MONGABAY.COM
Mongabay.com seeks to raise interest in and appreciation of wild lands and wildlife, while examining the impact of emerging trends in climate, technology, economics, and finance on conservation and development (more)
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
|
|
Brazil Index
The Penal Code has been amended considerably since its adoption in 1940 as a replacement for an older code. The Penal Code has two sections. The first distinguishes between felonies and misdemeanors and outlines the individual citizen's responsibilities under the law. The 1988 constitution proscribes capital punishment, except in case of war. The second section defines criminal behavior more comprehensively, spelling out crimes against persons, property, custom, public welfare, and public trust. Misdemeanors are also defined.
In addition to the power arising from judicial warrant, decree laws empower the police to make arrests. These decree laws provide that any member of the public may, and the police must, arrest anyone found in flagrante delicto. The privilege of not being subject to arrest unless caught in the act of commiting a crime or by judicial warrant derives from the 1891 constitution and has been included in subsequent versions. Article 5 of the 1988 constitution states: "No one shall be arrested except in the act of committing a crime or by written and substantiated order of a proper judicial authority." It states further that an arrest must be communicated immediately to a judge who, if he or she finds the arrest to be illegal, must order the release of the arrestee. In practice, there have been many violations of the constitutional guarantees, particularly in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The process of bringing violators or suspected violators of the law to justice usually begins in one of three ways. The first and most simple occurs in cases of flagrante delicto. The second method is followed when illegal activity is uncovered during routine investigative work, after which a judge issues a warrant for the persons involved and arrests are made. The third method involves complaints from private citizens that, if borne out by evidence or otherwise deemed reasonable, result in the issuance of a warrant.
The handling of arrestees varies according to the nature of the crime, the nature of the charges, and the social status of the accused. An arrestee who holds a university degree cannot be held in a cell with those of a lower educational status, but has the right to a special cell and privileged treatment. Felonies that are punishable by imprisonment and for which the arrestee must be detained require thorough investigation followed by trial in an appropriate court. Offenses punishable by ordinary confinement of thirty days or less, or by small fines, usually are disposed of quickly at the lowest court level possible. A judge may direct that a prisoner be held in custody pending a preliminary hearing, or the judge may allow bail depending on the severity of the case. Prisoners may also be released on writs of habeas corpus.
According to law, within twenty-four hours of arrest, a prisoner must be given a copy of the complaint, signed by an authority and containing not only the details of the charge or charges but also the names of accusers and witnesses. To comply with these provisions, the police immediately must initiate an investigation; they must visit the scene of the incident, collect available evidence, interrogate witnesses, and compile a coherent account of what actually occurred. This information is presented as a police report to a judge, who then sets a date for a hearing.
The first step in the legal process is a hearing, popularly known as an instruction session, to identify the parties involved and to determine whether a punishable offense occurred. Except for misdemeanors, the instruction session is not a trial but rather a hearing at which both the prosecution and the defense are heard in presentation, rebuttal, and final argument. If the offense is a misdemeanor, the judge is permitted to turn the proceeding into a summary court and pronounce sentence. If the case involves a felony, no judgment is possible at the instruction session. If the judge believes that there is evidence of probable guilt, the accused is indicted and a trial date is set.
There are constant tensions between the Civil Police and the Military Police in most states, and sometimes these forces get involved in shootouts. The Military Police are under the jurisdiction of special police courts, which are independent of ordinary courts. The courts consist of five judges--one civilian and four ranking Military Police officials. Congressional legislation that would place the Military Police under ordinary courts remained stalled in 1995.
According to Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1994
, "The Military Police courts . . . are overloaded, seldom conduct rigorous investigations of fellow officers, and rarely convict them. The separate system of state Military Police courts creates a climate of impunity for police elements involved in extrajudicial killings or abuse of prisoners, which is the single largest obstacle to altering police behavior to eliminate such abuses." Punishment remains the exception rather than the rule.
Various studies have supported the United States Department of State's conclusions. One study of police crimes against civilians in the Northeast, between 1970 and 1991, found that only 8 percent of the cases resulted in convictions. A separate study in São Paulo found that only 5 percent of similar crimes resulted in convictions.
