Brazil Facts, Map, Population, GDP

Capital

Brasília

Population

221,359,387 (2025 est.)

Area

8,515,770 sq km

Location

Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

🧭 Background

After more than three centuries under Portuguese rule, Brazil 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 Getúlio VARGAS rose to power in 1930. VARGAS governed through various versions of democratic and authoritarian regimes from 1930 to 1945. Democratic rule returned in 1945 -- including a democratically elected VARGAS administration from 1951 to 1954 -- and lasted until 1964, when the military overthrew President João GOULART. The military regime censored journalists and repressed and tortured dissidents in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The dictatorship lasted until 1985, when the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers, and the Brazilian Congress passed its current constitution in 1988. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Having successfully weathered a period of global financial difficulty in the late 20th century, Brazil was soon seen as one of the world's strongest emerging markets and a contributor to global growth under President Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (2003-2010). The awarding of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympic Games -- the first ever to be held in South America -- to Brazil was symbolic of the country's rise. However, from about 2013 to 2016, Brazil was plagued by a sagging economy, high unemployment, and high inflation, only emerging from recession in 2017. Congress removed then-President Dilma ROUSSEFF (2011-2016) from office in 2016 for having committed impeachable acts against Brazil's budgetary laws, and her vice president, Michel TEMER, served the remainder of her second term. A money-laundering investigation, Operation Lava Jato, uncovered a vast corruption scheme and prosecutors charged several high-profile Brazilian politicians with crimes. Former President LULA was convicted of accepting bribes and served jail time (2018-19), although his conviction was overturned in 2021. LULA's revival became complete in 2022 when he narrowly defeated incumbent Jair BOLSONARO (2019-2022) in the presidential election. Positioning Brazil as an independent global leader on climate change and promoting sustainable development, LULA took on the 2024 G20 presidency, balancing the fight against deforestation with sustainable energy and other projects designed to alleviate poverty and promote economic growth, such as expanding fossil fuel exploration.

🗺️ Geography

Location

Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Geographic coordinates

10 00 S, 55 00 W

Map references

South America

Area — total

8,515,770 sq km

Area — land

8,358,140 sq km

Area — water

157,630 sq km

Area - comparative

Slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries — total

16,145 km

Land boundaries — border countries

Argentina 1,263 km; Bolivia 3,403 km; Colombia 1,790 km; French Guiana 649 km; Guyana 1,308 km; Paraguay 1,371 km; Peru 2,659 km; Suriname 515 km; Uruguay 1,050 km; Venezuela 2,137 km

Coastline

7,491 km

Maritime claims — territorial sea

12 nm

Maritime claims — contiguous zone

24 nm

Maritime claims — exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Maritime claims — continental shelf

200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate

Mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Terrain

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

Elevation — highest point

Pico da Neblina 2,994 m

Elevation — lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Elevation — mean elevation

320 m

Natural resources

Alumina, bauxite, beryllium, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, niobium, phosphates, platinum, tantalum, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

Land use — agricultural land

28.3% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 6.7% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 20.7% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

58.9% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

12.7% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

91,833 sq km (2022)

Major lakes (area sq km) — fresh water lake(s)

Lagoa dos Patos - 10,140 sq km

Major lakes (area sq km) — salt water lake(s)

Lagoa Mirim (shared with Uruguay) - 2,970 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Amazon river mouth (shared with Peru [s]) - 6,400 km; Río de la Plata/Paraná river source (shared with Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay [m]) - 4,880 km; Tocantins - 3,650 km; São Francisco - 3,180 km; Paraguay river source (shared with Argentina and Paraguay [m]) - 2,549 km; Rio Negro river mouth (shared with Colombia [s] and Venezuela) - 2,250 km; Uruguay river source (shared with Argentina and Uruguay [m]) - 1,610 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km) — Atlantic Ocean drainage

Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km), Paraná (2,582,704 sq km), São Francisco (617,814 sq km), Tocantins (764,213 sq km)

