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. VARGAS governed over various versions of democratic and authoritarian regimes from 1930 to 1945. Democratic rule returned (including a democratically elected VARGAS administration from 1951-55) and lasted until 1964, when the military overthrew President Joao 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 1989.
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, under President Luiz Inacio LULA da Silva (2003-2010) 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 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. 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 from 2018-19, although his conviction was overturned in early 2021. In October 2018, Jair BOLSONARO won the presidency with 55% of the second-round vote and assumed office on 1 January 2019.
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": "13.96 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2022 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": "87.6% of total population (2022)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "22.430 million Sao Paulo, 13.634 million Rio de Janeiro, 6.194 million Belo Horizonte, 4.804 million BRASILIA (capital), 4.220 million Recife, 4.185 million Porto Alegre (2022)" }, "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 ratio": { "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)", "note": "note: percent of women aged 18-49" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 99.8% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 96.9% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 99.4% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 0.2% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 3.1% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 0.6% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { "text": "9.6% (2019)" }, "Physicians density": { "text": "2.16 physicians/1,000 population (2018)" }, "Hospital bed density": { "text": "2.1 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 94.1% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 63.6% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 90.2% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 5.9% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 36.4% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 9.8% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "0.6% (2020 est.)" }, "HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS": { "text": "930,000 (2020 est.)" }, "HIV/AIDS - deaths": { "text": "13,000 (2020 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: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Brazil; as of 6 October 2021, Brazil has reported a total of 21,478,546 cases of COVID-19 or 10,104.73 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 281.4 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 5 October 2021, 44.27% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine" }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "22.1% (2016)" }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "NA" }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "6.1% of GDP (2018)" }, "Literacy": { "definition": { "text": "age 15 and over can read and write" }, "total population": { "text": "93.2%" }, "male": { "text": "93%" }, "female": { "text": "93.4% (2018)" } }, "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": { "total": { "text": "16 years" }, "male": { "text": "15 years" }, "female": { "text": "16 years (2019)" } }, "Unemployment, youth ages 15-24": { "total": { "text": "31.3%" }, "male": { "text": "27.5%" }, "female": { "text": "36.3% (2020 est.)" } } }, "Environment": { "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 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" }, "signed, but not ratified": { "text": "Marine Dumping-London Protocol" } }, "Air pollutants": { "particulate matter emissions": { "text": "11.49 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)" }, "carbon dioxide emissions": { "text": "462.3 megatons (2016 est.)" }, "methane emissions": { "text": "401.83 megatons (2020 est.)" } }, "Climate": { "text": "mostly tropical, but temperate in south" }, "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.)" } }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "87.6% of total population (2022)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Revenue from forest resources": { "forest revenues": { "text": "0.62% of GDP (2018 est.)" } }, "Revenue from coal": { "coal revenues": { "text": "0.01% of GDP (2018 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: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Brazil; as of 6 October 2021, Brazil has reported a total of 21,478,546 cases of COVID-19 or 10,104.73 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 281.4 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 5 October 2021, 44.27% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine" }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "79,889,010 tons (2015 est.)" }, "municipal solid waste recycled annually": { "text": "1,118,446 tons (2014 est.)" }, "percent of municipal solid waste recycled": { "text": "1.4% (2014 est.)" } }, "Major lakes (area sq km)": { "Fresh water lake(s)": { "text": "Lagoa dos Patos - 10,140 sq km" }, "Salt water lake(s)": { "text": "Lagoa Mirim (shared with Uruguay) - 2,970 sq km" } }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "Amazon river mouth (shared with Peru [s]) - 6,400 km; Rio de la Plata/Parana river source (shared with Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay [m]) - 4,880 km; Tocantins - 3,650 km; Sao 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 kmBrazil 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 (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020": { "text": "$2,989,430,000,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": { "text": "$3,115,910,000,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018": { "text": "$3,072,550,000,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2010 dollars" }, "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.)" } }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2020": { "text": "$14,100 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2019": { "text": "$14,800 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2018": { "text": "$14,700 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2010 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$1,877,942,000,000 (2019 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)" } }, "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.)" } }, "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.)" } }, "Unemployment, youth ages 15-24": { "total": { "text": "31.3%" }, "male": { "text": "27.5%" }, "female": { "text": "36.3% (2020 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.)" } }, "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.