In his first year as president, Fernando Henrique Cardoso sought to address some of the human rights violations in Brazil by unveiling a national human rights plan and creating a division within the Federal Police tasked with investigating human rights abuses. In April 1995, Cardoso established an interministerial commission to address the problem of forced labor. In addition, Cardoso sought to compensate the families of those who were killed by state-sponsored agents during military rule. Separately the federal Chamber of Deputies created a Human Rights Commission within the Chamber of Deputies.
The 1988 constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest or detention, limiting arrests to those caught in the act of committing a crime and those arrested by order of a judicial authority. Temporary detention is allowed for up to five days, under exceptional circumstances. Judges are permitted to extend that period. In practice, police sometimes detain street youths without judicial authority.
Data as of April 1997
There are few reliable statistics on the incidence of crime in Brazil. The United States Department of State, in its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1995
, concluded that "A high crime rate, a failure to apprehend most criminals, and an inept criminal justice system all contribute to public acquiescence in police brutality and killings of criminal suspects. Acts of intimidation, including death threats against witnesses, prosecutors, judges, and human rights monitors, often hindered investigation into these incidents." Intimidation seems to be most prevalent in the rural areas of the North and Northeast, where large landowners often threaten police, judges, lawyers, and reporters.
The skewed distribution of income in Brazil (one of the most unequal in the world) may be partially responsible for an endemic and increasing problem of nonpolitical crime. Since returning to civilian government, Brazil has experienced a dramatic increase in the level of crime. In 1992 Brazil's homicide rate of 37.5 per 100,000 residents surpassed that of the United States, with 22.76 per 100,000. Rio de Janeiro registered 4,253 murders in 1993, up from 3,545 in 1992. Rio de Janeiro had seventy-two murders per 100,000 residents in 1993, compared with thirty per 100,000 in New York City. Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro State spending on security dropped from 15 percent of the state budget in 1984 to 8 percent in 1994.
As discussed earlier in this chapter, the rapid increase in the level of drug trafficking in Brazil raises numerous security issues. One has to do with the very control of national territory, as drug traffickers operate in the vast expanses of the Amazon and other regions. Indeed the threat of drug trafficking was used to justify the costly Sivam (Amazon Region Surveillance System) project. A second issue has to do with state control of entire favelas in Rio de Janeiro and possibly in other cities, where drug traffickers have a virtual monopoly over force. A third issue is that of potential corruption of the security forces, at all levels.
The shortcomings of the judicial system lead the public to tolerate vigilantism, in the form of lynching of suspected criminals. In Bahia State, for example, eighty-four documented cases of lynching occurred in 1993. In at least one case, the lynching occurred while the police watched.
Penal Code
The Penal Code has been amended considerably since its adoption in 1940 as a replacement for an older code. The Penal Code has two sections. The first distinguishes between felonies and misdemeanors and outlines the individual citizen's responsibilities under the law. The 1988 constitution proscribes capital punishment, except in case of war. The second section defines criminal behavior more comprehensively, spelling out crimes against persons, property, custom, public welfare, and public trust. Misdemeanors are also defined.
In addition to the power arising from judicial warrant, decree laws empower the police to make arrests. These decree laws provide that any member of the public may, and the police must, arrest anyone found in flagrante delicto. The privilege of not being subject to arrest unless caught in the act of commiting a crime or by judicial warrant derives from the 1891 constitution and has been included in subsequent versions. Article 5 of the 1988 constitution states: "No one shall be arrested except in the act of committing a crime or by written and substantiated order of a proper judicial authority." It states further that an arrest must be communicated immediately to a judge who, if he or she finds the arrest to be illegal, must order the release of the arrestee. In practice, there have been many violations of the constitutional guarantees, particularly in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The process of bringing violators or suspected violators of the law to justice usually begins in one of three ways. The first and most simple occurs in cases of flagrante delicto. The second method is followed when illegal activity is uncovered during routine investigative work, after which a judge issues a warrant for the persons involved and arrests are made. The third method involves complaints from private citizens that, if borne out by evidence or otherwise deemed reasonable, result in the issuance of a warrant.