Major aquifers

Amazon Basin, Guarani Aquifer System, Maranhao Basin

Population distribution

The vast majority of people live along or near the Atlantic coast in the east; the population core is in the southeast, anchored by the cities of São Paolo, Brasília, and Rio de Janeiro

Natural hazards

Recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south

Geography - note

Note 1: largest country in South America and in the Southern Hemisphere; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador; most of the Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetland, extends through the west central part of the country; shares Iguaçu Falls (Iguazú Falls), the world's largest waterfalls system, with Argentina note 2: Rocas Atoll, located off the northeast coast of Brazil, is the only atoll in the South Atlantic

👥 People and Society⬆️ Top

Population — total

221,359,387 (2025 est.)

Population — male

108,753,532

Population — female

112,605,855

Nationality — noun

Brazilian(s)

Nationality — adjective

Brazilian

Ethnic groups

Mixed 45.3%, White 43.5%, Black 10.2%, Indigenous 0.6%, Asian 0.4% (2022 est.)

Languages — Languages

Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language); less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and many minor Amerindian languages

Languages — major-language sample(s)

O Livro de Fatos Mundiais, a fonte indispensável para informação básica. (Brazilian Portuguese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Roman Catholic 56.8%, Evangelical 26.9%, none 9.3%, other 4%, Spirtism (Espírita) 1.8%, unspecified 1.4%, Umbanda and Candomblé 1.1%, Indigenous religions .06%, undeclared 0.2% (2022)

Age structure — 0-14 years

19.6% (male 22,025,593/female 21,088,398)

Age structure — 15-64 years

69.5% (male 75,889,089/female 77,118,722)

Age structure — 65 years and over

10.9% (2024 est.) (male 10,251,809/female 13,677,901)

Dependency ratios — total dependency ratio

44.3 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — youth dependency ratio

28.1 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — elderly dependency ratio

16.2 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — potential support ratio

6.2 (2025 est.)

Median age — total

35.4 years (2025 est.)

Median age — male

34 years

Median age — female

36.1 years

Population growth rate

0.58% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

13.04 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

7.07 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-0.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

The vast majority of people live along or near the Atlantic coast in the east; the population core is in the southeast, anchored by the cities of São Paolo, Brasília, and Rio de Janeiro

Urbanization — urban population

87.8% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

22.620 million São Paulo, 13.728 million Rio de Janeiro, 6.248 million Belo Horizonte, 4.873 million BRASÍLIA (capital), 4.264 million Recife, 4.212 million Porto Alegre (2023)

Sex ratio — at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 15-64 years

0.98 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 65 years and over

0.75 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

67 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate — total

12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate — male

14.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant mortality rate — female

11.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth — total population

76.3 years (2024 est.)

Life expectancy at birth — male

72.6 years

Life expectancy at birth — female

80.1 years

Total fertility rate

1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.84 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: urban

Urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: rural

Rural: 98% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: total

Total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: urban

Urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: rural

Rural: 2% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: total

Total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

9.9% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

9% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

2.36 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Hospital bed density

2.5 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: urban

Urban: 94.7% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: rural

Rural: 65% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: total

Total: 91% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: urban

Urban: 5.3% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: rural

Rural: 35% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: total

Total: 9% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.1% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita — total

6.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — beer

3.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — wine

0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — spirits

2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — other alcohols

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use — total

11.2% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — male

14.4% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — female

8.3% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.5% (2019 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

56.9% (2019 est.)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% national budget)

12.9% national budget (2022 est.)

Literacy — total population

94.8% (2024 est.)

Literacy — male

94.5% (2024 est.)

Literacy — female

95.1% (2024 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — total

16 years (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — male

15 years (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — female

17 years (2022 est.)

