s in a variety of protected areas of Brazil|protected habitats .

Etymology

The word "Brazil" comes from brazilwood , a tree that once grew plentifully along the Brazilian coast. In Portuguese language|Portuguese , brazilwood is called pau-brasil , with the word brasil commonly given the etymology "red like an ember", formed from Latin brasa ("ember") and the suffix -il (from -iculum or -ilium ). – Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales – Moderno Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa As brazilwood produces a deep red dye , it was highly valued by the Europe an cloth industry and was the earliest commercially-exploited product from Brazil. Through the 16th century, massive amounts of brazilwood were harvested by Indigenous peoples in Brazil|indigenous peoples (mostly Tupi people|Tupi ) along the Brazilian coast, who sold the timber to European traders (mostly Kingdom of Portugal|Portuguese , but also Kingdom of France|French ) in return for assorted European consumer goods. Eduardo Bueno, Brasil: uma História (São Paulo: Ática, 2003; ISBN 8508082134), p.36.

The official name of the land, in original Portuguese records, was the "Land of the Holy Cross" ( Terra da Santa Cruz ), but European sailors and merchants commonly called it simply the "Land of Brazil" ( Terra do Brasil ) on account of the brazilwood trade. The popular appellation eclipsed and eventually supplanted the official name. Early sailors sometimes also called it the "Land of Parrots " ( Terra di Papaga ).

In the Guarani language , an official language of Paraguay , Brazil is called "Pindorama". This was the name the Indigenous peoples in Brazil|natives gave to the region, meaning "land of the palm trees".

History

Portuguese colonization

The land now called Brazil was claimed by Portugal in April 1500, on the arrival of the Portuguese fleet commanded by Pedro Álvares Cabral .Boxer, p.& nbsp;98. The Portuguese encountered Stone Age|stone age natives divided into several tribes, most of whom spoke languages of the Tupi–Guarani family, and fought among themselves.Boxer, p. 100.

Though the first settlement was founded in 1532, colonization was effectively begun in 1534, when Don (honorific)|Dom John III of Portugal|João III divided the territory into twelve hereditary captaincies,Boxer, pp.& nbsp;100–101.Skidmore, p.& nbsp;27. but this arrangement proved problematic and in 1549 the king assigned a Governor-General to administer the entire colony.Boxer, p.& nbsp;101. The Portuguese assimilated some of the native tribesBoxer, p.& nbsp;108 while others were enslaved or exterminated in long wars or by European diseases to which they had no immunity.Boxer, p.& nbsp;102.Skidmore, pp.& nbsp;30, 32. By the mid-16th century, sugar had become Brazil's most important exportSkidmore, p.& nbsp;36. and the Portuguese imported African slavesBoxer, p.& nbsp;110Skidmore, p.& nbsp;34. to cope with the increasing international demand (economics)|demand .Skidmore, pp.& nbsp;32–33.
Through wars against the French, the Portuguese slowly expanded their territory to the southeast, taking Rio de Janeiro in 1567, and to the northwest, taking São Luís, Maranhão|São Luís in 1615.Bueno, pp.& nbsp;80–81. They sent military expeditions to the Amazon Rainforest|Amazon rainforest and conquered British and Dutch strongholds, relating about the events in Brazil in the 17th century that led to a Dutch influence and their final defeat founding villages and forts from 1669.Calmon, p.& nbsp;294. In 1680 they reached the far south and founded Colonia del Sacramento|Sacramento on the bank of the Río de la Plata|Rio de la Plata , in the Eastern Strip region (present-day Uruguay ).Bueno, p.& nbsp;86.

At the end of the 17th century, sugar exports started to declineBoxer, p.& nbsp;164. but beginning in the 1690s, the discovery of gold by Bandeirantes|explorers in the region that would later be called Minas Gerais (General Mines) in current Mato Grosso and Goiás , saved the colony from imminent collapse.Boxer, pp.& nbsp;168, 170. From all over Brazil, as well as from Portugal, thousands of immigrants came to the mines.Boxer, p.& nbsp;169.

The Spanish tried to prevent Portuguese expansion into the territory that belonged to them according to the Treaty of Tordesillas|1494 Treaty of Tordesillas , and succeeded in conquering the Banda Oriental|Eastern Strip in 1777. However, this was in vain as the First Treaty of San Ildefonso|Treaty of San Ildefonso , signed in the same year, confirmed Portuguese sovereignty over all lands proceeding from its territorial expansion, thus creating most of the current Brazilian borders.Boxer, p.& nbsp;207.

In 1808, the Portuguese royal family and the majority of the Portuguese nobility , fleeing the troops of the French Emperor Napoleon I that were Napoleonic Wars|invading Portugal and most of Central Europe , Transfer of the Portuguese Court to Brazil|established themselves in the city of Rio de Janeiro, which thus became the seat of the entire Portuguese Empire .Boxer, p.& nbsp;213. In 1815 John VI of Portugal|Dom João VI , then regent on behalf of his incapacitated mother, elevated Brazil from colony to sovereign United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves|Kingdom united with Portugal . In 1809 the Portuguese invaded French Guiana (which was returned to France in 1817)Bueno, p.& nbsp;145. and in 1816 the Eastern Strip, subsequently renamed Cisplatina .Calmon (2002), p.& nbsp;191.

Independence and empire

After the Portuguese military had successfully Peninsular War|repelled Napoleon's invasion , the King John VI of Portugal|João VI returned to Europe on 26 April 1821, leaving his elder son Prince Pedro I of Brazil|Pedro de Alcântara as regent to rule Brazil.Lustosa, pp.& nbsp;109–110 The Portuguese government, guided by the new political regime imposed by the Liberal Revolution of 1820 , attempted to turn Brazil into a colony once again, thus depriving it of its achievements since 1808.Lustosa, pp.& nbsp;117–119 The Brazilians refused to yield and Prince Pedro stood by them declaring the country's independence from Portugal on 7 September 1822.Lustosa, pp.& nbsp;150–153 On 12 October 1822, Pedro was declared the first Emperor of Brazil and crowned Pedro I of Brazil|Dom Pedro I on 1 December 1822.Vianna, p.& nbsp;418
At that time most Brazilians were in favour of a monarchy and republicanism had little support.Hendrik Kraay apud Lorenzo Aldé, Revista de História da Biblioteca Nacional, issue 50, year 5 (Rio de Janeiro: SABIN, 2009), p.& nbsp;20Sérgio Buarque de Holanda, O Brasil Monárquico: o processo de emancipação , 4th ed. (São Paulo: Difusão Européia do Livro, 1976), p.& nbsp;403 The subsequent Brazilian Declaration of Independence|Brazilian War of Independence spread through almost the entire territory, with battles in the northern, northeastern, and southern regions.Diégues 2004, pp.& nbsp;168, 164, 178 The last Portuguese soldiers surrendered on 8 March 1824Diégues 2004, pp.& nbsp;179–180 and independence was recognized by Portugal on 29 August 1825.Lustosa, p.& nbsp;208