The handling of arrestees varies according to the nature of the crime, the nature of the charges, and the social status of the accused. An arrestee who holds a university degree cannot be held in a cell with those of a lower educational status, but has the right to a special cell and privileged treatment. Felonies that are punishable by imprisonment and for which the arrestee must be detained require thorough investigation followed by trial in an appropriate court. Offenses punishable by ordinary confinement of thirty days or less, or by small fines, usually are disposed of quickly at the lowest court level possible. A judge may direct that a prisoner be held in custody pending a preliminary hearing, or the judge may allow bail depending on the severity of the case. Prisoners may also be released on writs of habeas corpus.
According to law, within twenty-four hours of arrest, a prisoner must be given a copy of the complaint, signed by an authority and containing not only the details of the charge or charges but also the names of accusers and witnesses. To comply with these provisions, the police immediately must initiate an investigation; they must visit the scene of the incident, collect available evidence, interrogate witnesses, and compile a coherent account of what actually occurred. This information is presented as a police report to a judge, who then sets a date for a hearing.
The first step in the legal process is a hearing, popularly known as an instruction session, to identify the parties involved and to determine whether a punishable offense occurred. Except for misdemeanors, the instruction session is not a trial but rather a hearing at which both the prosecution and the defense are heard in presentation, rebuttal, and final argument. If the offense is a misdemeanor, the judge is permitted to turn the proceeding into a summary court and pronounce sentence. If the case involves a felony, no judgment is possible at the instruction session. If the judge believes that there is evidence of probable guilt, the accused is indicted and a trial date is set.
There are constant tensions between the Civil Police and the Military Police in most states, and sometimes these forces get involved in shootouts. The Military Police are under the jurisdiction of special police courts, which are independent of ordinary courts. The courts consist of five judges--one civilian and four ranking Military Police officials. Congressional legislation that would place the Military Police under ordinary courts remained stalled in 1995.
According to Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1994
, "The Military Police courts . . . are overloaded, seldom conduct rigorous investigations of fellow officers, and rarely convict them. The separate system of state Military Police courts creates a climate of impunity for police elements involved in extrajudicial killings or abuse of prisoners, which is the single largest obstacle to altering police behavior to eliminate such abuses." Punishment remains the exception rather than the rule.
Various studies have supported the United States Department of State's conclusions. One study of police crimes against civilians in the Northeast, between 1970 and 1991, found that only 8 percent of the cases resulted in convictions. A separate study in São Paulo found that only 5 percent of similar crimes resulted in convictions.
In his first year as president, Fernando Henrique Cardoso sought to address some of the human rights violations in Brazil by unveiling a national human rights plan and creating a division within the Federal Police tasked with investigating human rights abuses. In April 1995, Cardoso established an interministerial commission to address the problem of forced labor. In addition, Cardoso sought to compensate the families of those who were killed by state-sponsored agents during military rule. Separately the federal Chamber of Deputies created a Human Rights Commission within the Chamber of Deputies.
The 1988 constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest or detention, limiting arrests to those caught in the act of committing a crime and those arrested by order of a judicial authority. Temporary detention is allowed for up to five days, under exceptional circumstances. Judges are permitted to extend that period. In practice, police sometimes detain street youths without judicial authority.
