{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "
Following 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 Getulio VARGAS rose to power in 1930. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil underwent more than a half 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. Having successfully weathered a period of global financial difficulty in the late 20th century, Brazil was seen as one of the world's strongest emerging markets and a contributor to global growth. The awarding of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympic Games, the first ever to be held in South America, was seen as 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. Former President Dilma ROUSSEFF (2011-2016) was removed from office in 2016 by Congress for having committed impeachable acts against Brazil's budgetary laws, and her vice president, Michel TEMER, served the remainder of her second term. In October 2018, Jair BOLSONARO won the presidency with 55 percent of the vote and assumed office on 1 January 2019.
" } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "10 00 S, 55 00 W" }, "Map references": { "text": "South America" }, "Area": { "total": { "text": "8,515,770 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "8,358,140 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "157,630 sq km" }, "note": "note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo
" }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly smaller than the US" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "16,145 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Argentina 1263 km, Bolivia 3403 km, Colombia 1790 km, French Guiana 649 km, Guyana 1308 km, Paraguay 1371 km, Peru 2659 km, Suriname 515 km, Uruguay 1050 km, Venezuela 2137 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "7,491 km" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "12 nm" }, "contiguous zone": { "text": "24 nm" }, "exclusive economic zone": { "text": "200 nm" }, "continental shelf": { "text": "200 nm or to edge of the continental margin" } }, "Climate": { "text": "mostly tropical, but temperate in south" }, "Terrain": { "text": "mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt" }, "Elevation": { "mean elevation": { "text": "320 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean 0 m" }, "highest point": { "text": "Pico da Neblina 2,994 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "alumina, bauxite, beryllium, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, niobium, phosphates, platinum, tantalum, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "32.9% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 8.6% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 23.5% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "61.9% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "5.2% (2018 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "54,000 sq km (2012)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "the vast majority of people live along, or relatively near, the Atlantic coast in the east; the population core is in the southeast, anchored by the cities of Sao Paolo, Brasilia, and Rio de Janeiro" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; illegal wildlife trade; illegal poaching; 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": { "text": "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": { "text": "none of the selected agreements" } }, "Geography - note": { "text": "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 Iguazu Falls, the world's largest waterfalls system, with Argentina" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "213,445,417 (July 2021 est.)" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Brazilian(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Brazilian" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "White 47.7%, Mulatto (mixed White and Black) 43.1%, Black 7.6%, Asian 1.1%, Indigenous 0.4% (2010 est.)" }, "Languages": { "text": "Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language)", "note": "note: less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor Amerindian languages
" }, "Religions": { "text": "Roman Catholic 64.6%, other Catholic 0.4%, Protestant 22.2% (includes Adventist 6.5%, Assembly of God 2.0%, Christian Congregation of Brazil 1.2%, Universal Kingdom of God 1.0%, other Protestant 11.5%), other Christian 0.7%, Spiritist 2.2%, other 1.4%, none 8%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { "text": "Brazil's rapid fertility decline since the 1960s is the main factor behind the country's slowing population growth rate, aging population, and fast-paced demographic transition. Brasilia has not taken full advantage of its large working-age population to develop its human capital and strengthen its social and economic institutions but is funding a study abroad program to bring advanced skills back to the country. The current favorable age structure will begin to shift around 2025, with the labor force shrinking and the elderly starting to compose an increasing share of the total population. Well-funded public pensions have nearly wiped out poverty among the elderly, and Bolsa Familia and other social programs have lifted tens of millions out of poverty. More than half of Brazil's population is considered middle class, but poverty and income inequality levels remain high; the Northeast, North, and Center-West, women, and black, mixed race, and indigenous populations are disproportionately affected. Disparities in opportunities foster social exclusion and contribute to Brazil's high crime rate, particularly violent crime in cities and favelas (slums).