The first Brazilian constitution was promulgated on 25 March 1824, after its acceptance by the municipal councils across the country.Vianna, p.& nbsp;140José Murilo de Carvalho, A Monarquia brasileira (Rio de Janeiro: Ao Livro Técnico, 1993), p.& nbsp;23Calmon (2002), p.& nbsp;189Vainfas, p.& nbsp;170 Pedro I abdicated on 7 April 1831 and went to Europe to Liberal Wars|reclaim his daughter’s crown , leaving behind his five year old son and heir, who was to become Pedro II of Brazil|Dom Pedro II .Lyra (v.1), p.& nbsp;17 As the new emperor could not exert his constitutional prerogatives until he reached maturity, a regent|regency was created.Carvalho 2007, p.& nbsp;21

Disputes between political factions led to rebellions and an unstable, almost anarchical, regency.Miriam Dohlnikoff, Pacto imperial: origens do federalismo no Brasil do século XIX (São Paulo: Globo, 2005), p.& nbsp;206 It is estimated that from 30 to 40% of the population of the Province of Grão-Pará died during the Cabanagem revolt."A hora da desforra", por Júlio José Chiavenato, Revista História Viva, nº 45, páginas 84 a 91. The rebellious factions, however, were not in revolt against the monarchy,Carvalho (2007), p.& nbsp;43Souza, p.& nbsp;326 even though some declared the secession of the provinces as independent republics, but only so long as Pedro II was a minor.Janotti, pp.& nbsp;171–172 Because of this, Pedro II was prematurely declared of age and "Brazil was to enjoy nearly half a century of internal peace and rapid material progress."Munro, p.& nbsp;273

Despite the Cisplatine War|loss of Cisplatina in 1828 when it became an independent nation known as Uruguay ,Barman (1999), pp.18, 27 Brazil won three international wars during the 58-year reign of Pedro II (the Platine War , the Uruguayan War and the War of the Triple Alliance , which left over 50,000 dead)Lyra (v.1), pp.& nbsp;164, 225, 272 and witnessed the consolidation of representative democracy , mainly due to successive election s and unrestricted freedom of the press .Carvalho (2007), pp.& nbsp;9, 222 Most importantly, slavery was extinguished after a slow but steady process that began with the end of the international traffic in slaves in 1850Lyra (v.1), p.& nbsp;166 and ended with the complete abolition of slavery in 1888.Lyra (v.3), p.& nbsp;62 The slave population had been in decline since Brazil's independence: in 1823, 29% of the Brazilian population were slaves but by 1887 this had fallen to 5%.Vainfas, p.& nbsp;18

When the monarchy was overthrown on 15 November 1889 there was little desire in Brazil to change the form of government George Ermakoff, Rio de Janeiro – 1840–1900 – Uma crônica fotográfica (Rio de Janeiro: G. Ermakoff Casa Editorial, 2006), p.& nbsp;189 and Pedro II was at the height of his popularity among his subjects.Schwarcz, p.& nbsp;444Vainfas, p.& nbsp;201 However, he "bore prime, perhaps sole, responsibility for his own overthrow."Barman (1999), p.& nbsp;399 After the death of his two sons, Pedro believed that "the imperial regime was destined to end with him."Barman (1999), p.& nbsp;130 He cared little for the regime's fateLyra (v.3), p.& nbsp;126Barman (1999), p.& nbsp;361 and so neither did anything, nor allowed anyone else to do anything, to prevent the military coup, backed by former slave owners who resented the abolition of slavery.Ricardo Salles, Nostalgia Imperial (Rio de Janeiro: Topbooks, 1996), p.& nbsp;194 – However, the monarchist reaction after the fall of the empire and the subsequent exile of the Imperial Family "was not small and even less was its repression".Lyra (v.3), p.& nbsp;99Schwarcz, pp.& nbsp;450, 457

Early republic

At the beginning of the republican government it was little more than a military dictatorship,Munro, p.& nbsp;280 and the new constitution restricted political rights, such as the right to vote,Richard W. Flournoy & Manley O. Hudson; "A Collection of nationality laws of various countries, as contained in Constitutions, Statutes and Treaties" Oxford University Press 1929 ISBN 0-8377-0544-4 Page 48Mortimer Sellers & Tadeusz Tomaszewski; "The Rule of Law in Comparative Perspective" Springer Science+Business Media BV 2010 Chapter 8.3.2, pages 113–117 yet provided for direct elections to be held in 1894.Herbert F. Wright; "The constitutions of the states at war 1914–1918" United States Government Printing Office|U.S. Govt. Print. Office 1919; in 1891's Brazilian constitution See article 43 § 4th and art.47 However, already in 1891, from the unfoldings of the encilhamento economic bubble|bubble Gail D. Triner; "Banking and economic development: Brazil, 1889–1930" Palgrave™ 2000 ISBN 0-312-23399-X Pages 44–74Levine; Robert M. ”Vale of Tears: Revisiting the Canudos' Massacre in Northeastern Brazil, 1893–1897” University of California Press 1995 ISBN 0520203437 Pages 36–37; 55(last paragraph) and 330 and of the Brazilian Naval Revolt#The 1st naval revolt|1st naval revolt , the country entered in a prolonged cycle of financial, social and political instability, that would extend until the 1920s keeping the country plagued by several rebellions, both civilianSee Levine 1995, Chapter 4Sevcenko; Nicolau ”A Revolta da Vacina” Cosac Naify 2010 ISBN 9788575038680Barman, Roderick J. ”Millenarian Vision, Capitalist Reality: Brazil's Contestado Rebellion, 1912–1916” Canadian Journal of History December 1, 1995 University of Saskatchewan Vol30 Nr3 Pg542 as military,E. Bradford Burns; “A History of Brazil” Columbia University Press 1993 ISBN 9780231079556 from 2nd paragraph of p242 to p245 Roland, Maria Inês; “A Revolta da Chibata” Saraiva 2000 ISBN 8502030957Woodward; James P. ”A Place in Politics: São Paulo, Brazil, from Seigneurial Republicanism to Regionalist Revolt” Duke University Press Books 2009 ISBN 0822343290 Chapter 4 which little by little undermined the regime in a such extent, that by 1930 it was possible to the defeated presidential candidate Getúlio Vargas , supported by the majority of military,Paul F. Brandwein; "The social sciences: concepts and values, Volume 6" Harcourt, Brace & World 1970 Page 389 lead a Brazilian Revolution of 1930|coup d'état and assume the presidency.Skidmore, p.& nbsp;154

Vargas and the military, who were supposed to assume the government temporarily to implement democratic reforms related to 1891's Constitution, closed the Congress and ruled with State of emergency|emergency powers , replacing the states' governors with their supporters.Skidmore, pp.& nbsp;155–156Bueno, pp.& nbsp;328 and 331 Under the Claiming of the broken promises of changing, in 1932 the oligarchy of São Paulo (state)|São Paulo tried to regain the powerBradford Burns 1993, Ibidem p352 and in 1935 the Communism|Communists rebelled,Fausto (2005), p.& nbsp;249 having both been defeated. However, the communist threat served as an excuse for Vargas to preclude elections launching another coup d'état in 1937, creating Estado Novo (Brazil)|a full dictatorship Fausto (2005), p.& nbsp;267Skidmore, p.& nbsp;162Bueno, p.& nbsp;336Skidmore, p.& nbsp;164 In May 1938, there was another failed attempt to take over the power by local fascists.Patricia Baum; "Dictators of Latin America" Putnam 1972 Page 74Frank M. Colby, Allen L. Churchill, Herbert T. Wade & Frank H. Vizetelly; "The New international year book" Dodd, Mead & Co. 1989 Page 102 "The Fascist Revolt"