🌿 Environment⬆️ Top

Environmental issues

Deforestation in Amazon Basin; illegal wildlife trade; illegal poaching; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and other large cities; land degradation and water pollution from mining; wetland degradation; oil spills

International environmental agreements — party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

International environmental agreements — signed, but not ratified

Marine Dumping-London Protocol

Climate

Mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Land use — agricultural land

28.3% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 6.7% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 20.7% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

58.9% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

12.7% (2023 est.)

Urbanization — urban population

87.8% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — total emissions

437.769 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from coal and metallurgical coke

53.664 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from petroleum and other liquids

331.079 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from consumed natural gas

53.026 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

10.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Methane emissions — energy

1,759.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Methane emissions — agriculture

13,761.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Methane emissions — waste

3,361.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Methane emissions — other

382.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste and recycling — municipal solid waste generated annually

79.07 million tons (2024 est.)

Waste and recycling — percent of municipal solid waste recycled

2.8% (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — municipal

16.397 billion cubic meters (2022)

Total water withdrawal — industrial

10.2 billion cubic meters (2022)

Total water withdrawal — agricultural

41.336 billion cubic meters (2022)

Total renewable water resources

8.647 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Geoparks — total global geoparks and regional networks

6

Geoparks — global geoparks and regional networks

Araripe; Cacapava; Quarta Colonia; Serido; Southern Canyons Pathways; Uberaba (2024)

🏛️ Government⬆️ Top

Country name — conventional long form

Federative Republic of Brazil

Country name — conventional short form

Brazil

Country name — local long form

República Federativa do Brasil

Country name — local short form

Brasil

Country name — etymology

The country name derives from the brazil tree that used to grow plentifully along the coast of Brazil and that was used to produce a deep red dye

Government type

Federal presidential republic

Capital — name

Brasília

Capital — geographic coordinates

15 47 S, 47 55 W

Capital — time difference

UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Capital — time zone note

Brazil has four time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands

Capital — etymology

The name is the Latinized form of the country name, bestowed on the new capital of Brazil in 1960; previous Brazilian capitals were Salvador (1549-1763) and Rio de Janeiro (1763 to 1960)

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, Rondônia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins

Legal system

Civil law

Constitution — history

Several previous; latest ratified 5 October 1988

Constitution — amendment process

Proposed by at least one third of either house of the National Congress, by the president of the republic, or by simple majority vote by more than half of the state legislative assemblies; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote by both houses in each of two readings; constitutional provisions affecting the federal form of government, separation of powers, suffrage, or individual rights and guarantees cannot be amended

International law organization participation

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship — citizenship by birth

Yes

Citizenship — citizenship by descent only

Yes

Citizenship — dual citizenship recognized

Yes

Citizenship — residency requirement for naturalization

4 years

Suffrage

Voluntary between 16 to 18 years of age, over 70, and if illiterate; compulsory between 18 to 70 years of age

Executive branch — chief of state

President Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2023)

Executive branch — head of government

President Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2023)

Executive branch — cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

Executive branch — election/appointment process

President and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a single consecutive term and additional terms after at least one term has elapsed)

Executive branch — most recent election date

2 October 2022, with runoff on 30 October 2022

Executive branch — election results

2022: Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (PT) 48.4%, Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 43.2%, Simone Nassar TEBET (MDB) 4.2%, Ciro GOMES (PDT) 3%, other 1.2%; percent of vote in second round - Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (PT) 50.9%, Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 49.1% 2018: Jair BOLSONARO elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 46%, Fernando HADDAD (PT) 29.3%, Ciro GOMEZ (PDT) 12.5%, Geraldo ALCKMIN (PSDB) 4.8%, other 7.4%; percent of vote in second round - Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 55.1%, Fernando HADDAD (PT) 44.9%

Executive branch — expected date of next election

4 October 2026

Legislative branch — legislature name

National Congress (Congresso nacional)

Legislative branch — legislative structure

Bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber — chamber name

Chamber of Deputies (Cámara dos Deputados)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — number of seats

513 (all directly elected)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — electoral system

