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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 3,613 usable: 3,031 with permanent-surface runways: 431 with runways over 3,659 m: 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 22 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 584

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

1,448,000 km total; 48,000 km paved, 1,400,000 km gravel or earth

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

50,000 km navigable

Merchant marine [time series]

232 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,335,234 GRT/8,986,734 DWT; includes 5 passenger-cargo, 42 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 10 container, 11 roll-on/roll-off, 58 oil tanker, 15 chemical tanker, 12 combination ore/oil, 65 bulk, 2 combination bulk, 11 vehicle carrier; in addition, 1 naval tanker is sometimes used commercially

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 2,000 km; petroleum products 3,804 km; natural gas 1,095 km

Ports [time series]

Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Manaus, Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, Santos

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

28,828 km total; 24,864 km 1.000-meter gauge, 3,877 km 1.600-meter gauge, 74 km mixed 1.600-1.000-meter gauge, 13 km 0.760-meter gauge; 2,360 km electrified

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

good system; extensive microwave radio relay facilities; 9.86 million telephones; broadcast stations - 1,223 AM, no FM, 112 TV, 151 shortwave; 3 coaxial submarine cables, 3 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations and 64 domestic satellite earth stations

Defense Forces

Affiliation [time series]

(dependent territory of the UK)

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Brazilian Army, Navy of Brazil (including Marines), Brazilian Air Force, Military Police (paramilitary)

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $1.1 billion, 3% of GDP (1990)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 42,623,934; fit for military service 28,721,849; reach military age (18) annually 1,655,918 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 11% of GDP; world's largest producer and exporter of coffee and orange juice concentrate and second- largest exporter of soybeans; other products - rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, beef; self-sufficient in food, except for wheat

Budget [time series]

revenues $164.3 billion; expenditures $170.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $32.9 billion (1990)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 cruzeiro (Cr$) = 100 centavos

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $2.5 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $10.2 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $284 million; former Communist countries (1970-89), $1.3 billion

Electricity [time series]

63,765,000 kW capacity; 242,184 million kWh produced, 1,531 kWh per capita (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

cruzeiros (Cr$) per US$1 - 13,827.06 (January 1993), 4,506.45 (1992), 406.61 (1991), 68.300 (1990), 2.834 (1989), 0.26238 (1988)

Exports [time series]

$35.0 billion (1992) commodities: iron ore, soybean bran, orange juice, footwear, coffee, motor vehicle parts partners: EC 32.3%, US 20.3%, Latin America 11.6%, Japan 9% (1991)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$123.3 billion (December 1992)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit producer of cannabis and coca, mostly for domestic consumption; government has a modest eradication program to control cannabis and coca cultivation; important transshipment country for Bolivian and Colombian cocaine headed for the US and Europe

Imports [time series]

$20.0 billion (1992) commodities: crude oil, capital goods, chemical products, foodstuffs, coal partners: Middle East 12.4%, US 23.5%, EC 21.8%, Latin America 18.8%, Japan 6% (1991)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate -3.8% (1992); accounts for 39% of GDP

Industries [time series]

textiles and other consumer goods, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, steel, motor vehicles and auto parts, metalworking, capital goods, tin

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1,174% (1992)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $369 billion (1992)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$2,350 (1992)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

-0.2% (1992)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy, with large agrarian, mining, and manufacturing sectors, entered the 1990s with declining real growth, runaway inflation, an unserviceable foreign debt of $122 billion, and a lack of policy direction. In addition, the economy remained highly regulated, inward-looking, and protected by substantial trade and investment barriers. Ownership of major industrial and mining facilities is divided among private interests - including several multinationals - and the government. Most large agricultural holdings are private, with the government channeling financing to this sector. Conflicts between large landholders and landless peasants have produced intermittent violence. The COLLOR government, which assumed office in March 1990, launched an ambitious reform program that sought to modernize and reinvigorate the economy by stabilizing prices, deregulating the economy, and opening it to increased foreign competition. The government also obtained an IMF standby loan in January 1992 and reached agreements with commercial bankers on the repayment of interest arrears and on the reduction of debt and debt service payments. Galloping inflation - the rate doubled in 1992 - continues to undermine economic stability. Itamar FRANCO, who assumed the presidency following President COLLOR'S resignation in December 1992, has promised to support the basic premises of COLLOR'S reform program but has yet to define clearly his economic policies. Brazil's natural resources remain a major, long-term economic strength.