Data as of April 1997
- Brazil-Brazil and International Conflicts, 1917-95
- Brazil-Women in Politics
- Brazil-State and Local Governments
- Brazil-The Political Party System
- Brazil-The Second Empire, 1840-89 The Regency Era, 1831-40
- Brazil-The Presidential Election of 1989 Elections
- Brazil-Growth of Social and Environmental Movements Conflict and Nonviolence
- Brazil-Chapter 2 - The Society and Its Environment
- Brazil-The Physical Setting
- Brazil-The Services Sector Nuclear Power
- Brazil-Brazil's Real Plan
- Brazil-Civil-Military Relations, 1985-94
- Brazil-The Military Republic, 1964-85
- Brazil-Trade Patterns and Regional Economic Integration
- Brazil-Defense Expenditures
- Brazil-Organization of the Armed Forces
- Brazil-The 1981-84 Period
- Brazil-Transportation and Communications
- Brazil-Cardoso's Presidency, 1995
- Brazil-Multilateral Relations Foreign Policy Decision Making
- Brazil-Cultural Unity and Diversity
- Brazil-Rural Groups
- Brazil-Missile Programs
- Brazil-Mass Communications Language
- Brazil-The Elderly Youth
- Brazil-Social Security Public Health and Welfare
- Brazil-Economic Outlook
- Brazil-Emperor Pedro I, 1822-31 The Empire, 1822-89
- Brazil-Fiscal Trends in the 1980s Fiscal and Monetary Policy, the Public Sector, and Inflation
- Brazil-Table A - Selected Acronyms and Abbreviations
- Brazil-The Post-Vargas Republic, 1954-64
- Brazil-Science and Technology as Modernization, 1945-64 The Search for Alternatives
- Brazil-Brazil
- Brazil-Ranks, Uniforms, and Insignia Conscription
- Brazil-Democratic Labor Party
- Brazil-Literacy Education
- Brazil-The Legislature
- Brazil-National Security
- Brazil-Family and Kinship
- Brazil-Religion
- Brazil-Federal Police Security Forces
- Brazil-Migration and Urbanization
- Brazil-Social Structure
- Brazil-Country
- Brazil-Geography
- Brazil-Employment and Earnings
- Brazil-Penal Institutions
- Brazil-Toward the Future
- Brazil-Minor Parties in Congress
- Brazil-The Environment Center-West
- Brazil-Nuclear Programs
- Brazil-Society
- Brazil-Airports
- Brazil-The 1990-94 Period
- Brazil-The Labor Force and Income Levels
- Brazil-The Judiciary
- Brazil-The Era of Getúlio Vargas, 1930-54
- Brazil-Preface
- Brazil-Fishing Livestock
- Brazil-Housing Sanitation and Public Utilities
- Brazil-Energy
- Brazil-The Colonial Era, 1500-1815
- Brazil-The Indigenous Population
- Brazil-Amerindians Race and Ethnicity
- Brazil-Principal Research Libraries
- Brazil-Social Conflict and Participation
- Brazil-Population Size and Distribution Population
- Brazil-Mining Industry
- Brazil-Science for Industrial Competitiveness
- Brazil-The Computer Industry Policy
- Brazil-Africa The Middle East
- Brazil-Chapter 1 - Historical Setting
- Brazil-Party of National Reconstruction
- Brazil-General Elections, 1994
- Brazil-University Research and Graduate Education Research and Development
- Brazil-Chapter 5 - National Security
- Brazil-Inland Waterways
- Brazil-Women in the Armed Forces Officer Recruitment
- Brazil-Indicators of Health Health Status and Health Care
- Brazil-Stagnation, Inflation, and Crisis, 1981-94 Growth with Debt, 1974-80
- Brazil-Applied Science in Agriculture and Health Imperial Science
- Brazil-Telecommunications
- Brazil-Other Activities by the Federal Government The Coordination of High-Level Personnel Training
- Brazil-Air Force
- Brazil-Personnel and Training
- Brazil-Agriculture Structure of Production
- Brazil-Colleges and Universities Primary and Secondary Schools
- Brazil-The Foreign Service Foreign Relations
- Brazil-Railroads
- Brazil-The Brazilian Way
- Brazil-Constitutional Framework
- Brazil-Brazilian Communist Party
- Brazil-Franco's Presidency, 1992-94 Collor de Mello's Presidency, 1990-92
- Brazil-The Internal Security Mission, 1964-85 From Moderator to Director, 1930-85
- Brazil-Liberal Front Party
- Brazil-The Lobbying Process Interest Groups
- Brazil-Acknowledgments
- Brazil-Soils and Vegetation
- Brazil-Government and Politics
- Brazil-Chapter 6 - Science and Technology
- Brazil-Colonial Science Historical Evolution
- Brazil-Exchange-Rate and Balance of Payments Policies
- Brazil-Privatization
- Brazil-Interest Group Politics
- Brazil-Municipal Elections, 1996
- Brazil-Foreword
- Brazil-Europe Latin America
- Brazil-Education and Training
- Brazil-Early Colonization
- Brazil-Stagnation and Spectacular Growth, 1962-80 Import-Substitution Industrialization, 1945-64
- Brazil-Inequality and Poverty Earnings
- Brazil-Army Command and Control
- Brazil-Defense Industries
- Brazil-Mission of the Armed Forces
- Brazil-Table B - Chronology of Important Events