In foreign policy , the success in resolving border disputes with neighboring countriesDavid R. Mares; "Violent peace: militarized interstate bargaining in Latin America" Columbia University Press 2001 Chapter 5 Page 125 in the early years of this period, was followed by a failed attempt to permanently exert a prominent role in the League of Nations Charles Howard Ellis; "The origin, structure & working of the League of Nations" The LawBook Exchange Ltd 2003 Pages: 105 3rd paragraph and 145 1st one after military involvement in World War I .Scheina, Robert L. Latin America's Wars Vol.II: The Age of the Professional Soldier, 1900–2001. Potomac Books, 2003 ISBN 1574884522 Part 4; Chapter 5 – World War I and Brazil, 1917–18M.Sharp, I.Westwell & J.Westwood; "History of World War I, Volume 1" Marshall Cavendish Corporation 2002 page 97Barman 1999, Ibidem Page405 2nd paragraph
Notwithstanding, Brazil remained neutral at the beginning of World War II until the 1942 Rio Conference|Pan-American Conference of January 1942 when Brazil stood alongside the U.S.A. severing diplomatic relations with the Axis powers .Mónica Hirst & Andrew Hurrell; "The United States and Brazil: a long road of unmet expectations" Taylor & Francis Books 2005 ISBN 0-415-95066-X Pages 4 & 5 In retaliation, Nazi Germany and Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)|Fascist Italy extended their submarine warfare against Brazil, which led the country to Brazilian Expeditionary Force|enter the war on the Allies of World War II|allied side in August of that year.See Scheina, 2003 Part 9; Chapter 17 – World War II, Brazil and Mexico, 1942–45Thomas M. Leonard & John F. Bratzel; "Latin America during World War II" Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc. 2007 Page 150

With the allied victory in 1945 and the end of the Nazi-fascist regimes in Europe, Vargas's position became unsustainable and he was swiftly overthrown in another military coup.Fausto (2005), p.& nbsp;281 Democracy Brazilian Second Republic|was reinstated and General Eurico Gaspar Dutra was elected president taking office in 1946.Skidmore, pp.& nbsp;182–183 Having returned to power democratically elected at the end of 1950, Vargas committed suicide in August 1954 amid a political crisis.Bueno, pp.& nbsp;346–347Skidmore, pp.& nbsp;188–194

Contemporary era

Several brief interim governments succeeded after Vargas's suicide.Skidmore, p.& nbsp;201 Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira|Juscelino Kubitscheck became president in 1956 and assumed a conciliatory posture towards the political opposition that allowed him to govern without major crises.Skidmore, pp.& nbsp;202–203 The economy and industrial sector grew remarkably,Skidmore, p.& nbsp;204 but his greatest achievement was the construction of the new capital city of Brasília , inaugurated in 1960.Skidmore, pp.& nbsp;204–205 His successor was Jânio Quadros , who resigned in 1961 less than a year after taking office.Skidmore, pp.& nbsp;209–210 His vice-president, João Goulart , assumed the presidency, but aroused strong political oppositionSkidmore, p.& nbsp;210 and was 1964 Brazilian coup d'état|deposed in April 1964 by a coup that resulted in a Brazilian military government|military regime .Fausto (2005), p.& nbsp;397

The new regime was intended to be transitoryGaspari, A Ditadura Envergonhada , pp.& nbsp;141–142. but it gradually closed in on itself and became a full dictatorship with the promulgation of the Fifth Institutional Act in 1968.Gaspari, A Ditadura Envergonhada , p.& nbsp;35. The repression of the dictatorship's opponents, including urban guerrillas,Elio Gaspari, A ditadura escancarada (São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2002), p.& nbsp;193. was harsh, but not as brutal as in other Latin American countries.Skidmore, p.& nbsp;239 Due to the extraordinary economic growth, known as an "economic miracle", the regime reached its highest level of popularity in the years of repression.Fausto (2005), p.& nbsp;422

General Ernesto Geisel became president in 1974 and began his project of re-democratization through a process that he said would be "slow, gradual and safe."Bueno, p.& nbsp;379.Fausto (2005), p.& nbsp;455. Geisel ended the military indiscipline that had plagued the country since 1889,Gaspari, A Ditadura Envergonhada , pp.& nbsp;34–35. as well as the torture of political prisoners, censorship of the press,Gaspari, A Ditadura Envergonhada , pp.& nbsp;35–36. and finally, the dictatorship itself, after he extinguished the Fifth Institutional Act. However, the military regime continued, under his chosen successor General João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo|João Figueiredo , to complete the transition to full democracy.Bueno, p.& nbsp;382.

The civilians fully returned to power in 1985 when José Sarney assumed the presidencyFausto (2005), p.& nbsp;460. but, by the end of his term, he had become extremely unpopular due to the uncontrollable economic crisis and unusually high inflation.Fausto (2005), pp.& nbsp;464–465. Sarney's unsuccessful government allowed the election in 1989 of the almost unknown Fernando Collor de Mello|Fernando Collor , who was subsequently impeached by the National Congress in 1992.Fausto (2005), pp.& nbsp;465, 475. Collor was succeeded by his Vice-President Itamar Franco , who appointed Fernando Henrique Cardoso as Minister of Finance.

Cardoso produced a highly successful Plano Real (Royal or Real Plan)The name of the current Brazilian currency came both from the Real Unity of Value (a transition currency) and from an Brazilian real#First real, 1690-1942|older currency that existed until 1942 . In Portuguese it is called "Real", meaning "royal", as it originated in Portugal, then a monarchy (Skidmore, p.& nbsp;311). that granted stability to the Brazilian economyFausto (2005), p.& nbsp;482. and he was elected as president in 1994 and again in 1998.Fausto (2005), p.& nbsp;474. The peaceful transition of power to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva|Luís Inácio Lula da Silva , who was elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2006, proved that Brazil had finally succeeded in achieving its long-sought political stability.Fausto (2005), p.& nbsp;502. Lula was succeeded in 2011 by the current president, Dilma Rousseff .

Geography

Brazil occupies a large area along the eastern coast of South America and includes much of the continent's interior, sharing land borders with Uruguay to the south; Argentina and Paraguay to the southwest; Bolivia and Peru to the west; Colombia to the northwest; and Venezuela , Suriname , Guyana and the France|French overseas department of French Guiana to the north. It shares a border with every country in South America except for Ecuador and Chile . It also encompasses a number of oceanic archipelago s, such as Fernando de Noronha , Rocas Atoll , Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago|Saint Peter and Paul Rocks , and Trindade and Martim Vaz . Its size, relief, climate, and natural resources make Brazil geographically diverse. Including its Altantic Ocean|Atlantic islands, Brazil lies between latitudes 6th parallel north|6°N and 34th parallel south|34°S , and longitudes 28th meridian west|28° and 74th meridian west|74°W .

Brazil is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area|fifth largest country in the world, after Russia , Canada , People's Republic of China|China and the United States , and third largest in the Americas; with a total area of , IBGE: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Retrieved 2010-01-08. including of water. It spans three time zone s; from UTC-04|UTC-4 in the western states, to UTC-03|UTC-3 in the eastern states (and the official time of Brazil) and UTC-02|UTC-2 in the List of islands of Brazil|Atlantic islands . Brazil is the only country in the world that lies on the equator while having contiguous territory outside the tropics.

