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Background Note: Brazil
PROFILE
OFFICIAL NAME:
Federative
Republic of Brazil
Geography
Area: 8,511,965 sq. km. (3,290,000 sq. mi.); slightly
smaller than the U.S.
Cities: Capital--Brasilia (pop. 2.3 million). Other
cities--Sao Paulo (10.8 million), Rio de Janeiro (6.1
million), Belo Horizonte (2.4 million), Salvador (2.6 million),
Fortaleza (2.3 million), Recife (1.5 million), Porto Alegre (1.4
million), Curitiba (1.7 million).
Terrain: Dense forests in northern regions including Amazon
Basin; semiarid along northeast coast; mountains, hills, and
rolling plains in the southwest, including Mato Grosso; and
coastal lowland.
Climate: Mostly tropical or semitropical with temperate zone in
the south.
People
Nationality: Brazilian.
Population (2005 est.): 186 million.
Annual growth rate: 1.1%.
Ethnic groups: Portuguese, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese,
Arab, African, and indigenous people.
Religion: Roman Catholic (74%).
Language: Portuguese.
Education: Literacy--86% of adult population.
Health: Infant mortality rate--27.5/1,000. Life
expectancy--71.3 yrs.
Work force: 90.4 million.
Government
Type: Federative republic.
Independence: September 7, 1822.
Constitution: Promulgated October 5, 1988.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state and head
of government popularly elected to no more than two 4-year
terms). Legislative--Senate (81 members popularly elected
to 8-year terms), Chamber of Deputies (513 members popularly
elected to 4-year terms). Judicial--Supreme Federal
Tribunal (11 lifetime positions appointed by the president).
Political parties: Workers' Party (PT), Brazilian Democratic
Movement Party (PMDB), Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB),
Liberal Front Party (PFL), Social Democratic Party (PSD),
Democratic Workers Party (PDT), Brazilian Labor Party (PTB),
Liberal Party (PL), Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), Communist
Party of Brazil (PC do B), Brazilian Progressive Party (PP).
Popular Socialist Party (PPS), Green Party (PV), the Social
Liberal Party (PSL), the National Mobilization Party (PMN),
National Workers Party (PTN), Humanistic Solidarity Party (PHS),
and the Party of the Reedification of the National Order (PRONA).
Economy (2005)
GDP: $619.7 billion (official exchange rate).
GDP: $1.579 trillion (purchasing power parity)
Annual real growth: 2.4%.
Per capita GDP: $8,400 (purchasing power parity).
Natural resources: Iron ore, manganese, bauxite, nickel,
uranium, gemstones, oil, wood, and aluminum. Brazil has 14% of
the world's renewable fresh water.
Agriculture (10% of GDP): Products--coffee, soybeans,
sugarcane, cocoa, rice, livestock, corn, oranges, cotton, wheat,
and tobacco.
Industry (39% of GDP): Types--steel, commercial aircraft,
chemicals, petrochemicals, footwear, machinery, motors,
vehicles, auto parts, consumer durables, cement, and lumber.
Services (51% of GDP): Types--mail, telecommunications,
banking, energy, commerce, and computing.
Trade: Trade balance 2005--$44 billion surplus.
Exports--$118 billion. Major markets--European Union
25.0%, United States 21.1%, and Mercosur 20.4%. Imports--$62.8
billion. Major suppliers--European Union 25.4%, United
States 21.2%, Argentina 7.6%, and China 5.6%.
PEOPLE AND HISTORY
With its estimated 186 million inhabitants, Brazil has the
largest population in Latin America and ranks fifth in the
world. The majority of people live in the south-central area,
which includes the industrial cities of Sao Paulo, Rio de
Janeiro, and Belo Horizonte. Urban growth has been rapid; by
2005, 81% of the total population was living in urban areas.
This growth has aided economic development but also has created
serious social, security, environmental, and political problems
for major cities.
Six major groups make up the Brazilian
population: the Portuguese, who colonized Brazil in the 16th
century; Africans brought to Brazil as slaves; various other
European, Middle Eastern, and Asian immigrant groups who have
settled in Brazil since the mid-19th century; and indigenous
peoples of Tupi and Guarani language stock. Intermarriage
between the Portuguese and indigenous people or slaves was
common. Although the major European ethnic stock of Brazil was
originally Portuguese, subsequent waves of immigration have
contributed to a diverse ethnic and cultural heritage. |