- Brazil-Stagnation, 1962-67
- Brazil-Civic Action The Military Role in Counter-Drug Actions
- Brazil
- Brazil-Trade Policies
- Brazil-Gold Mining Displaces Cane Farming French and Dutch Incursions
- Brazil-The Ministry of Science and Technology Administration of Science and Technology
- Brazil-Early History The Military Role in Society and Government
- Brazil-The Electoral System
- Brazil-Crime and Punishment
- Brazil-State Police
- Brazil
- Brazil-United States Asia
- Brazil-Foreign Military Influence
- Brazil-The Military Role in the Intelligence Services
- Brazil-Technological Research in the Private Sector Research in State-Owned Corporations
- Brazil-Chapter 3 - The Economy
- Brazil-Historical Background and Economic Growth
- Brazil-Capital Flows and the External Debt Exchange Rates and Foreign Trade
- Brazil
- Brazil-The Strategic Affairs Secretariat, 1990-94 The National Intelligence Service, 1964-90
- Brazil-The Military in the Amazon The Military Mission since 1988
- Brazil
- Brazil
- Brazil-Sociology of the Officer Corps
- Brazil
- Brazil-The São Paulo Science and Technology System Science and Technology in the States
- Brazil-Major Parties in Congress Historical Origins and Evolution
- Brazil
- Brazil-Fertility Mortality
- Brazil
- Brazil-The Funding Authority for Studies and Projects National Council for Scientific and Technological Development
- Brazil
- Brazil-Party Legislation Regional Strength of the Parties
- Brazil-Country Profile
- Brazil-Gender Social Classes
- Brazil-The Kingdom of Portugal and Brazil, 1815-21
- Brazil-The Transition to Kingdom Status
- Brazil-North
- Brazil-Brazilian Social Democracy Party
- Brazil-Chapter 4 - Government and Politics
- Brazil
- Brazil-Political Culture
- Brazil
- Brazil-The Economy at Independence, 1822 The Eighteenth-Century Gold Rush
- Brazil-Navy
- Brazil-Other Religions Roman Catholicism
- Brazil-The Colonial Period
- Brazil-The Executive Structure of Government
- Brazil-Geographic Regions Climate
- Brazil-A Period of Sweeping Change, 1930-45 The Coffee Economy, 1840-1930
- Brazil-The Space Program
- Brazil-Progressive Renewal Party
- Brazil-Inclusion and Exclusion
- Brazil-Municipal Elections, 1992 Congressional and State Elections, 1990
- Brazil-Southeast
- Brazil-Frontier Expansion That Shaped Brazil
- Brazil-The Media
- Brazil-Policy Perspectives Centers of Excellence
- Brazil
- Brazil-Petroleum
|
Background | | Following more than three centuries under Portuguese rule, Brazil peacefully gained its independence in 1822, maintaining a monarchical system of government until the abolition of slavery in 1888 and the subsequent proclamation of a republic by the military in 1889. Brazilian coffee exporters politically dominated the country until populist leader Getulio VARGAS rose to power in 1930. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil underwent more than half a century of populist and military government until 1985, when 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 and crime remain pressing problems.
|
|
Location | | Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean
|
|
Area(sq km) | | total: 8,514,877 sq km
land: 8,459,417 sq km
water: 55,460 sq km
note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo
|
|
Geographic coordinates | | 10 00 S, 55 00 W
|
|
Land boundaries(km) | | total: 16,885 km
border countries: Argentina 1,261 km, Bolivia 3,423 km, Colombia 1,644 km, French Guiana 730 km, Guyana 1,606 km, Paraguay 1,365 km, Peru 2,995 km, Suriname 593 km, Uruguay 1,068 km, Venezuela 2,200 km
|
|
Coastline(km) | | 7,491 km
|
|
Climate | | mostly tropical, but temperate in south
|
|
Elevation extremes(m) | | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m
|
|
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)
|
|
Irrigated land(sq km) | | 29,200 sq km (2003)
|
|
Total renewable water resources(cu km) | | 8,233 cu km (2000)
|
|
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) | | total: 59.3 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%)
per capita: 318 cu m/yr (2000)
|
|
Natural hazards | | recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south
|
|
Environment - current 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
|
|
Environment - international 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
|
|
Geography - note | | largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador
|
|
Population | | 198,739,269
note: Brazil conducted a census in August 2000, which reported a population of 169,872,855; that figure was about 3.8% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census (July 2009 est.)