Brazilian topography is also diverse and includes hill s, mountain s, plain s, highland (geography)|highlands , and Shrubland|scrubland s. Much of the terrain lies between and in elevation. The main upland area occupies most of the southern half of the country. The northwestern parts of the plateau consist of broad, rolling terrain broken by low, rounded hills.

The southeastern section is more rugged, with a complex mass of ridges and mountain range s reaching elevations of up to . These ranges include the Mantiqueira Mountains|Mantiqueira and Espinhaço Mountains|Espinhaço mountains and the Serra do Mar . In the north, the Guiana Shield|Guiana Highlands form a major drainage divide , separating rivers that flow south into the Amazon Basin from rivers that empty into the Orinoco|Orinoco River system, in Venezuela, to the north. The highest point in Brazil is the Pico da Neblina at , and the lowest is the Atlantic Ocean.

Brazil has a dense and complex system of rivers, one of the world's most extensive, with eight major drainage basins, all of which drain into the Atlantic. Major rivers include the Amazon River|Amazon (the world's second-longest river and the largest in terms of volume of water), the Paraná River|Paraná and its major tributary the Iguazu River|Iguaçu (which includes the Iguazu Falls ), the Rio Negro (Amazon)|Negro , São Francisco River|São Francisco , Xingu River|Xingu , Madeira River|Madeira and Tapajós rivers.

Climate

The climate of Brazil comprises a wide range of weather conditions across a large area and varied topography, but most of the country is tropical. According to the Köppen climate classification|Köppen system , Brazil hosts five major climatic subtypes: Tropical rainforest climate|equatorial , tropical climate|tropical , Semi-arid climate|semiarid , tropical climate|highland tropical , Temperateness|temperate , and Subtropics|subtropical . The different climatic conditions produce environments ranging from Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests|equatorial rainforest s in the north and semiarid deserts in the northeast, to temperate coniferous forest s in the south and tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands|tropical savannas in central Brazil. Many regions have starkly different microclimate s.

An equatorial climate characterizes much of northern Brazil. There is no real dry season , but there are some variations in the period of the year when most rain falls. Temperatures average , with more significant temperature variation between night and day than between seasons.

Over central Brazil rainfall is more seasonal, characteristic of a savanna climate. This region is as extensive as the Amazon basin but has a very different climate as it lies farther south at a higher altitude. In the interior northeast, seasonal rainfall is even more extreme. The semiarid climatic region generally receives less than of rain, most of which generally falls in a period of three to five months of the year and occasionally less than this, creating long periods of drought. Brazil's 1877–78 Grande Seca (Great Drought), the most severe ever recorded in Brazil,"." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). caused approximately half a million deaths."." Princeton University Press. The one from 1915 was devastating too."." FAO.

South of Bahia, near São Paulo, the distribution of rainfall changes, with rain falling throughout the year. The south enjoys Temperateness|temperate conditions , with cool winters and average annual temperatures not exceeding ; winter frosts are quite common, Snow in Brazil|with occasional snowfall in the higher areas .

Biodiversity

Brazil's large territory comprises different ecosystems, such as the Amazon Rainforest , recognized as having the greatest Biodiversity|biological diversity in the world, with the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado , sustaining the greatest biodiversity. In the south, the Araucaria Temperate coniferous forest|pine forest grows under temperate conditions.

The rich wildlife of Brazil reflects the variety of natural habitats. Scientists estimate that the total number of Wildlife of Brazil|plant and Wildlife of Brazil|animal species in Brazil could approach four million.

Larger mammals include Cougar|pumas , jaguar s, ocelot s, rare Bush Dog|bush dog s, and fox es; peccary|peccaries , tapir s, anteater s, sloth s, opossum s, and armadillo s are abundant. Deer are plentiful in the south, and many species of New World monkey s are found in the northern Rainforest|rain forests . Concern for the environment has grown in response to global interest in List of environmental issues|environmental issues .

Environment

The natural heritage of Brazil is severely threatened by cattle ranching and agriculture, logging, mining, resettlement, oil and gas extraction, over-fishing, wildlife trade, dams and infrastructure, water pollution|water contamination , climate change , fire, and invasive species . In many areas of the country, the natural environment is threatened by development. Construction of highways has opened up previously remote areas for agriculture and settlement; dams have flooded valleys and inundated wildlife habitats; and mines have scarred and polluted the landscape. At least 70 dams are said to be planned for the Amazon region, including controversial Belo Monte Dam|Belo Monte hydroelectric dam."." BBC News . February 2, 2010.

Politics

The Brazilian Federation is the "indissoluble union" of three distinct political entities: the States, the Municipalities and the Federal District. The Union, the states and the Federal District, and the municipalities, are the "spheres of government." The Federation is set on five fundamental principles: sovereignty , citizenship , dignity of human beings, the social values of labour and freedom of enterprise, and Pluralism (political philosophy)|political pluralism . The classic tripartite branches of government ( executive (government)|executive , legislature|legislative , and judiciary|judicial under the Separation of powers|checks and balances system), is formally established by the Constitution. The executive and legislative are organized independently in all three spheres of government, while the judiciary is organized only at the federal and state/Federal District spheres.

All members of the executive and legislative branches are directly elected. Judges and other judicial officials are appointed after passing entry exams. Brazil has a multi-party system for most of its history. Voting is compulsory for the literate between 18 and 70 years old and optional for illiterates and those between 16 and 18 or beyond 70. Together with several smaller parties, four political parties stand out: Workers' Party (Brazil)|Workers' Party (PT), Brazilian Social Democratic Party|Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), and Democrats (Brazil)|Democrats (DEM). Almost all governmental and administrative functions are exercised by authorities and agencies affiliated to the Executive.

The form of government is that of a democracy|democratic republic, with a presidential system . The president is both head of state and head of government of the Union and is elected for a four-year term, with the possibility of re-election for a second successive term. The current president is Dilma Rousseff who was inaugurated on January 1, 2011. BBC News. Accessed 17 May 2007 The President appoints the Minister of State|Ministers of State , who assist in government. Legislative houses in each political entity are the main source of law in Brazil. The National Congress of Brazil|National Congress is the Federation's bicameral legislature, consisting of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil|Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of Brazil|Federal Senate . Judiciary authorities exercise jurisdictional duties almost exclusively.

Fifteen political parties are represented in Congress. It is common for politicians to switch parties, and thus the proportion of congressional seats held by particular parties changes regularly. The largest political parties are the Workers' Party (Brazil)|Workers' Party (PT), Democrats (DEM), Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB-center), Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB), Progressive Party (PP), Brazilian Labor Party (PTB), Liberal Party (PL), Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), Popular Socialist Party (PPS), Democratic Labor Party (PDT), and the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB).

Law

Brazilian law is based on Roman law|Roman - Germania|Germanic traditions, Organization of American States. Accessed 17 May 2007. and civil law (legal system)|civil law concepts prevail over common law practice. Most of Brazilian law is codified, although non-codified statutes also represent a substantial part, playing a complementary role. Court decisions set out interpretive guidelines; however, they are seldom binding on other specific cases. Doctrinal works and the works of academic jurists have strong influence in law creation and in law cases.

