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The Federative Republic of Brazil, known commonly as Brazil, is a country in South America. Brazil is by far the largest country in South America. The country covers nearly half the continent and is only slightly smaller than the US, with an area of just over 8.5 million square kilometres. It shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador. Almost ninety percent of Brazil's electricity is generated from hydropower, about six percent from fossil fuels and six percent from nuclear power.
Brazil is also home to a diversity of wildlife, natural environments, and extensive natural resources in a variety of protected habitats.
This overview is written based on the latest information available during the time of writing, thus it is subject to revision without prior knowledge or notice.
Official Name: Known officially as the Federative Republic of Brazil, or commonly Brazil.
Capital city: Brasilia is the Capital city of Brazil, is located in the southeastern part of the country. It was inaugurated on April 22nd 1960, in the central area of the country. Brasilia is the city that hosts the headquarters of many Brazilian companies. The city is a world reference for urban planning.
Location: Brazil is located in the Eastern part of South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean.
Size: The total land area of Brazil is 8.51 million square kilometers and this ranks 11th globally. The size is slightly smaller than the US.
Climate: Brazil’s climate varies according to latitude and elevation. Seasons are opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere; winter is from June to September and summer is from November to March. On average, the temperature during summer ranges from 25 to 40°C (75~100°F).
Population: Brazil has an estimated population of 198.7 million people. This ranks the 6th highest globally. There is a population growth rate of 1.2%.
Life expectancy at birth: The average life expectancy at birth for Brazil is 71.99 years, ranking at 121st globally. Females have a longer average life span at 75.73 years, while Males average at 68.43 years from birth.
Prevalence of HIV/AIDS: The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Brazil is approximately 0.6%, placing 66th globally. This means that around 730,000 people are living with the disease in the country.
Major illnesses: The risk of major infectious disease in Brazil is intermediate. In Brazil, being a tropical country, nearly all major illnesses are carried and transmitted by mosquitoes. Major serious diseases include Malaria, Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever and Rabies.
Ethnic Groups: Brazil comprises of mainly white at 53.7% of the population. Other ethnic groups include Mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black 6.2%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9% and unspecified 0.7%.
Languages: The official and most widely spoken language in Brazil is Portuguese. Other languages which are less common include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor Amerindian languages.
Religion:There are various religions in Brazil. The major religion is Roman Catholic at 73.6%. Other religions include Protestant at 15.4%, Spiritualist at 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2% and none at 7.4%.
Government: The Government of Brazil is a federal republic. It consists of 26 states and a federal district. The 1988 constitution grants broad powers to the federal government, made up of executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
All members of the executive and legislative branches are directly elected. Judges and other judicial officials are appointed after passing entry exams. The president holds office for 4 years, with the right to re-election for an additional 4-year term and appoints his own cabinet.
Head of State: The Head of State is President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, whom is elected by popular vote for a single four-year term with the possibility of re-election for a second successive term.
Head of Government: The Head of Government is President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The president is both the Head of State and Head of Government.
Military: The Brazil Miltary is divided into three branches namely Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes Naval Air and Marine Corps) and Brazilian Air Force. The suitable age for compulsory military service is between 21-45 years’ old, service obligation is about 9 to 12 months. Voluntary service is also welcome for the age group of 17-45.
Economy: Brazil has the largest economy in South America and ranks as the ninth largest economy in the world. Income distribution is highly unequal, poverty affects more than one-third of the total population. One of the contributing factors is unequal land distribution; nearly half of all private lands are owned by only 1 percent of the people.
Brazil is self-sufficient in both food and consumer goods. Agriculture employs about 30 percent of the population. Brazil is the world's largest producer of coffee, oranges, and bananas. It is also a major producer of soybeans, corn, cocoa, beef, pork, and rice. Most of Brazil's sugarcane is used to produce ethyl alcohol, acting as a fuel used in more than 1.5 million Brazilian cars.
The industrial sector exports automobiles and parts, textiles, minerals, iron ore, steel, and metals; other industries include cement and chemicals. Natural resources include gold, nickel, tin, timber, and oil. Most of the country’s electric power is generated by hydroelectric dams. Brazil is a member of Mercado Común del Sur, a regional free-trade agreement formed among Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
GDP: Brazil has a purchasing power parity of US$1.99 trillion, ranking at 10th in the world. The official growth rate is about 5.2%, which ranks 81st globally.
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