|
|
Age structure(%) | | 0-14 years: 26.7% (male 27,092,880/female 26,062,244)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 65,804,108/female 67,047,725)
65 years and over: 6.4% (male 5,374,230/female 7,358,082) (2009 est.)
|
|
Median age(years) | | total: 28.6 years
male: 27.8 years
female: 29.3 years (2009 est.)
|
|
Population growth rate(%) | | 1.199% (2009 est.)
|
|
Birth rate(births/1,000 population) | | 18.43 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
|
|
Death rate(deaths/1,000 population) | | 6.35 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
|
|
Net migration rate(migrant(s)/1,000 population) | | -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
|
|
Urbanization(%) | | urban population: 86% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
|
|
Sex ratio(male(s)/female) | | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
|
|
Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births) | | total: 22.58 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 26.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
|
|
Life expectancy at birth(years) | | total population: 71.99 years
male: 68.43 years
female: 75.73 years (2009 est.)
|
|
Total fertility rate(children born/woman) | | 2.21 children born/woman (2009 est.)
|
|
Nationality | | noun: Brazilian(s)
adjective: Brazilian
|
|
Ethnic groups(%) | | white 53.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black 6.2%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2000 census)
|
|
Religions(%) | | Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4% (2000 census)
|
|
Languages(%) | | Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language); note - less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor Amerindian languages
|
|
Country name | | conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
conventional short form: Brazil
local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil
local short form: Brasil
|
|
Government type | | federal republic
|
|
Capital | | name: Brasilia
geographic coordinates: 15 47 S, 47 55 W
time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins third Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in February
note: Brazil is divided into four time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands
|
|
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
|
|
Constitution | | 5-Oct-88
|
|
Legal system | | based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
|
|
Suffrage | | voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military conscripts do not vote
|
|
Executive branch | | chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR Gomes da Silva (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR Gomes da Silva (since 1 January 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 1 October 2006 with runoff 29 October 2006 (next to be held 3 October 2010 and, if necessary, 31 October 2010)
election results: Luiz Inacio LULA da Silva (PT) reelected president - 60.83%, Geraldo ALCKMIN (PSDB) 39.17%
|
|
Legislative branch | | bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members from each state and federal district elected according to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third and two-thirds elected every four years, alternately) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Federal Senate - last held 1 October 2006 for one-third of the Senate (next to be held in October 2010 for two-thirds of the Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010)
election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PFL 6, PSDB 5, PMDB 4, PTB 3, PT 2, PDT 1, PSB 1, PL 1, PPS 1, PRTB 1, PP 1, PCdoB 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PMDB 89, PT 83, PFL 65, PSDB 65, PP 42, PSB 27, PDT 24, PL 23, PTB 22, PPS 21, PCdoB 13, PV 13, PSC 9, other 17; note - as of 1 January 2009, the composition of the entire legislature is as follows: Federal Senate - seats by party - PMDB 21, DEM (formerly PFL) 12, PSDB 13, PT 12, PTB 7, PDT 5, PR 4, PSB 2, PCdoB 1, PRB 1, PP 1, PSC 1, PSOL 1; Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - PMDB 95, PT 79, PSDB 59, DEM (formerly PFL) 53, PR 44, PP 40, PSB 29, PDT 25, PTB 19, PPS 14, PV 14, PCdoB 13, PSC 11, PMN 5, PRB 4, PHS 3, PSOL 3, PTC 1, PTdoB 1
|
|
Judicial branch | | Supreme Federal Tribunal or STF (11 ministers are appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life); note - though appointed "for life," judges, like all federal employees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70
|
|
Political pressure groups and leaders | | Landless Workers' Movement or MST
other: labor unions and federations; large farmers' associations; religious groups including evangelical Christian churches and the Catholic Church
|
|
International organization participation | | AfDB (nonregional member), BIS, CAN (associate), CPLP, FAO, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), Mercosur, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, RG, SICA (observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
|
|
Flag description | | green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)
|
|
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 Brazil is expanding its presence in world markets. 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 in October of that year, LULA da Silva announced a package of further economic reforms to reduce taxes and increase investment in infrastructure. Brazil's debt achieved investment grade status early in 2008, but the government's attempt to achieve strong growth while reducing the debt burden created inflationary pressures. For most of 2008, the Central Bank embarked on a restrictive monetary policy to stem these pressures. Since the onset of the global financial crisis in September, Brazil's currency and its stock market - Bovespa - have significantly lost value, -41% for Bovespa for the year ending 30 December 2008. Brazil incurred another current account deficit in 2008, as world demand and prices for commodities dropped in the second-half of the year.
