| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
South America |
| Geographical Location |
10° 00' South Latitude
55° 00' West Longitude |
| Surface Area |
8,511,965 sq km |
| Climate |
Mostly tropical, but temperate in south |
| Natural Resources |
Bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber |
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| Political Information |
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| Country Name |
Federative Republic of Brazil |
| Capital City |
Brasilia |
| Government Type |
Federative republic |
| Administrative Divisions |
26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo,
Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul,
Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins |
| Independence Day |
7 September 1822 (from Portugal) |
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| Demographical Information |
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| Population |
186,112,794 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Brazilian |
| Ethnic Groups |
White (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish) 55%, mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 1% |
| Religion |
Roman Catholic (nominal) 80%, other 20% |
| Languages |
Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French |
| Population Growth Rate |
1.06% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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| Currency |
Real (BRL) |
| Industries |
Textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment |
| Labor Force |
89 million (2004 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
Agriculture 20%, industry 14%, services 66% (2003 est.) |
| Agriculture Products |
Coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef |
| Export Commodities |
Transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos |
| Export Partners |
US 21.2%, China 7.8%, Argentina 6%, Germany 5.1%, Netherlands 4.8% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products, oil |
| Import Partners |
US 22.4%, Germany 9.2%, Argentina 8.1%, China 5.5% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
29,412 km (1,567 km electrified) |
| Highways |
1,724,929 km |
| Pipelines |
Condensate/gas 244 km; gas 10,739 km; liquid petroleum gas 341 km; oil 5,212 km; refined products 4,755 km (2004) |
| Airports |
4,136 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Gebig, Itaqui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, San Sebasttiao, Santos, Sepetiba Terminal, Tubarao, Vitoria |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+55 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.br |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most populous country in South America,
Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers.
Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's
leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem. |
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