The legal system is based on the Federal Constitution, which was promulgated on 5 October 1988, and is the fundamental law of Brazil. All other legislation and court decisions must conform to its rules.José Afonso da Silva, Curso de Direito Constitucional Positivo (Malheiros, 2004; ISBN 85-7420-559-1), p.& nbsp; 46. , there have been 53 amendments. States have their own constitutions, which must not contradict the Federal Constitution.Silva, Curso de Direito Constitucional Positivo , p.& nbsp; 592. Municipalities and the Federal District have "organic laws" (), which act in a similar way to constitutions. Brazilian Government. Accessed 17 May 2007. Legislative entities are the main source of statute s, although in certain matters judiciary and executive bodies may enact legal norms. Jurisdiction is administered by the judiciary entities, although in rare situations the Constitution of Brazil|Federal Constitution allows the Federal Senate to pass on legal judgments. There are also specialized military, labor, and electoral courts. The highest court is the Supreme Federal Court .

This system has been criticised over the last few decades for the slow pace of decision making. Lawsuits on appeal may take several years to resolve, and in some cases more than a decade elapses before definitive rulings.Miguel Glugoski and Odete Medauar, "," University of São Paulo|USP Journal, 24–30 November 2003. Retrieved 17 May 2007. Nevertheless, the Supreme Federal Tribunal was the first court in the world to transmit its sessions on television , and also via YouTube .Diego Abreu, "," . Accessed October 12, 2009."." . Accessed October 12, 2009. More recently, in December 2009, the Supreme Court adopted Twitter to display items on the Personal organizer|day planner of the ministers, to inform the daily actions of the Court and the most important decisions made by them."" (12/01/009). . Consulted on December 5, 2009.

Brazil continues to have high crime rates in a number of statistics, despite recent improvements. More than 500,000 people have been killed by firearms in Brazil between 1979 and 2003, according to a new report by the United Nations . In 2010, there were 473,600 people incarcerated in Brazilian prisons and jails.

Foreign relations

Brazil is a political and economic leader in Latin America.Maria Regina Soares de Lima and Mônica Hirst, "," International Affairs 82 (2006) 21–40. Retrieved June 22, 2007.Luiz Alberto Moniz Bandeira, "," Sage Journals Online. Retrieved June 22, 2007. However, social and economic problems have prevented it from becoming an effective global power.Raúl Zibechi, "" Funder's Network on Trade and Globalization. Retrieved June 22, 2007. Between 1945 and 1990, both democratic and military government s sought to expand Brazil's influence in the world by pursuing a state-led industrial policy and an independent foreign policy . More recently, the country has aimed to strengthen ties with other South America n countries, and engage in multilateral diplomacy through the United Nations and the Organization of American States .Universia Knowledge at Wharton website, "" Wharton School, Pennsylvania. Retrieved June 22, 2007.

Brazil's current foreign policy is based on the country's position as a regional power in Latin America , a leader among developing country|developing countries , and an emerging Great power|world power .Clare Ribando, "," Congressional Research Service . Retrieved on August 16, 2007. In general, current Brazilian foreign policy reflects multilateralism , peaceful dispute settlement, and nonintervention in the affairs of other countries.Georges D. Landau, "The Decisionmaking Process in Foreign Policy: The Case of Brazil," Center for Strategic and International Studies: Washington DC: March 2003. The Brazilian Constitution also determines that the country shall seek the economy|economic , Politics|political , social and culture|cultural economic integration|integration of the nations of Latin America. Raúl Zibechi , "." IRC Americas. Retrieved on August 16, 2007.Maria Regina Soares De Lima and Monica Hirst, "," International Affairs 82 (1), 21–40. Retrieved on August 16, 2007.Luiz Alberto Moniz Bandeira, "," Universidade de Brasília|University of Brasília . Retrieved on August 16, 2007.

An increasingly well-developed tool of Brazil's foreign policy is providing aid as a donor to other developing countries .Cabral and Weinstock 2010. . London: Overseas Development Institute Brazil does not just use its growing economic strength to provide financial aid, but it also provides high levels of expertise and most importantly of all, a quiet non-confrontational diplomacy to improve governance levels. Total aid is estimated to be around $1 billion per year that includes:

technical cooperation of around $480 million ($30 million in 2010 provided directly by the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC))

an estimated $450 million for in-kind expertise provided by Brazilian institutions specialising in technical cooperation

In addition, Brazil manages a peacekeeping mission in Haiti Earthquake|Haiti ($350 million) and makes in-kind contributions to the World Food Programme ($300 million). This is in addition to humanitarian assistance and contributions to multilateral development agencies. The scale of this aid places it on par with China and India and ahead of many western donors. The Brazilian South-South aid has been described as a "global model in waiting."Cabral, Lidia 2010. . London: Overseas Development Institute

Military

The armed forces of Brazil consist of the Brazilian Army , the Brazilian Navy , and the Brazilian Air Force . With a total of 371,199 active personnel, they comprise the largest armed force in Latin America. The Army is responsible for land-based military operations and has 235,978 active personnel.

The Military Police (Brazil)|Military Police (States' Military Police) is described as an ancillary force of the Army by the constitution, but is under the control of each state's governor. The Navy is responsible for naval operations and for guarding Brazilian territorial waters. It is the oldest of the Brazilian armed forces and the only navy in Latin America to operate an aircraft carrier, the Brazilian aircraft carrier São Paulo (A12)|NAe São Paulo (formerly French aircraft carrier Foch (R99)|FS Foch of the French Navy ). The Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Brazilian armed forces, and the largest air force in Latin America, with about 700 manned aircraft in service.

Administrative divisions

Brazil is a federation composed of 26 Federated state|States , one Brazilian Federal District|federal district (which contains the capital city, Brasília ) and municipalities. States have autonomous administrations, collect their own taxes and receive a share of taxes collected by the Federal government. They have a governor and a unicameral legislative body elected directly by their voters. They also have independent Courts of Law for common justice. Despite this, states have much less autonomy to create their own laws than in the United States . For example, criminal and civil laws can only be voted by the federal bicameral Congress and are uniform throughout the country.

The states and the federal district may be grouped into regions: Northern Region, Brazil|Northern , Northeast Region, Brazil|Northeast , Central-West Region, Brazil|Central-West , Southeast Region, Brazil|Southeast and Southern Region, Brazil|Southern . The Brazilian regions are merely geographical, not political or administrative divisions, and they do not have any specific form of government. Although defined by law, Brazilian regions are useful mainly for statistical purposes, and also to define the application of federal funds in development projects.

Municipalities, as the states, have autonomous administrations, collect their own taxes and receive a share of taxes collected by the Union and state government. Each has a mayor and an elected legislative body, but no separate Court of Law. Indeed, a Court of Law organized by the state can encompass many municipalities in a single justice administrative division called comarca (county).

Economy

Brazil is the largest national economy in Latin America , the List of countries by GDP (nominal)|world's seventh largest economy at market exchange rates and the List of countries by GDP (PPP)|eighth largest in purchasing power parity (PPP), according to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank . Brazil has a mixed economy with abundant natural resources. The Brazilian economy has been predicted to become one of the five largest in the world in the decades to come, the GDP per capita following and growing. Its current GDP (PPP) per capita is $10,200, putting Brazil in the 64th position according to World Bank data. It has large and developed agriculture|agricultural , mining , manufacturing and Tertiary sector of the economy|service sector s, as well as a large labor pool.