|
|
GDP (purchasing power parity) | | $1.998 trillion (2008 est.)
$1.901 trillion (2007 est.)
$1.798 trillion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
|
|
GDP (official exchange rate) | | $1.573 trillion (2008 est.)
|
|
GDP - real growth rate(%) | | 5.1% (2008 est.)
5.7% (2007 est.)
4% (2006 est.)
|
|
GDP - per capita (PPP) | | $10,200 (2008 est.)
$9,800 (2007 est.)
$9,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
|
|
GDP - composition by sector(%) | | agriculture: 6.7%
industry: 28%
services: 65.3% (2008 est.)
|
|
Labor force | | 93.65 million (2008 est.)
|
|
Labor force - by occupation(%) | | agriculture: 20%
industry: 14%
services: 66% (2003 est.)
|
|
Unemployment rate(%) | | 7.9% (2008 est.)
9.3% (2007 est.)
|
|
Population below poverty line(%) | | 31% (2005)
|
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share(%) | | lowest 10%: 1.1%
highest 10%: 43% (2007)
|
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index | | 56.7 (2005)
60.7 (1998)
|
|
Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP) | | 19% of GDP (2008 est.)
|
|
Budget | | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA
|
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%) | | 5.7% (2008 est.)
3.6% (2007 est.)
|
|
Stock of money | | $95.03 billion (31 December 2008)
$131.1 billion (31 December 2007)
|
|
Stock of quasi money | | $724.5 billion (31 December 2008)
$792.8 billion (31 December 2007)
|
|
Stock of domestic credit | | $1.249 trillion (31 December 2008)
$1.377 trillion (31 December 2007)
|
|
Market value of publicly traded shares | | $589.4 billion (31 December 2008)
$1.37 trillion (31 December 2007)
$711.1 billion (31 December 2006)
|
|
Economic aid - recipient | | $191.9 million (2005)
|
|
Public debt(% of GDP) | | 38.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
52% of GDP (2004 est.)
|
|
Agriculture - products | | coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef
|
|
Industries | | textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment
|
|
Industrial production growth rate(%) | | 4.3% (2008 est.)
|
|
Current account balance | | -$28.19 billion (2008 est.)
$1.551 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
Exports | | $197.9 billion (2008 est.)
$160.6 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
Exports - commodities(%) | | transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos
|
|
Exports - partners(%) | | US 14.4%, China 12.4%, Argentina 8.4%, Netherlands 5%, Germany 4.5% (2008)
|
|
Imports | | $173.1 billion (2008 est.)