Proportional representation

Legislative branch - lower chamber — scope of elections

Full renewal

Legislative branch - lower chamber — term in office

4 years

Legislative branch - lower chamber — most recent election date

10/2/2022

Legislative branch - lower chamber — parties elected and seats per party

Liberal Party (PL) (99); Workers' Party (PT) (69); Brazil Union (União) (59); Progressive Party (PP) (47); Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) (42); Social Democratic Party (PSD) (42); Republicans (Republicanos) (40); Other (106)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — percentage of women in chamber

18.1%

Legislative branch - lower chamber — expected date of next election

October 2026

Legislative branch - upper chamber — chamber name

Federal Senate (Senado Federal)

Legislative branch - upper chamber — number of seats

81 (all directly elected)

Legislative branch - upper chamber — electoral system

Plurality/majority

Legislative branch - upper chamber — scope of elections

Partial renewal

Legislative branch - upper chamber — term in office

8 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber — most recent election date

10/2/2022

Legislative branch - upper chamber — parties elected and seats per party

Liberal Party (PL) (8); Brazil Union (União) (5); Workers' Party (PT) (4); Progressive Party (PP) (3); Social Democratic Party (PSD) (2); Republicans (Republicanos) (2); Other (3)

Legislative branch - upper chamber — percentage of women in chamber

19.8%

Legislative branch - upper chamber — expected date of next election

October 2026

Judicial branch — highest court(s)

Supreme Federal Court or Supremo Tribunal Federal (consists of 11 justices)

Judicial branch — judge selection and term of office

Justices appointed by the president and approved by absolute majority by the Federal Senate; justices appointed to serve until mandatory retirement at age 75

Judicial branch — subordinate courts

Tribunal of the Union, Federal Appeals Court, Superior Court of Justice, Superior Electoral Court, regional federal courts; state court system

Political parties

Act (Agir) (formerly Christian Labor Party or PTC) Avante (formerly Labor Party of Brazil or PTdoB) Brazil Union (União Brasil); note - founded from a merger between the Democrats (DEM) and the Social Liberal Party (PSL) Brazilian Communist Party or PCB Brazilian Democratic Movement or MDB Brazilian Labor Party or PTB Brazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTB Brazilian Labor Party or PTB Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB Christian Democracy or DC (formerly Christian Social Democratic Party) Cidadania (formerly Popular Socialist Party or PPS) Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB Democratic Labor Party or PDT Democratic Party or PSDC Democrats or DEM (formerly Liberal Front Party or PFL); note - dissolved in February 2022 Green Party or PV Liberal Party or PL [Valdemar Costa Neto] (formerly Party of the Republic or PR) National Mobilization Party or PMN New Party or NOVO Patriota (formerly National Ecologic Party or PEN) Podemos (formerly National Labor Party or PTN) Progressive Party (Progressistas) or PP Republican Social Order Party or PROS Republicans (Republicanos) (formerly Brazilian Republican Party or PRB) Social Christian Party or PSC Social Democratic Party or PSD Social Liberal Party or PSL Socialism and Freedom Party or PSOL Solidarity or SD Sustainability Network or REDE United Socialist Workers' Party or PSTU Workers' Cause Party or PCO Workers' Party or PT

Diplomatic representation in the US — chief of mission

Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro VIOTTI (since 30 June 2023)

Diplomatic representation in the US — chancery

3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation in the US — telephone

[1] (202) 238-2700

Diplomatic representation in the US — FAX

[1] (202) 238-2827

Diplomatic representation in the US — email address and website

Contact.washington@itamaraty.gov.br https://www.gov.br/mre/pt-br/embaixada-washington

Diplomatic representation in the US — consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hartford (CT), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US — chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Gabriel ESCOBAR (since 21 January 2025)

