BRAZIL

Country Profile Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem. Disputes unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested dispute with Uruguay over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada boundary streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina Location Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean Coordinates 10° 0' S 55° 0' W Capital Brasilia Main Cities Belo Horizonte, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paolo Area 8511965 km2 Boundaries (km) 14,691 - Argentina 1,224, Bolivia 3,400, Colombia 1,643, French Guiana 673, Guyana 1,119, Paraguay 1,290, Peru 1,560, Suriname 597, Uruguay 985, Venezuela 2,200 Coastline (km) 7,491 Timezone (GMT) -1 to -4 Population 191,908,598 note: Brazil conducted a census in August 2000, which reported a population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.) Public Holidays Independence Day, 7 September (1822) Currency real (BRL) GDP $1.836 trillion (2007 est.) Main Exports transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos Climate mostly tropical, but temperate in south Natural Hazards recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south Physical Features Lake Patos (10,140 km2), Amazon river (6,570 km), Itatinga Falls, Pilao Falls, mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt Environmental Agreements party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Flag Country Map(s)

Population and Demographics

Brazil has a population of 191,908,598 note: Brazil conducted a census in August 2000, which reported a population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.) .

Capital	Brasilia
Main urban areas	Belo Horizonte, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paolo
Ethnic groups	white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish) 55%, mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 1%
Languages spoken	Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

Population age 0-14: 24.9% (m 24,391,338/f 23,454,418) 15-64: 68.7% (m 65,330,427/f 66,431,982) 65+: 6.4% (m 5,055,770/f 7,244,663) (2008 est.)
	0-14	15-64	65+
Gender ratios At birth: 1.05 m/f , 0-14: 1.04 m/f , 15-64: 0.98 m/f , 65+: 0.7 m/f Total population: 0.98 m/f (2008 est.)

Changing Population (Life expectancy, births, deaths and fertility)

The population growth rate for Brazil is 0.98% (2008 est.) (world growth rate at 2006 is 1.14%). The country also saw migration of -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.). The median age of the country is total: 29 years male: 28.3 years female: 29.8 years (2008 est.).

Note: on the graphs, world figures are represented by a red bar, figures for Brazil are illustrated with a green bar.

Life Expectancy:	Total population: 72.51 years Male: 68.57 years Female: 76.64 years (2008 est.)	[72.51] [64.77] [ Male:, m] [63.16, m] [, f] [66.47, f]
Fertility:	1.86 children born/woman (2008 est.)	[1.86] [2.59]
Births:	16.04 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)	[16.04] [20.05]
Deaths:	6.22 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)	[6.22] [8.67]
Infants:	Total: 26.67 deaths/1,000 live births Male: 30.28 deaths/1,000 live births Female: 22.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)	[26.67] [48.87] [30.28, m] [50.98, m] [22.89, f] [46.65, f]

Economic Data

Economy Overview

Characterized by large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil’s economy outweighs that of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence in world markets. Having weathered 2001-03 financial turmoil, capital inflows are regaining strength and the currency has resumed appreciating. The appreciation has slowed export volume growth, but since 2004, Brazil’s growth has yielded increases in employment and real wages. The resilience in the economy stems from commodity-driven current account surpluses, and sound macroeconomic policies that have bolstered international reserves to historically high levels, reduced public debt, and allowed a significant decline in real interest rates. A floating exchange rate, an inflation-targeting regime, and a tight fiscal policy are the three pillars of the economic program. From 2003 to 2007, Brazil ran record trade surpluses and recorded its first current account surpluses since 1992. Productivity gains coupled with high commodity prices contributed to the surge in exports. Brazil improved its debt profile in 2006 by shifting its debt burden toward real denominated and domestically held instruments. LULA DA SILVA restated his commitment to fiscal responsibility by maintaining the country’s primary surplus during the 2006 election. Following his second inauguration, LULA DA SILVA announced a package of further economic reforms to reduce taxes and increase investment in infrastructure. The government’s goal of achieving strong growth while reducing the debt burden is likely to create inflationary pressures.

Debt and Aid
Debt: $223.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Aid Given: N/A
Aid Received: $191.9 million (2005)

Labour Force
Number in labour force: 99.47 million (2007 est.)
Sectors: agriculture: 20% industry: 14% services: 66% (2003 est.)
Unemployment: 9.3% (2007 est.)

GDP Facts and Figures
Currency: real (BRL)
GDP: $1.836 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP Per Capita: $9,700 (2007 est.)
GDP Real Growth: 5.4% (2007 est.)
GDP Composition: agriculture: 5.5% industry: 28.7% services: 65.8% (2007 est.)
Production Growth Rate: 4.9% (2007 est.)

Industries, Land Use and Resource Consumption
Industries: textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment
Land use: arable land: 6.93% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.18% (2005)
Exports: transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos
Electricity Consumption: 368.5 billion kWh (2005)
Natural Gas Consumption: 17.85 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Oil Consumption: 2.1 million bbl/day (2006 est.)

Country Outline Map

Geographic Data
Brazil is located in Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, in the timezone GMT -1 to -4. The country has boundaries of 14,691 - Argentina 1,224, Bolivia 3,400, Colombia 1,643, French Guiana 673, Guyana 1,119, Paraguay 1,290, Peru 1,560, Suriname 597, Uruguay 985, Venezuela 2,200 (km), and a coastline of 7,491 (km). Major urban areas: Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paolo.

Elevations
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

Physical Features
Lake Patos (10,140 km2), Amazon river (6,570 km), Itatinga Falls, Pilao Falls, mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt

Hazards
Recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south

Climate
Mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Natural Resources
Bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

Land Use
Arable land: 6.93% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.18% (2005)

Renewable Water Resources
8,233 cu km (2000)

Fresh Water Withdrawal
total: 59.3 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%) per capita: 318 cu m/yr (2000)

Environmental Issues
Deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills

Detailed country map

Transport and Communications

A selection of key transport and communications information for Brazil

Number of main telephone lines
38.8 million (2006)

Mobile (cellular) phones
99.919 million (2006)

Radio stations
AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM stations) (1999)

Television stations
138 (1997)

Internet users
42.6 million (2006)

Country internet code
.br

Railways
total: 29,252 km broad gauge: 4,877 km 1.600-m gauge (939 km electrified) standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge narrow gauge: 23,785 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified) dual gauge: 396 km 1.000 m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km electrified) (2005)

Highways
total: 1,724,929 km paved: 94,871 km unpaved: 1,630,058 km (2000)

Waterways
50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2005)

Pipelines
condensate/gas 244 km; gas 10,739 km; liquid petroleum gas 341 km; oil 5,212 km; refined products 4,755 km (2004)

Ports and harbours
Gebig, Itaqui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, San Sebasttiao, Santos, Sepetiba Terminal, Tubarao, Vitoria

Airports
4,263 (2007)

Heliports
16 (2007)