$120.6 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
Imports - commodities(%) | | machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products, oil, automotive parts, electronics
|
|
Imports - partners(%) | | US 14.9%, China 11.6%, Argentina 7.9%, Germany 7% (2008)
|
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | | $193.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$180.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
|
|
Debt - external | | $262.9 billion (31 December 2008)
$240.5 billion (31 December 2007)
|
|
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home | | $294 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$248.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
|
|
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad | | $127.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$107.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
|
|
Exchange rates | | reals (BRL) per US dollar - 1.8644 (2008 est.), 1.85 (2007 est.), 2.1761 (2006), 2.4344 (2005), 2.9251 (2004)
|
|
Currency (code) | | real (BRL)
|
|
Telephones - main lines in use | | 41.141 million (2008)
|
|
Telephones - mobile cellular | | 150.641 million (2008)
|
|
Telephone system | | general assessment: good working system; fixed-line connections have remained relatively stable in recent years and stand at about 20 per 100 persons; less expensive mobile cellular technology is a major driver in expanding telephone service to the low-income segment of the population with mobile-cellular telephone density reaching 80 per 100 persons
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations; mobile-cellular usage has more than tripled in the past 5 years
international: country code - 55; landing point for a number of submarine cables, including Atlantis 2, that provide direct links to South and Central America, the Caribbean, the US, Africa, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station (2008)
|
|
Internet country code | | .br
|
|
Internet users | | 64.948 million (2008)
|
|
Airports | | 4,000 (2009)
|
|
Pipelines(km) | | condensate/gas 62 km; gas 9,892 km; liquid petroleum gas 353 km; oil 4,517 km; refined products 4,465 km (2008)
|
|
Roadways(km) | | total: 1,751,868 km
paved: 96,353 km
unpaved: 1,655,515 km (2004)
|
|
Ports and terminals | | Guaiba, Ilha Grande, Paranagua, Rio Grande, Santos, Sao Sebastiao, Tubarao
|
|
Military branches | | Brazilian Army (Exercito Brasileiro, EB), Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil (MB), includes Naval Air and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira, FAB) (2009)
|
|
Military service age and obligation(years of age) | | 21-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 9 to 12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; an increasing percentage of the ranks are "long-service" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s when the Brazilian Army became the first army in South America to accept women into career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve Corps (2001)
|
|
Manpower available for military service | | males age 16-49: 52,523,552
females age 16-49: 52,628,945 (2009 est.)
|
|
Manpower fit for military service | | males age 16-49: 38,043,555
females age 16-49: 44,267,520 (2009 est.)
|
|
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually | | male: 1,690,031
female: 1,630,851 (2009 est.)
|
|
Military expenditures(% of GDP) | | 2.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
|
|
Disputes - international | | 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 boundary dispute with Uruguay over Isla Brasilera at the confluence of the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada rivers, that form a tripoint with Argentina; the Itaipu Dam reservoir covers over a once contested section of Brazil-Paraguay boundary west of Guaira Falls on the Rio Parana; an accord placed the long-disputed Isla Suarez/Ilha de Guajara-Mirim, a fluvial island on the Rio Mamore, under Bolivian administration in 1958, but sovereignty remains in dispute
|
|
Electricity - production(kWh) | | 438.8 billion kWh (2007 est.)
|
|
Electricity - production by source(%) | | fossil fuel: 8.3%
hydro: 82.7%
nuclear: 4.4%
other: 4.6% (2001)
|
|
Electricity - consumption(kWh) | | 404.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)
|
|
Electricity - exports(kWh) | | 2.034 billion kWh (2007 est.)
|
|
Electricity - imports(kWh) | | 42.06 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2008 est.)
|
|
Oil - production(bbl/day) | | 2.422 million bbl/day (2008 est.)
|
|
Oil - consumption(bbl/day) | | 2.52 million bbl/day (2008 est.)
|
|
Oil - exports(bbl/day) | | 570,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)
|
|
Oil - imports(bbl/day) | | 632,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)
|
|
Oil - proved reserves(bbl) | | 12.62 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - production(cu m) | | 12.62 billion cu m (2008 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - consumption(cu m) | | 23.65 billion cu m (2008 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - exports(cu m) | | 0 cu m (2008)
|
|
Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m) | | 365 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
|
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%) | | 0.6% (2007 est.)
|
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | | 730,000 (2007 est.)
|
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths | | 15,000 (2007 est.)
|
|
Literacy(%) | | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.6%
male: 88.4%
female: 88.8% (2004 est.)
|
|
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)(years) | | total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 15 years (2005)
|
|
Education expenditures(% of GDP) | | 4% of GDP (2004)
|
|
|