Diplomatic representation from the US — embassy

SES - Avenida das Nações, Quadra 801, Lote 03, 70403-900 - Brasília, DF

Diplomatic representation from the US — mailing address

7500 Brasilia Place, Washington DC 20521-7500

Diplomatic representation from the US — telephone

[55] (61) 3312-7000

Diplomatic representation from the US — FAX

[55] (61) 3225-9136

Diplomatic representation from the US — email address and website

BrasilliaACS@state.gov https://br.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation from the US — consulate(s) general

Recife, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo

Diplomatic representation from the US — branch office(s)

Belo Horizonte

International organization participation

AfDB (nonregional member), BIS, BRICS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, CPLP, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-5, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Flag

Description: green with a large yellow diamond in the center, showing a blue celestial globe with 27 five-pointed white stars; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress) meaning: green stands for the country's forests, and yellow for its mineral wealth, with the diamond representing the country's shape; the blue globe and stars depict the sky over Rio de Janeiro on the morning of 15 November 1889, the day the Republic of Brazil was declared; the number of stars has risen with the creation of new states, from 21 to 27 (one for each state and the Federal District) history: the flag was inspired by the former Empire of Brazil's flag (1822-1889)

National symbol(s)

Southern Cross constellation

National color(s)

Green, yellow, blue

National anthem(s) — title

"Hino Nacional Brasileiro" (Brazilian National Anthem)

National anthem(s) — lyrics/music

Joaquim Osorio Duque ESTRADA/Francisco Manoel DA SILVA

National anthem(s) — history

Music adopted 1890, lyrics adopted 1922; the anthem's music, composed in 1822, was used unofficially for many years

National heritage — total World Heritage Sites

24 (15 cultural, 9 natural, 1 mixed)

National heritage — selected World Heritage Site locales

Brasilia (c); Historic Salvador de Bahia (c); Historic Ouro Preto (c); Historic Center of the Town of Olinda (c); Iguaçu National Park (n); Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis (c); Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes (c); Central Amazon Conservation Complex (n); Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves (n); Historic Center of Salvador de Bahia (c); Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas (c ); Brasilia (c ); Serra da Capivara National Park (c ); Historic Center of Sao Luis( c); Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves (n); Historic Center of the Town of Diamantina (c ); Pantanal Conservation Area (n); Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves (n); Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks (n); Historic Centre of the Town of Goiás (c); São Francisco Square in the Town of São Cristóvão (c ); Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea (c ); Pampulha Modern Ensemble (c ); Valongo Wharf Archaeological Site (c ); Paraty and Ilha Grande – Culture and Biodiversity (m); Sítio Roberto Burle Marx (c ); Lençóis Maranhenses National Park (n);Peruaçu River Canyon (n)

💹 Economy⬆️ Top

Economic overview

Upper-middle-income, largest Latin American economy; Mercosur, BRICS, G20 member and OECD accession candidate; growth driven by strong domestic consumption; monetary tightening helping curb inflation rate; high inequality in income and access to health and education

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$4.165 trillion (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$4.029 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$3.902 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2024

3.4% (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.2% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2022

3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2024

$19,600 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2023

$19,100 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2022

$18,600 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.179 trillion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

4.4% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4.6% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

9.3% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — agriculture

5.6% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — industry

21.3% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — services

59.3% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — household consumption

63.8% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — government consumption

18.8% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in fixed capital

17% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in inventories

-0.1% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — exports of goods and services

18% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — imports of goods and services

-17.5% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

Sugarcane, soybeans, maize, milk, cassava, oranges, chicken, beef, rice, wheat (2023)

Industries

Textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment

Industrial production growth rate

3.3% (2024 est.)

Labor force

106.79 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2024

7.7% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2023

8% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2022

9.3% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — total

18% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — male

15.7% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — female

20.9% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

4.2% (2016 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income — Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

51.6 (2023 est.)

Average household expenditures — on food

16.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Average household expenditures — on alcohol and tobacco

1.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — lowest 10%

1.3% (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — highest 10%

40.8% (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2024

0.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2023

0.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2022

0.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Budget — revenues

$556.303 billion (2023 est.)