Brazilian exports are booming, creating a new generation of tycoons. Major export products include Fixed-wing aircraft|aircraft , electrical equipment , automobile s, ethanol fuel|ethanol , textile s, footwear , iron ore , steel , coffee , orange juice , soybean s and corned beef . The country has been expanding its presence in international financial and commodity market|commodities market s, and is one of a group of four emerging economies called the BRIC|BRIC countries .

Brazil pegged its currency, the Brazilian real|real , to the U.S. dollar in 1994. However, after the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis|East Asian financial crisis , the 1998 Russian financial crisis|Russian default in 1998 and the series of adverse financial events that followed it, the Central Bank of Brazil temporarily changed its monetary policy to a managed-float scheme while undergoing a currency crisis , until definitively changing the exchange regime to free-float in January 1999.

Brazil received an International Monetary Fund rescue package in mid-2002 of $30.4& nbsp;billion, then a record sum. Brazil's central bank paid back the IMF loan in 2005, although it was not due to be repaid until 2006. One of the issues the Central Bank of Brazil recently dealt with was an excess of speculative short-term capital inflows to the country, which may have contributed to a fall in the value of the U.S. dollar against the real during that period. Nonetheless, foreign direct investment (FDI), related to long-term, less speculative investment in production, is estimated to be $193.8& nbsp;billion for 2007. Inflation monitoring and control currently plays a major part in the Central bank's role of setting out short-term interest rate s as a monetary policy measure.

Between 1993 and 2010, 7'012 Mergers and acquisitions|mergers & acquisitions with a total known value of $707 billion with the involvement of Brazlian firms have been announced. The year 2010 was a new record in terms of value with 115 bil. USD of transactions. The largest transaction with involvement of Brazilian companies has been: Vale (mining company)|Cia Vale do Rio Doce acquired Vale Inco|Inco in a tender offer valued at $18.9 billion USD.

The purchasing power in Brazil is eroded by the so-called Brazil cost .

Components and energy

Brazil's economy is diverse, encompassing agriculture , industry , and many services. The recent economic strength has been due in part to a global boom in commodity|commodities prices with exports from beef to soybean s soaring. Agriculture in Brazil|Agriculture and allied sectors like forestry , logging and fishing accounted for 5.1% of the gross domestic product in 2007, a performance that puts agribusiness in a position of distinction in terms of Brazil's Balance of trade|trade balance , in spite of trade barrier s and subsidizing policies adopted by the developed country|developed countries .

The Industry in Brazil|industry & nbsp;— from automobile s, steel and petrochemical s to computer s, aircraft , and durable good|consumer durables — accounted for 30.8% of the gross domestic product. Industry, which is often technologically advanced, is highly concentrated in metropolitan São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Campinas , Porto Alegre , and Belo Horizonte .

Brazil is the world's List of countries by electricity consumption|tenth largest energy consumer with much of its energy coming from Renewable energy|renewable source s, particularly hydroelectricity and ethanol ; nonrenewable energy is mainly produced from oil and natural gas . A global power in agriculture and natural resources, Brazil experienced tremendous economic growth over the past three decades. It is expected to become a major oil producer and exporter, having recently made huge oil discoveries. The governmental agencies responsible for the energy policy are the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the National Council for Energy Policy, the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (Brazil)|National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels , and the Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency|National Agency of Electricity .

Science and technology

Technological research in Brazil is largely carried out in public universities and research institutes. But more than 73% of funding for basic research still comes from government sources. Some of Brazil's most notable technological hubs are the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz|Oswaldo Cruz Institute , the Instituto Butantan|Butantan Institute , the Air Force's Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology|Aerospace Technical Center , the Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária|Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation and the National Institute for Space Research|INPE . The Brazilian Space Agency has the most advanced space program in Latin America, with significant capabilities in launch vehicles, launch sites and satellite manufacturing.

Uranium is enriched at the Resende Nuclear Fuel Factory to fuel the country's energy demands and plans are underway to build the country's first nuclear submarine. Brazil is one of the three countries in Latin America with an operational Synchrotron Laboratory, a research facility on physics, chemistry, material science and life sciences. And Brazil is the first and only Latin American country to have a semiconductor company with its own Semiconductor fabrication plant|fab , the CEITEC .

Transport

Brazil has a large and diverse transport network. Road s are the primary carriers of freight and passenger traffic. The road system totaled 1.98 million km (1.23 million mi) in 2002. The total of paved roads increased from 35,496& nbsp;km (22,056& nbsp;mi) in 1967 to 184,140& nbsp;km (114,425& nbsp;mi) in 2002.

Brazil's Rail transport|railway system has been declining since 1945, when emphasis shifted to highway construction . The total length of railway track was 30,875& nbsp;km (19,186& nbsp;mi) in 2002, as compared with 31,848& nbsp;km (19,789& nbsp;mi) in 1970. Most of the railway system belongs to the Federal Railroad Corp., with a majority government interest. The government also privatized seven lines in 1997."," Encyclopedia of the Nations (nationsencyclopedia.com). The São Paulo Metro was the first underground transit system in Brazil. The other metro systems are in Rio de Janeiro , Porto Alegre , Recife , Belo Horizonte , Brasília , Teresina , Fortaleza , and Salvador, Bahia|Salvador .

There are about 2,500 airport s in Brazil, including landing fields: the second largest number in the world, after the United States."." globo.com, 12 August 2007. São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport , near São Paulo, is the largest and busiest airport, handling the vast majority of popular and commercial traffic of the country and connecting the city with virtually all major cities across the world."," infraaero.gov.br.

Coastal shipping links widely separated parts of the country. Bolivia and Paraguay have been given free port s at Santos, São Paulo|Santos . Of the 36 deep-water ports, Santos, Itajaí, Rio Grande, Paranaguá, Rio de Janeiro, Sepetiba, Vitória, Suape, Manaus and São Francisco do Sul are some of the most important."," Santos Brasil.

Demographics

The population of Brazil, as recorded by the 2008 PNAD, was approximately 190 million2008 PNAD, IBGE. "" (22.31 inhabitants per square kilometer), with a ratio of men to women of 0.95:12008 PNAD, IBGE. "" and 83.75% of the population defined as urban.2008 PNAD, IBGE. "." The population is heavily concentrated in the Southeastern (79.8 million inhabitants) and Northeastern (53.5 million inhabitants) regions, while the two most extensive regions, the Center-West and the North, which together make up 64.12% of the Brazilian territory, have a total of only 29.1 million inhabitants.

The first census in Brazil was carried out in 1872 and recorded a population of 9,930,478."". Brasil.gov.br. From 1880 to 1930, 4 million Europeans arrived."". Migration Policy Institute. Brazil's population increased significantly between 1940 and 1970, due to a decline in the mortality rate , even though the birth rate underwent a slight decline. In the 1940s the annual Population growth|population growth rate was 2.4%, rising to 3.0% in the 1950s and remaining at 2.9% in the 1960s, as life expectancy rose from 44 to 54 yearsJosé Alberto Magno de Carvalho, "" Belo Horizonte: UFMG/Cedeplar, 2004 (PDF file), p.& nbsp; 5. and to 72.6 years in 2007.
It has been steadily falling since the 1960s, from 3.04% per year between 1950–1960 to 1.05% in 2008 and is expected to fall to a negative value of& nbsp;–0.29% by 2050 thus completing the demographic transition .Magno de Carvalho, "," pp.& nbsp;7–8.

