conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
conventional short form: Brazil
local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil
local short form: Brasil
8,511,965 km²
Brasilia
real (BRL)
55
.br
Portuguese, Spanish, English, French
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Spiritualist, Bantu/voodoo
190,010,647
federative republic
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)
Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country when in 1985 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 remains a pressing problem.
mostly tropical, but temperate in south
The beaches of Salvador de Bahia are beautiful, but should be avoided when deserted. A romantic stroll can end disastrous, since many poor people will take advantage of lonely tourists.
