Brazil

The Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is a country located in South America.

It is considered the 5th country in territorial extension, owner of one of the greatest biodiversity on the planet and whose economy is the eighth in the world (2017).

Data from Brazil

• Official name :Federative Republic of Brazil
• Shape eGovernment System :Presidential Republic
• Capital :Brasilia
• Territorial division :26 states and 1 Federal District
• Area :8,516,000 km ²
• Population :209.3 million (2017)
• GDP :$2.056 trillion (2017)
• Currency :Real
• Official Language :Portuguese and Pounds
• Head of Government and State :Jair Bolsonaro (since January 1, 2019)

Important Dates

• Independence :September 7, 1822 (197 years old)
• Proclamation of the Republic :November 15, 1889 (130 years old)

Location of Brazil

Brazil is located in South America and shares borders with all countries on the continent except Chile and Ecuador. It is the largest country on the continent and occupies 47% of the territory.

Located in the southern hemisphere, the country is crossed by the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn.

Brazil is bathed by the Atlantic Ocean and its maritime border extends 22 km (12 nautical miles) from the coast.

Learn more about the Brazilian territory.

Brazil flag

The current flag of Brazil was made official on November 19, 1889 by the republican regime. It was inspired by the imperial flag and kept its main colors like green and yellow.

The imperial coat of arms was replaced by a blue disc, representing the starry sky and a banner with the words "Order and Progress ".

The national pavilion was created by Raimundo Teixeira Mendes, with the contribution of the philosopher Miguel Lemos, the painter Décio Villares and the astronomer Manuel Pereira Reis.

States of Brazil

The Brazilian territory is divided into 26 states and 1 Federal District.

Check the name of the states, acronyms and capitals below:

1. Acre (AC) - Rio Branco
2. Alagoas (AL) - Maceió
3. Amapá (AP) - Macapá
4. Amazonas (AM) - Manaus
5. Bahia (BA) - Salvador
6. Ceará (CE) - Fortaleza
7. Federal District (DF) - Brasília
8. Espírito Santo (ES) - Vitória
9. Goiás (GO) - Goiânia
10. Maranhão (MA) - São Luís
11. Mato Grosso (MT) - Cuiabá
12. Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) - Campo Grande
13. Minas Gerais (MG) - Belo Horizonte
14. Pará (PA) - Belém
15. Paraíba (PB) - João Pessoa
16. Paraná (PR) - Curitiba
17. Pernambuco (PE) - Recife
18. Piauí (PI) - Teresina
19. Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Rio de Janeiro
20. Rio Grande do Norte (RN) - Natal
21. Rio Grande do Sul (RS) - Porto Alegre
22. Rondônia (RO) - Porto Velho
23. Roraima (RR) - Boa Vista
24. Santa Catarina (SC) - Florianópolis
25. São Paulo (SP) - São Paulo
26. Sergipe (SE) - Aracaju
27. Tocantins (TO) - Palmas

Government of Brazil

Brazil has a presidential and bicameral government system.

Executive Power

Executive power is exercised by the President of the Republic who is the Head of State and Head of Government. The representative is chosen through direct elections for a term of four years.

In the states, the executive power is exercised by the governor and in the city, by the mayor. Both are elected through direct elections, with a secret ballot and for a term of four years.

Legislative Power

The Brazilian Legislative Power, at the federal level, is formed by two chambers:Deputies and Senators.

In states and cities there is only one legislative chamber. At the state level, there is the Chamber of Deputies, where state deputies legislate, and, in the municipalities, the Chamber of Councilors.

Judicial Power

The Judiciary is exercised at the federal and state level by judges, who work in both ordinary and special justice. This comprises Labor Justice, Electoral Justice and Military Justice.

Unlike members of the Executive and Legislative branches, members of the Judiciary are not elected by the population to the position.

To be a judge, the candidate must have a degree in Law and have passed a public contest. After two years as a magistrate, the position becomes lifelong.

Brazil's Economy

Brazil's economy is extremely diversified encompassing the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors.

Brazil is a major exporter of agricultural products such as citrus fruits, soybeans and meat. Likewise, it stands out in the area of ​​mineral and plant extraction.