Unemployment rate [time series]

5.9% (1992)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 8,511,965 km2 land area: 8,456,510 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than the US note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo

Climate [time series]

mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Coastline [time series]

7,491 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

recurrent droughts in northeast; floods and frost in south; deforestation in Amazon basin; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

short section of the boundary with Paraguay (just west of Guaira Falls on the Rio Parana) is in dispute; two short sections of boundary with Uruguay are in dispute - Arrio Invernada (Arroyo de la Invernada) area of the Rio Quarai (Rio Cuareim) and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Quarai (Rio Cuareim) and the Uruguay

Irrigated land [time series]

27,000 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 14,691 km, Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia 1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km, Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 7% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 19% forest and woodland: 67% other: 6%

Location [time series]

Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Map references [time series]

South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

iron ore, manganese, bauxite, nickel, uranium, phosphates, tin, hydropower, gold, platinum, petroleum, timber

Note [time series]

largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito, federal); Acre, 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

Capital [time series]

Brasilia

Constitution [time series]

5 October 1988

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Rubens RICUPERO chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 745-2700 consulates general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, and New York consulates: Dallas, Houston, and San Francisco

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

Chamber of Deputies: last held 3 October 1990 (next to be held November 1994); results - PMDB 21%, PFL 17%, PDT 9%, PDS 8%, PRN 7.9%, PTB 7%, PT 7%, other 23.1%; seats - (503 total as of 3 February 1991) PMDB 108, PFL 87, PDT 46, PDS 43, PRN 40, PTB 35, PT 35, other 109 Federal Senate: last held 3 October 1990 (next to be held November 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (81 total as of 3 February 1991) PMDB 27, PFL 15, PSDB 10, PTB 8, PDT 5, other 16 President: last held 15 November 1989, with runoff on 17 December 1989 (next to be held November 1994); results - Fernando COLLOR de Mello 53%, Luis Inacio da SILVA 47%; note - first free, direct presidential election since 1960

Executive branch [time series]

president, vice president, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 23 white five-pointed stars (one for each state) 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)

Independence [time series]

7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Federal Tribunal

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Itamar FRANCO (since 29 December 1992)

Legal system [time series]

based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral National Congress (Congresso Nacional) consists of an upper chamber or Federal Senate (Senado Federal) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara dos Deputados)

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

AfDB, AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, MERCOSUR, NAM (observer), OAS, ONUSAL, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WHO, WFTU, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil conventional short form: Brazil local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil local short form: Brasil

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

left wing of the Catholic Church and labor unions allied to leftist Worker's Party are critical of government's social and economic policies

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

National Reconstruction Party (PRN), Daniel TOURINHO, president; Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), Roberto ROLLEMBERG, president; Liberal Front Party (PFL), Jose Mucio MONTEIRO, president; Workers' Party (PT), Luis Ignacio (Lula) da SILVA, president; Brazilian Labor Party (PTB), Luiz GONZAGA de Paiva Muniz, president; Democratic Labor Party (PDT), Leonel BRIZOLA, president; Democratic Social Party (PPS), Paulo MALUF, president; Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), Tasso JEREISSATI, president; Popular Socialist Party (PPS), Roberto FREIRE, president; Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB), Joao AMAZONAS, secretary general; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Siqueira CAMPOS, president

Suffrage [time series]

voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age

Government type (Type) [time series]

federal republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard MELTON embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Lote 3, Brasilia, Distrito Federal mailing address: APO AA 34030 telephone: [55] (61) 321-7272 FAX: [55] (61) 225-9136 consulates general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo consulates: Porto Alegre, Recife

People

Birth rate [time series]

21.77 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

8.3 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Portuguese, Italian, German, Japanese, Amerindian, black 6%, white 55%, mixed 38%, other 1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

61.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

57 million (1989 est.) by occupation: services 42%, agriculture 31%, industry 27%

Languages [time series]

Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 62.7 years male: 58.28 years female: 67.33 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 81% male: 82% female: 80%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Brazilian(s) adjective: Brazilian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

156,664,223 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.35% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic (nominal) 90%

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.49 children born/woman (1993 est.)