Brazil has traditionally been a net recipient of immigrants, with its southeast being the prime destination. After the importation of African slaves was outlawed in the mid-19th century, Brazil sought Europeans (Italians, Portuguese, Spaniards, and Germans) and later Asians (Japanese) to work in agriculture, especially coffee cultivation. Recent immigrants come mainly from Argentina, Chile, and Andean countries (many are unskilled illegal migrants) or are returning Brazilian nationals. Since Brazil's economic downturn in the 1980s, emigration to the United States, Europe, and Japan has been rising but is negligible relative to Brazil's total population. The majority of these emigrants are well-educated and middle-class. Fewer Brazilian peasants are emigrating to neighboring countries to take up agricultural work.
" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "21.11% (male 22,790,634/female 21,907,018)" }, "15-24 years": { "text": "16.06% (male 17,254,363/female 16,750,581)" }, "25-54 years": { "text": "43.83% (male 46,070,240/female 46,729,640)" }, "55-64 years": { "text": "9.78% (male 9,802,995/female 10,911,140)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "9.21% (male 8,323,344/female 11,176,018) (2020 est.)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "43.5" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "29.7" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "13.8" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "7.3 (2020 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "33.2 years" }, "male": { "text": "32.3 years" }, "female": { "text": "34.1 years (2020 est.)" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "0.65% (2021 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "13.44 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "6.8 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "the vast majority of people live along, or relatively near, the Atlantic coast in the east; the population core is in the southeast, anchored by the cities of Sao Paolo, Brasilia, and Rio de Janeiro" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "87.1% of total population (2020)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "1.05% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "22.043 million Sao Paulo, 13.458 million Rio de Janeiro, 6.084 million Belo Horizonte, 4.646 million BRASILIA (capital), 4.137 million Porto Alegre, 4.127 million Recife (2020)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.05 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.04 male(s)/female" }, "15-24 years": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "25-54 years": { "text": "0.99 male(s)/female" }, "55-64 years": { "text": "0.9 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.74 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "0.97 male(s)/female (2020 est.)" } }, "Maternal mortality rate": { "text": "60 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)" }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "18.37 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "male": { "text": "21.72 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "14.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "74.98 years" }, "male": { "text": "71.49 years" }, "female": { "text": "78.65 years (2021 est.)" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "1.73 children born/woman (2021 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "80.2% (2013)" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 100% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 91.6% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 98.2% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 0% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 8.4% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 1.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { "text": "9.5% (2017)" }, "Physicians density": { "text": "2.17 physicians/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Hospital bed density": { "text": "2.1 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 92.8% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 60.1% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 88.3% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 7.2% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 39.9% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 11.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "0.5% (2018 est.)" }, "HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS": { "text": "920,000 (2019 est.)" }, "HIV/AIDS - deaths": { "text": "14,000 (2019 est.)" }, "Major infectious diseases": { "degree of risk": { "text": "very high (2020)" }, "food or waterborne diseases": { "text": "bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A" }, "vectorborne diseases": { "text": "dengue fever and malaria" }, "water contact diseases": { "text": "schistosomiasis" }, "note": "note: Brazil has four time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands
etymology: name bestowed on the new capital of Brazil upon its inauguration in 1960; previous Brazilian capitals had been Salvador from 1549 to 1763 and Rio de Janeiro from 1763 to 1960
note: one of several flags where a prominent component of the design reflects the shape of the country; other such flags are those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Eritrea, and Vanuatu
" }, "National symbol(s)": { "text": "Southern Cross constellation; national colors: green, yellow, blue" }, "National anthem": { "name": { "text": "\"Hino Nacional Brasileiro\" (Brazilian National Anthem)" }, "lyrics/music": { "text": "Joaquim Osorio Duque ESTRADA/Francisco Manoel DA SILVA" }, "note": "note: music adopted 1890, lyrics adopted 1922; the anthem's music, composed in 1822, was used unofficially for many years before it was adopted
" } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "Brazil is the eighth-largest economy in the world, but is recovering from a recession in 2015 and 2016 that ranks as the worst in the country’s history. In 2017, Brazil`s GDP grew 1%, inflation fell to historic lows of 2.9%, and the Central Bank lowered benchmark interest rates from 13.75% in 2016 to 7%.