Budget — expenditures

$706.816 billion (2023 est.)

Public debt — Public debt 2023

83% of GDP (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2024

-$61.194 billion (2024 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2023

-$27.933 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2022

-$42.157 billion (2022 est.)

Exports — Exports 2024

$388.333 billion (2024 est.)

Exports — Exports 2023

$389.192 billion (2023 est.)

Exports — Exports 2022

$380.492 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

China 30%, USA 10%, Argentina 5%, Netherlands 3%, Chile 2% (2023)

Exports - commodities

Soybeans, crude petroleum, iron ore, raw sugar, corn (2023)

Imports — Imports 2024

$377.05 billion (2024 est.)

Imports — Imports 2023

$340.195 billion (2023 est.)

Imports — Imports 2022

$369.861 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

China 23%, USA 16%, Germany 5%, Argentina 5%, Russia 4% (2023)

Imports - commodities

Refined petroleum, fertilizers, crude petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, gas turbines (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$329.732 billion (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$355.021 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$324.673 billion (2022 est.)

Debt - external — Debt - external 2023

$198.582 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Currency

Reals (BRL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2024

5.389 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2023

4.994 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2022

5.164 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2021

5.394 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2020

5.155 (2020 est.)

⚡ Energy⬆️ Top

Electricity access — electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity access — electrification - urban areas

100%

Electricity access — electrification - rural areas

97.3%

Electricity — installed generating capacity

240.251 million kW (2023 est.)

Electricity — consumption

608.451 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — exports

7.186 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — imports

22.294 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — transmission/distribution losses

106.916 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — fossil fuels

8.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — nuclear

2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — solar

6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — wind

13.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — hydroelectricity

60.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — biomass and waste

8.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Nuclear energy — Number of operational nuclear reactors

2 (2025)

Nuclear energy — Number of nuclear reactors under construction

1 (2025)

Nuclear energy — Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

1.88GW (2025 est.)

Nuclear energy — Percent of total electricity production

2.2% (2023 est.)

Coal — production

15.556 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — consumption

32.223 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — exports

5,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — imports

18.257 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — proven reserves

6.596 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum — total petroleum production

4.221 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — refined petroleum consumption

3.163 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — crude oil estimated reserves

12.715 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas — production

22.702 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — consumption

29.065 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — exports

101.203 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — imports

6.356 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — proven reserves

363.985 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita — Total energy consumption per capita 2023

48.889 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

📡 Communications⬆️ Top

Telephones - fixed lines — total subscriptions

22.5 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11 (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — total subscriptions

216 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

102 (2024 est.)

Broadcast media

State-run Radiobras operates a radio and a TV network; more than 1,000 radio stations and more than 100 TV channels operating, mostly privately owned; private media ownership highly concentrated (2022)

Internet country code

.br

Internet users — percent of population

84% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — total

48.4 million (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

23 (2023 est.)

🚚 Transportation⬆️ Top

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

PP

Airports

5,297 (2025)

Heliports

1,871 (2025)

Railways — total

29,849.9 km (2014)

Railways — standard gauge

194 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Railways — narrow gauge

23,341.6 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (24 km electrified)

Railways — broad gauge

5,822.3 km (2014) 1.600-m gauge (498.3 km electrified)

Railways — dual gauge

492 km (2014) 1.600-1.000-m gauge

Merchant marine — total

888 (2023)

Merchant marine — by type

Bulk carrier 13, container ship 20, general cargo 38, oil tanker 27, other 790

Ports — total ports

45 (2024)

Ports — large

4

Ports — medium

7

Ports — small

19

Ports — very small

15

Ports — ports with oil terminals

31

Ports — key ports

Belem, DTSE/Gegua Oil Terminal, Itajai, Port de Salvador, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Santos, Tubarao, Vitoria

🛡️ Military and Security⬆️ Top

Military and security forces

Brazilian Armed Forces (Forças Armadas Brasileiras): Brazilian Army (Exercito Brasileiro, EB), Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil; includes Naval Aviation (Aviacao Naval Brasileira) and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira) (2025)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2024