According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics|National Research by Household Sample (PNAD) of 2008, 48.43% of the population (about 92 million) described themselves as White Brazilian|White ; 43.80% (about 83 million) as Brown people#Pardos in Brazil|Brown ( Multiracial#Brazil|Multiracial ), 6.84% (about 13 million) as Black Brazilian|Black ; 0.58% (about 1.1 million) as Asian Brazilian|Asian ; and 0.28% (about 536 thousand) as Indigenous peoples in Brazil|Amerindian , while 0.07% (about 130 thousand) did not declare their race.2008 PNAD, IBGE. "."

In 2007, the Fundação Nacional do Índio|National Indian Foundation reported the existence of 67 different uncontacted tribes, up from 40 in 2005. Brazil is believed to have the largest number of uncontacted people s in the world."," The Washington Post, 8 July 2007.

About 85% to 95% of Brazilians descend from the country's Indigenous peoples in Brazil|indigenous peoples , Portuguese people|Portuguese settlers, and Slavery in Brazil|African slaves . Enciclopédia Barsa vol. 4, p.& nbsp;230. Since the arrival of the Portuguese in 1500, considerable intermarriage between these three groups has taken place. The brown population (as multiracial Brazilians are officially called; pardo in Portuguese, also colloquially moreno , or olive skin|swarthy )Coelho (1996), p.& nbsp;268.Vesentini (1988), p.& nbsp;117. is a broad category that includes Caboclo s (descendants of Whites and Indians), Mulatto es (descendants of Whites and Blacks) and Zambo|Cafuzo s (descendants of Blacks and Indians).Adas, Melhem. Panorama geográfico do Brasil , 4th ed (São Paulo: Moderna, 2004), p.& nbsp;268Azevedo (1971), pp.& nbsp;2–3.Moreira (1981), p.& nbsp;108. Caboclos form the majority of the population in the Northern, Northeastern and Central-Western regions. Enciclopédia Barsa, vol. 4, pp.& nbsp;254–55, 258, 265. A large Mulatto population can be found in the eastern coast of the northeastern region from Bahia to ParaíbaAzevedo (1971), pp.& nbsp;74–75. and also in northern Maranhão, Enciclopédia Barsa , vol. 10 (Rio de Janeiro: Encyclopaedia Britannica do Brasil, 1987), p.& nbsp;355.Azevedo (1971), p.& nbsp;74. southern Minas GeraisAzevedo (1971), p.& nbsp;161. and in eastern Rio de Janeiro. From the 19th century, Brazil opened its borders to Immigration to Brazil|immigration . About five million people from over 60 countries migrated to Brazil between 1808 and 1972, most of them from Portugal , Italy , Spain , Germany , Japan and the Middle East|Middle-East .Maria Stella Ferreira-Levy, "O papel da migração internacional na evolução da população brasileira (1872 a 1972), Revista de Saúde Pública Volume 8, suplemento. June 1974. ) (1974). Table 2, p.& nbsp; 74. available on as a PDF file.

In 2008, the illiteracy rate was 11.48%PNAD 2008, IBGE. "." and among the youth (ages 15–19) 1.74%. It was highest (20.30%) in the Northeast, which had a large proportion of rural poor.PNAD 2008, IBGE. "" Illiteracy was high (24.18%) among the rural population and lower (9.05%) among the urban population.PNAD 2008, IBGE. "."

Religion

Brazil possesses a richly spiritual society formed from the meeting of the Roman Catholic Church with the religious traditions of African slaves and indigenous peoples. This confluence of faiths during the Portuguese colonization of Brazil led to the development of a diverse array of syncretistic practices within the overarching umbrella of Brazilian Roman Catholicism, characterized by traditional Portuguese festivities. Religious pluralism increased during the 20th century, largely due to a Protestant community that has grown to include over 15% of the population.

Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism is the country's predominant faith. Brazil has the world's largest Catholic population. According to the 2000 Demographic Census (the PNAD survey does not inquire about religion), 73.57% of the population followed Roman Catholicism in Brazil|Roman Catholicism ; 15.41% Protestantism in Brazil|Protestantism ; 1.33% Spiritism|Kardecist spiritism ; 1.22% other Christian denominations; 0.31% Afro-Brazilian religions; 0.13% Buddhism ; 0.05% Judaism ; 0.02% Islam in Brazil|Islam ; 0.01% Amerindian religions; 0.59% other religions, undeclared or undetermined; while 7.35% have no religion.IBGE, , Censo Demográfico 2000. Acessado em 13 de dezembro de 2007

However, in the last ten years Protestantism in Brazil|Protestantism , particularly Pentecostal Protestantism, has spread in Brazil, while the proportion of Roman Catholicism in Brazil|Catholics has dropped significantly. See drop-down essay on "The Growth of Religious Pluralism" After Protestantism, individuals professing no religion are also a significant group, exceeding 7% of the population in the 2000 census. The cities of Boa Vista, Roraima|Boa Vista , Salvador, Bahia|Salvador and Porto Velho have the greatest proportion of irreligious residents in Brazil. Teresina , Fortaleza , and Florianópolis were the most catholic of the country.

Urbanization

According to IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) urban areas already concentrate 84.35% of the population, while the Southeast region remains the most populated one, with over 80 million inhabitants.
The largest metropolitan areas in Brazil are São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Belo Horizonte& nbsp;— all in the Southeastern Region& nbsp;— with 19.5, 11.5, and 5.1& nbsp;million inhabitants respectively.2008 PNAD, IBGE. "." Almost all of the state capitals are the largest cities in their states, except for Vitória, Brazil|Vitória , the capital of Espírito Santo , and Florianópolis , the capital of Santa Catarina. There are also non-capital metropolitan areas in the states of São Paulo ( Campinas , Santos, São Paulo|Santos and the Paraíba Valley ), Minas Gerais ( Vale do Aço metropolitan area|Steel Valley ), Rio Grande do Sul ( Porto Alegre|Sinos Valley ) and Santa Catarina ( Vale do Itajaí|Itajaí Valley ).

Language

The official language of Brazil is Portuguese, which almost all of the population speaks and is virtually the only language used in newspapers, radio, television, and for business and administrative purposes. The exception to this is in the municipality of São Gabriel da Cachoeira where Nheengatu , a currently endangered South American creole language with mostly Indigenous Brazilian languages lexicon and Portuguese-based grammar that once was a major lingua franca in Brazil, has been granted co-official status with Portuguese. Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking nation in the Americas , making the language an important part of Brazilian national identity and giving it a national culture distinct from those of its Spanish-speaking neighbors.

Brazilian Portuguese has had its own development, mostly similar to 16th century Central and Southern dialects of European Portuguese (despite a very substantial number of Portuguese colonial settlers, and Portuguese Brazilian|more recent immigrants , coming from Northern Portugal|Northern regions , and in minor degree Portuguese Macaronesia ), with some influences from the Indigenous languages of the Americas|Amerindian and Languages of Africa|African languages , especially West Africa n and Bantu languages|Bantu . As a result, the language is somewhat different, mostly in phonology, from the language of Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries (the dialects of the other countries, partly due to the more recent end of Portuguese Empire|Portuguese colonialism in these regions, have a closer connexion to contemporary European Portuguese ). These differences are comparable to those between American English|American and British English .