The economy has been negatively affected by multiple corruption scandals involving private companies and government officials, including the impeachment and conviction of Former President Dilma ROUSSEFF in August 2016. Sanctions against the firms involved — some of the largest in Brazil — have limited their business opportunities, producing a ripple effect on associated businesses and contractors but creating opportunities for foreign companies to step into what had been a closed market.
The succeeding TEMER administration has implemented a series of fiscal and structural reforms to restore credibility to government finances. Congress approved legislation in December 2016 to cap public spending. Government spending growth had pushed public debt to 73.7% of GDP at the end of 2017, up from over 50% in 2012. The government also boosted infrastructure projects, such as oil and natural gas auctions, in part to raise revenues. Other economic reforms, proposed in 2016, aim to reduce barriers to foreign investment, and to improve labor conditions. Policies to strengthen Brazil’s workforce and industrial sector, such as local content requirements, have boosted employment, but at the expense of investment.
Brazil is a member of the Common Market of the South (Mercosur), a trade bloc that includes Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay - Venezuela’s membership in the organization was suspended In August 2017. After the Asian and Russian financial crises, Mercosur adopted a protectionist stance to guard against exposure to volatile foreign markets and it currently is negotiating Free Trade Agreements with the European Union and Canada.
" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2019": { "text": "1.13% (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2018": { "text": "1.2% (2018 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2017": { "text": "1.62% (2017 est.)" } }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019": { "text": "3.7% (2019 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018": { "text": "3.6% (2018 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017": { "text": "3.4% (2017 est.)" } }, "Credit ratings": { "Fitch rating": { "text": "BB- (2018)" }, "Moody's rating": { "text": "Ba2 (2016)" }, "Standard & Poors rating": { "text": "BB- (2018)" } }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": { "text": "$2,973,364,000,000 (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018": { "text": "$2,940,085,000,000 (2018 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017": { "text": "$2,905,196,000,000 (2017 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2010 dollars
" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$1,877,942,000,000 (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2019": { "text": "$11,117 (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2018": { "text": "$11,075 (2018 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2017": { "text": "$11,030 (2017 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2010 dollars
" }, "Gross national saving": { "Gross national saving 2017": { "text": "15% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Gross national saving 2016": { "text": "14.1% of GDP (2016 est.)" }, "Gross national saving 2015": { "text": "14.1% of GDP (2015 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "6.6% (2017 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "20.7% (2017 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "72.7% (2017 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "63.4% (2017 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "20% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "15.6% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "-0.1% (2017 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "12.6% (2017 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-11.6% (2017 est.)" } }, "Ease of Doing Business Index scores": { "Overall Ease of Doing Business score 2020": { "text": "59.1 (2020)" } }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "sugar cane, soybeans, maize, milk, cassava, oranges, poultry, rice, beef, cotton" }, "Industries": { "text": "textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "0% (2017 est.)" }, "Labor force": { "text": "86.621 million (2020 est.)" }, "Labor force - by occupation": { "agriculture": { "text": "9.4%" }, "industry": { "text": "32.1%" }, "services": { "text": "58.5% (2017 est.)" } }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2019": { "text": "11.93% (2019 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2018": { "text": "12.26% (2018 est.)" } }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "4.2% (2016 est.)", "note": "note: approximately 4% of the population are below the \"extreme\" poverty line
" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018": { "text": "53.9 (2018 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2004": { "text": "54 (2004)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "0.8%" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "43.4% (2016 est.)" } }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "733.7 billion (2017 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "756.3 billion (2017 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "35.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { "text": "-1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "84% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt 2016": { "text": "78.4% of GDP (2016 est.)" } }, "Fiscal year": { "text": "calendar year" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2019": { "text": "-$50.927 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2018": { "text": "-$41.54 billion (2018 est.)" } }, "Exports": { "Exports 2019": { "text": "$291.452 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Exports 2018": { "text": "$298.565 billion (2018 est.)" }, "Exports 2017": { "text": "$286.935 billion (2017 est.)" } }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "China 21.8%, US 12.5%, Argentina 8.1%, Netherlands 4.3% (2017)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, automobiles" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2019": { "text": "$271.257 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Imports 2018": { "text": "$268.237 billion (2018 est.)" }, "Imports 2017": { "text": "$248.961 billion (2017 est.)" } }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "China 18.1%, US 16.7%, Argentina 6.3%, Germany 6.1% (2017)" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products, oil, automotive parts, electronics" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017": { "text": "$374 billion (31 December 2017 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016": { "text": "$367.