The industrial activity is made up of the petrochemical, aeronautical and fertilizer sectors, as well as a significant footwear and clothing industry.

Learn more about the topic :

• Brazilian economy
• Agriculture in Brazil
• Industrialization in Brazil

History of Brazil

The history of Brazil is divided into three major phases:colonial, empire and republic.

Colonial Brazil

The period of colonial Brazil's history is considered to begin on April 22, 1500 with the arrival of Pedro Álvares Cabral's fleet and end with the elevation of Brazil to the category of the United Kingdom.

Some historians, however, claim that this period only ends with independence on September 7, 1822.

For three hundred years, the indigenous people who lived here underwent a radical change in their way of life with the arrival and installation of the Portuguese.

Then the colonists brought the Africans to be enslaved and to work on the sugar cane plantations. This activity was developed mainly in the Brazilian northeast, but there were crops installed in other parts of the territory.

Also at this time, the activity of the pioneers can be observed, groups of people who organized themselves and set out on expeditions through the interior in search of Indians to enslave them, for gold and precious stones.

Gold in Minas Gerais

The discovery of gold in Minas Gerais meant the shift of economic activity to the Southeast.

The capital was transferred from Salvador to Rio de Janeiro in order to improve control of the precious metal leaving Portugal.

Likewise, there are some uprisings against Portuguese authority. In 1789, the conspiracy known as Inconfidência Mineira is recorded and, in 1798, the Conjuração Baiana.

Brazil Empire

The stage of the imperial history of Brazil begins with the proclamation of Independence by Dom Pedro who will become the first emperor of the country.

However, without getting support for his political project and fearful of losing the Portuguese choir, Dom Pedro I ends up abdicating the throne to his son.

Then follows the Regency Period, where the government was administered by regents. This stage is characterized by political struggles and revolts in several Brazilian provinces.

Second Reign

The Second Reign begins when Dom Pedro II comes of age early and assumes the throne of the empire of Brazil.

A period of relative domestic political calm and economic prosperity ensued due to the profits brought in from growing coffee.

The great discussion about the abolition of slavery in Brazil begins, which will be the cause of the overthrow of the monarchy.

Brazil Republic

The republican regime is installed in Brazil through a coup orchestrated by the Army and the coffee elite.

At first, the republic was not well accepted by the population, as evidenced by the numerous uprisings such as the Canudos War, the Contestado War or even the Vaccine Revolt.

The republican period, in force until today, is marked by the rupture of the democratic order in occasions such as the Vargas Era and the Military Dictatorship.

Brazilian climates

Brazil is located between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn. In this way, it is located in the tropical zone where the climate is hot and humid.

The Brazilian climate is divided into six major types:

Brazil's Biomes

According to the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), Brazil has six major biomes.

Learn more about the topic :

• Brazilian Vegetation
• Geography of Brazil
• Brazilian relief

Brazilian Culture

The culture of Brazil is the result of the mixture of Portuguese, indigenous, African, Italian, Japanese, German, etc. traditions. Added to this are the religious festivals typical of Catholicism and African celebrations in honor of the orixás.

There are well-marked regional characteristics reflected in celebrations such as Festa da Uva, in Rio Grande do Sul and Marujada, in Pará. However, we can find a taste for music throughout the territory, the use of beans in the preparation of various dishes and rhythms such as samba and forró.

Likewise, the dissemination of various Amazonian indigenous legends contributed to the development of a common culture for all Brazilians.

Tourism of Brazil

Brazil has enormous potential for tourism due to its natural resources and cultural offer.

The country receives around 6 million foreign visitors a year and has significant domestic tourism around culture, religious and cultural festivals such as Carnival and June Festivals.

The most visited cities in Brazil are Rio de Janeiro, Florianópolis, Foz do Iguaçu, São Paulo, Salvador, Gramado, Natal, Porto Seguro, Caldas Novas, Fortaleza.

Fun facts about Brazil

• Largest river :Amazon River (6992.06 km)
• Highest Point :Pico da Neblina/AM with 2,993.8 meters
• Highest State :Amazonas (1 559 146,876 km ² )
• Lowest status :Sergipe (21,910 km ² )
• Most populous city :Sao Paulo/SP
• Oldest city :Sao Vicente/SP

See also :The History of Brazil