In 1990, the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), which included representatives from all countries with Portuguese as the official language, reached an Portuguese Language Orthographic Agreement of 1990|agreement on the reform of the Portuguese orthography to unify the two standards then in use by Brazil on one side and the remaining lusophone countries on the other. This spelling reform went into effect in Brazil on January 1, 2009. In Portugal, the reform was signed into law by the President on July 21, 2008 allowing for a 6-year adaptation period, during which both orthographies will co-exist. The remaining CPLP countries are free to establish their own transition chronogram.

Minority languages are spoken throughout the nation. One hundred and eighty Indigenous languages of the Americas|Amerindian language s are spoken in remote areas and a number of other languages are spoken by immigrants and their descendants. There are significant communities of German language|German (mostly the Hunsrückisch , a German language|High German language dialect) and Italian language|Italian (mostly the Talian dialect , of Venetian language|Venetian origin) speakers in the south of the country, both of which are influenced by the Portuguese language. Brazil is the first country in South America to offer Esperanto to High School students.

Culture

The core culture of Brazil is derived from Culture of Portugal|Portuguese culture , because of its strong colonial ties with the Portuguese Empire|Portuguese empire . Among other influences, the Portuguese introduced the Portuguese language , Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism and Manueline|colonial architectural styles . The culture was, however, also strongly influenced by African people|African , Indigenous peoples in Brazil|indigenous and non-Portuguese European cultures and traditions. Some aspects of Brazilian culture were influenced by the contributions of Italian Brazilian|Italian , German Brazilian|German and other European immigrants who arrived in large numbers in the South and Southeast of Brazil. The indigenous Amerindians influenced Brazil's language and Brazilian cuisine|cuisine ; and the African people|Africans influenced language, cuisine, Music of Brazil|music , dance and religion.

Brazilian art has developed since the 16th century into different styles that range from Baroque in Brazil|Baroque (the dominant style in Brazil until the early 19th century)Leandro Karnal, Teatro da fé: Formas de representação religiosa no Brasil e no México do século XVI , São Paulo, Editora Hucitec, 1998; available on "," Encyclopaedia Itaú Cultural to Academic art in Brazil|Romanticism , Modern art|Modernism , Expressionism , Cubism , Surrealism and Abstract art|Abstractionism .

Cinema of Brazil|Brazilian cinema dates back to the birth of the medium in the late 19th century and has gained a new level of international acclaim in recent years.

Music

Music of Brazil|Brazilian music encompasses various regional styles influenced by African, European and Amerindian forms. It developed distinctive styles, among them samba , Música Popular Brasileira|MPB , choro , Sertanejo , brega (music)|brega , forró , frevo , maracatu , bossa nova , and Axé music|axé .

Literature

Brazilian literature dates back to the 16th century, to the writings of the first Portuguese explorers in Brazil, such as Pêro Vaz de Caminha , filled with descriptions of fauna , flora and Indigenous peoples|natives that amazed Europeans that arrived in Brazil. Brazil produced significant works in Romanticism — novelists like Joaquim Manuel de Macedo and José de Alencar wrote novels about love and pain. Alencar, in his long career, also treated Indigenous people as heroes in the Indigenist novels O Guarany , Iracema , Ubirajara ."." . Visited on November 2, 2009.

Cuisine

Brazilian cuisine varies greatly by region, reflecting the country's mix of native and immigrant populations. This has created a national cuisine marked by the preservation of regional differences. Examples are Feijoada , considered the country's national dish;Roger, "" braziltravelguide.com. and regional foods such as vatapá , moqueca , polenta and acarajé .Cascudo, Luis da Câmara. História da Alimentação no Brasil. São Paulo/Belo Horizonte: Editora USP/Itatiaia, l983.

Brazil has a variety of candies such as brigadeiro s (chocolate fudge balls), cocada (a coconut sweet), beijinho s (coconut truffles and clove) and romeu e julieta (cheese with a guava jam known as goiabada ). Peanut is used to make paçoca , rapadura and pé-de-moleque . Local common fruits like açaí , cupuaçu , mango , papaya , cocoa bean|cocoa , cashew , guava , orange (fruit)|orange , passionfruit , pineapple , and hog plum are turned in juice s and used to make chocolate s, popsicle s and ice cream .Freyre, Gilberto. Açúcar. Uma Sociologia do Doce, com Receitas de Bolos e Doces do Nordeste do Brasil. São Paulo, Companhia das Letras, 1997.

Popular snacks are pastel (food)|pastel (a pastry), coxinha (chicken croquete), pão de queijo (cheese bread and cassava flour / tapioca ), pamonha (corn and milk paste), sfiha|esfirra (Lebanese pastry), kibbeh (from Arabic cuisine), empanada (pastry) and empada little salt pies filled with shrimps or hearth of palm.

But the everyday meal consist mosty of rice and beans with beef and salad .Barbosa, Lívia. Feijão com arroz e arroz com feijão: o Brasil no prato dos brasileiros. Horiz. antropol. . 2007, vol.13, n.28 , pp. 87–116. Available from: ISSN 0104-7183. doi: 10.1590/S0104-71832007000200005. Its common to mix it with cassava flour ( farofa ). Fried potatoes, fried cassava, fried banana, fried meat and fried cheese are very often eaten in lunch and served in most typical restaurants.Ferraccioli, Patrícia; Silveira, Eliane Augusta da.(2010) Cultural feeding influence on palative memories in the usual brazilian cuisine. Rev. enferm. UERJ;18(2):198–203, abr.-jun. 2010.

The national beverage is coffee and cachaça is Brazil's native Distilled beverage|liquor . Cachaça is distilled from Sugarcane|sugar cane and is the main ingredient in the national cocktail, Caipirinha .

Sports

The most popular sport in Brazil is Association football|football (soccer) . The Brazil national football team|Brazilian national football team is ranked among the best in the world according to the FIFA World Rankings , and has won the FIFA World Cup|World Cup tournament a record five times. Basketball , volleyball , auto racing , and martial arts also attract large audiences. Brazil men's national volleyball team , for example, currently holds the titles of the FIVB World League|World League , Volleyball World Grand Champions Cup|World Grand Champions Cup , Volleyball World Championship|World Championship and the Volleyball World Cup|World Cup . Others sports practiced in Brazil are tennis , team handball , swimming (sport)|swimming , and gymnastics have found a growing number of enthusiasts over the last decades. Some sport variations have their origins in Brazil: beach soccer|beach football , futsal (indoor football) and footvolley emerged in Brazil as variations of football. In martial arts, Brazilians developed Capoeira , Vale tudo , and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu . In auto racing, three Brazilian drivers have won the Formula One world championship eight times.

Brazil has hosted several high-profile international sporting events, including UFC 134 , the 1950 FIFA World Cup and has been chosen to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup . The São Paulo circuit, Autódromo José Carlos Pace , hosts the annual Brazilian Grand Prix|Grand Prix of Brazil . São Paulo organized the 1963 Pan American Games|IV Pan American Games in 1963, and Rio de Janeiro hosted the 2007 Pan American Games|XV Pan American Games in 2007. On 2 October 2009, Rio de Janeiro was selected to host the 2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Olympic Games , the first to be held in South America"," The Guardian , 2 October 2009. and second in Latin America after Mexico.

In May 2010 Brazil launched TV Brasil Internacional , an international television station , initially broadcasting to 49 countries. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , former President of Brazil, described its aim as "presenting Brazil to the world."

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