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" } }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 31 December 2017": { "text": "$547.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)" }, "Debt - external 31 December 2016": { "text": "$548.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" } }, "Exchange rates": { "currency": { "text": "reals (BRL) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "5.12745 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "4.14915 (2019 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2018": { "text": "3.862 (2018 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2014": { "text": "3.3315 (2014 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2013": { "text": "2.3535 (2013 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "100% (2020)" } }, "Electricity - production": { "text": "567.9 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - consumption": { "text": "509.1 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - exports": { "text": "219 million kWh (2015 est.)" }, "Electricity - imports": { "text": "41.31 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - installed generating capacity": { "text": "150.8 million kW (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from fossil fuels": { "text": "17% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": { "text": "1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": { "text": "64% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from other renewable sources": { "text": "18% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Crude oil - production": { "text": "2.587 million bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "Crude oil - exports": { "text": "736,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Crude oil - imports": { "text": "297,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Crude oil - proved reserves": { "text": "12.63 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "2.811 million bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - consumption": { "text": "2.956 million bbl/day (2016 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "279,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - imports": { "text": "490,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Natural gas - production": { "text": "23.96 billion cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - consumption": { "text": "34.35 billion cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - exports": { "text": "134.5 million cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - imports": { "text": "10.51 billion cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - proved reserves": { "text": "377.4 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)" }, "Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy": { "text": "513.8 million Mt (2017 est.)" } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "33,585,164" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "15.97 (2019 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "207,862,093" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "98.84 (2019 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "Brazil is one of the largest mobile and broadband markets in Latin America; 5G auction delayed due to interference issues; four major (mobile network operators) MNOs offering a range of voice and data services; broadband penetration only behind Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay; country is a pioneer in the region for M-commerce (electronic commerce conducted on mobile phones) (2020)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line connections have remained relatively stable in recent years and stand at about 16 per 100 persons; less-expensive mobile-cellular technology has been a major impetus broadening telephone service to the lower-income segments of the population with mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 99 per 100 persons (2019)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 55; landing points for a number of submarine cables, including Malbec, ARBR, Tamnat, SAC, SAm-1, Atlantis -2, Seabras-1, Monet, EllaLink, BRUSA, GlobeNet, AMX-1, Brazilian Festoon, Bicentenario, Unisur, Junior, Americas -II, SAE x1, SAIL, SACS and SABR that provide direct connectivity 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; satellites is a major communication platform, as it is almost impossible to lay fiber optic cable in the thick vegetation (2019)" }, "note": "uncontested boundary dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; smuggling of firearms and narcotics continues to be an issue along the Uruguay-Brazil border; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Brazil's border region with Venezuela
" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { "text": "251,832 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay) (2020)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "7 (2019)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "second-largest consumer of cocaine in the world; illicit producer of cannabis; trace amounts of coca cultivation in the Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian, and Peruvian cocaine headed for Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics proceeds are often laundered through the financial system; significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area" } } }