1.1% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2023

1.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2022

1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2021

1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2020

1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

Approximately 360,000 active Armed Forces (220,000 Army; 70,000 Navy; 70,000 Air Force) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

The Brazilian military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced and imported weapons, largely from Europe and the US; Brazil's defense industry designs and manufactures equipment for all three military services and for export; it also jointly produces equipment with other countries (2025)

Military service age and obligation

18-45 years of age for compulsory military service for men (only 5-10% of those inducted are required to serve); compulsory service obligation is generally 12 months; 17-45 (18 for women) years of age for voluntary service (2025)

Military - note

The Brazilian Armed Forces (BAF) are the second largest military in the Western Hemisphere behind the US; they are responsible for external security and protecting the country's sovereignty but also have an internal security role; the BAF’s missions include patrolling and protecting the country’s long borders and coastline and extensive territorial waters and river network, assisting with internal security, providing domestic disaster response and humanitarian assistance, and participating in multinational peacekeeping missions; it also cooperates with neighboring countries such as Argentina and Paraguay to combat cross-border smuggling and trafficking Brazil has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation the origins of Brazil's military stretch back to the 1640s; Brazil provided a 25,000-man expeditionary force with air and ground units to fight with the Allies in the Mediterranean Theater during World War II; the Navy participated in the Battle of the Atlantic (2025)

🛰️ Space⬆️ Top

Space agency/agencies

Brazilian Space Agency (Agência Espacial Brasileira, AEB; established in 1994 when Brazil’s space program was transferred from the military to civilian control); National Institute for Space Research (INPE, under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations); Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA, under the Aeronautics Command (COMAER) of the Ministry of Defense) (2025)

Space launch site(s)

Alcantara Launch Center (Maranhão state); Barreira do Inferno Launch Center (Rio Grande do Norte state) (2025)

Space program overview

Develops, builds, operates, and tracks satellites, including communications, remote sensing (RS), multi-mission, navigational, and scientific/testing/research; satellites are launched by foreign partners, but Brazil has a long-standing sounding (research) rocket and satellite launch vehicle (SLV) program and rocket launch facilities; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of Argentina, Canada, the ESA, individual ESA member states (particularly France and Germany), India, Japan, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Ukraine, and the US; has a state-controlled communications company that operates Brazil’s communications satellites and a growing commercial space sector (2025)

Key space-program milestones

1960s - established a national space program under the Air Force 1984 - began satellite launch vehicle (SLV) program (Veículo Lançador de Satélites or VLS-1) 1985 - first communications satellite jointly produced with Canada and launched on European SLV 1993 - first domestically built experimental communications satellite (Satélite de Coleta de Dados, SCD-1) launched by US 2004 - launched a sounding rocket into sub-orbital space, but the subsequent catastrophic failure of a VLS-1 during a test launch led to scaling back the program 2006 - first Brazilian astronaut to the International Space Station on a Russian rocket 2008 - began work on a 3-stage microsatellite launch vehicle (Veículo Lançador de Microssatélite or VLM-1) in partnership with Germany 2021 - first independently produced remote sensing (RS) satellite (Amazonia-1) launched by India; signed US-led Artemis Accords on space exploration cooperation and signed cooperation agreements with the space agencies of China, India, Russia, and South Africa for the joint development of an RS satellite constellation 2022 - successfully launched suborbital rocket more than 225 km (140 miles) in height

🚨 Terrorism⬆️ Top

Terrorist group(s)

Hizballah; Tren de Aragua (TdA)

🌐 Transnational Issues⬆️ Top

Refugees and internally displaced persons — refugees

331,097 (2024 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons — IDPs

19,043 (2024 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons — stateless persons

27 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons — tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Brazil did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period and was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/brazil/

Illicit drugs — USG identification

Major precursor-chemical producer (2025)