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "35.7% (of GDP) (2017 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 2020": { "text": "$239.18 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)" }, "Exports 2019": { "text": "$260.07 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)" }, "Exports 2018": { "text": "$274.9 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)" } }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "China 28%, United States 13% (2019)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "soybeans, crude petroleum, iron, corn, wood pulp products (2019)" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2020": { "text": "$227.44 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)" }, "Imports 2019": { "text": "$269.02 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)" }, "Imports 2018": { "text": "$267.52 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)" } }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "China 21%, United States 18%, Germany 6%, Argentina 6% (2019)" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "refined petroleum, vehicle parts, crude petroleum, integrated circuits, pesticides (2019)" }, "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 2019": { "text": "$681.336 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Debt - external 2018": { "text": "$660.693 billion (2018 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.)" } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "30,653,813 (2020)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "14.42 (2020 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "205,834,781 (2020)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "96.84 (2020 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "Brazil is one of the largest mobile and broadband markets in Latin America with healthy competition and pricing; 5G launched on limited basis; countrywide network spectrum auction held in November 2021; large fixed-line broadband market with focus on fiber; landing point for submarine cables and investment into terrestrial fiber cables to neighboring countries; Internet penetration has increased, access varies along geographic and socio-economic lines; government provides free WiFi in urban public spaces; pioneer in the region for M-commerce; major importer of integrated circuits from South Korea and China, and broadcasting equipment from China(2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line connections stand at roughly 14 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 97 per 100 persons (2020)" }, "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": "note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments" }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "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" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".br" }, "Internet users": { "total": { "text": "160 million (2021 est.)" }, "percent of population": { "text": "73.91% (2019 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "36,344,670 (2020)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "17.1 (2020 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "National air transport system": { "number of registered air carriers": { "text": "9 (2020)" }, "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": { "text": "443" }, "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "102,109,977 (2018)" }, "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "1,845,650,000 mt-km (2018)" } }, "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "PP" }, "Airports": { "total": { "text": "4,093 (2013)" } }, "Airports - with paved runways": { "total": { "text": "698" }, "over 3,047 m": { "text": "7" }, "2,438 to 3,047 m": { "text": "27" }, "1,524 to 2,437 m": { "text": "179" }, "914 to 1,523 m": { "text": "436 (2017)" }, "under 914 m": { "text": "49 (2017)" } }, "Airports - with unpaved runways": { "total": { "text": "3,395" }, "1,524 to 2,437 m": { "text": "92" }, "914 to 1,523 m": { "text": "1,619" }, "under 914 m": { "text": "1,684 (2013)" } }, "Heliports": { "text": "13 (2013)" }, "Pipelines": { "text": "5959 km refined petroleum product (1,165 km distribution, 4,794 km transport), 11696 km natural gas (2,274 km distribution, 9,422 km transport), 1985 km crude oil (distribution), 77 km ethanol/petrochemical (37 km distribution, 40 km transport) (2016)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "29,850 km (2014)" }, "standard gauge": { "text": "194 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)" }, "narrow gauge": { "text": "23,341.6 km 1.000-m gauge (24 km electrified) (2014)" }, "broad gauge": { "text": "5,822.3 km 1.600-m gauge (498.3 km electrified) (2014)" }, "dual gauge": { "text": "492 km 1.600-1.000-m gauge (2014)" } }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "2 million km (2018)" }, "paved": { "text": "246,000 km (2018)" }, "unpaved": { "text": "1.754 million km (2018)" } }, "Waterways": { "text": "50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2012)" }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "864" }, "by type": { "text": "bulk carrier 11, container ship 19, general cargo 42, oil tanker 31, other 761 (2021)" } }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { "text": "Belem, Itajai, Paranagua, Rio Grande, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Sao Sebastiao, Tubarao" }, "oil terminal(s)": { "text": "DTSE/Gegua oil terminal, Ilha Grande (Gebig), Guaiba Island terminal, Guamare oil terminal" }, "container port(s) (TEUs)": { "text": "Itajai (1,223,262), Paranagua (865,110), Santos (4,165,248) (2019)" }, "LNG terminal(s) (import)": { "text": "Pecem, Rio de Janiero" }, "river port(s)": { "text": "Manaus (Amazon)" }, "dry bulk cargo port(s)": { "text": "Sepetiba ore terminal, Tubarao" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "Brazilian Armed Forces: Brazilian Army (Exercito Brasileiro, EB), Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil, MB, includes Naval Aviation (Aviacao Naval Brasileira) and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira, FAB) (2021)" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2020": { "text": "1.3% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2019": { "text": "1.4% of GDP (2019)" }, "Military Expenditures 2018": { "text": "1.5% of GDP (2018)" }, "Military Expenditures 2017": { "text": "1.4% of GDP (2017)" }, "Military Expenditures 2016": { "text": "1.3% of GDP (2016)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "the Brazilian Armed Forces have approximately 360,000 active personnel (220,000 Army; 70,000 Navy; 70,000 Air Force) (2021)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Brazilian military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically-produced and imported weapons, largely from Europe and the US; since 2010, France, Germany, the UK, and the US are the leading suppliers of military equipment to Brazil; Brazil's defense industry is capable of designing and manufacturing equipment for all three military services and for export; it also jointly produces equipment with other countries (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-45 years of age for compulsory military service for men (women exempted); only 5-10% of those inducted are required to serve; conscript service obligation is 10-12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; 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 (2021)", "note": "note - in 2020, women comprised approximately 9% of the Brazilian military" }, "Military - note": { "text": "the origins of Brazil's military stretch back to the 1640s; as of 2021, the military's primary role was enforcing border security, particularly in the Amazon states; it was also assisting with internal security operations with a focus on organized crime
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": "261,441 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay) (2020)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "14 (mid-year 2021)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "a significant transit and destination country for cocaine; most of the cocaine that entering Brazil is destined for domestic use or transits to Europe via West Africa; substantial and growing domestic drug consumption problem; second-largest consumer of cocaine hydrochloride and cocaine-derivative products
" } } }