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Brazil

Brazil
General information
Common nameBrazil
Local name 
Name 
Motto"Ordem e Progresso"
 
"Order and Progress"
AnthemHino Nacional Brasileiro
 
"Brazilian National Anthem"
CapitalBrasília
Largest citySão Paulo
Official languagesPortuguese
Ethnic groups48.43% White
43.80% Brown (Multiracial)
6.84% Black
0.58% Asian
0.28% Amerindian (2008
)
DemonymBrazilian
Government
GovernmentFederal presidential constitutional republic
PresidentDilma Rousseff (PT)
Vice PresidentMichel Temer (PMDB)
President of the Chamber of DeputiesMarco Maia (PT)
President of the SenateJosé Sarney (PMDB)
Chief JusticeCezar Peluso
LegislatureNational Congress
Upper HouseFederal Senate
Lower HouseChamber of Deputies
IndependenceIndependence (from United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves)
Declared7 September 1822
Recognized29 August 1825
Republic15 November 1889
Current constitution5 October 1988
Geography
Total Area3287597 sq mi (8514876.2 km2) (5th)
Water %0.65
Demography
Population census192 376 496 (5th) (2011)
Density (pop.)22/km2 (182nd) (57/sq mi)
Economy
GDP PPP$2.309 trillion (2011) (8th)
GDP (PPP) per capita$11,485 (75th)
GDP (nominal)$2.517 trillion (2011) (7th)
GDP (nominal) per capita$12,916 (54th)
Other information
Gini53.9 (2009) (high)
HDI0.699 (2010) (high) (73rd)
CurrencyReal (R$) (BRL)
Time zoneBRT (UTC-2 to -4)
- Summer (DST)BRST (UTC-2 to -4)
Date formatsdd/mm/yyyy (CE)
Drives on theright
Internet TLD.br
Calling code+55

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Brazil c-enaudio=en-us-Brazil.oggbrəˈzɪl ( , -ptbɾaˈziwIPA), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil ( , ), is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people. It is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas and the largest lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) country in the world.

Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Brazil has a coastline of 7491 km (4654.7 mi). It is bordered on the north by Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and the French overseas region of French Guiana; on the northwest by Colombia; on the west by Bolivia and Peru; on the southwest by Argentina and Paraguay and on the south by Uruguay. Numerous archipelagos form part of Brazilian territory, such as Fernando de Noronha, Rocas Atoll, Saint Peter and Paul Rocks, and Trindade and Martim Vaz. It borders all other South American countries except Ecuador and Chile.

Brazil was a colony of Portugal from the landing of Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500 until 1815, when it was elevated to the rank of kingdom and the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves was formed. The colonial bond was in fact broken in 1808, when the capital of the Portuguese colonial Empire was transferred from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro, after Napoleon invaded Portugal. The independence from the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves was achieved in 1822. Initially independent as the Empire of Brazil, period when it was a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system, the country has been a presidential republic since 1889, after a military coup d'état proclaimed the Republic, although the bicameral legislature, now called Congress, dates back to 1824, when the first constitution was ratified. Its current Constitution, formulated in 1988, defines Brazil as a Federal Republic. The Federation is formed by the union of the Federal District, the 26 States, and the 5,564 Municipalities.

The Brazilian economy is the world's seventh largest economy by nominal GDP and the eighth largest by purchasing power parity.Brazil is one of the world's fastest growing major economies . Economic reforms have given the country new international recognition. Brazil is a founding member of the United Nations, the G20, CPLP, Latin Union, the Organization of Ibero-American States, Mercosul and the Union of South American Nations, and is one of the BRIC countries. Brazil is also home to a diversity of wildlife, natural environments, and extensive natural resources in a variety of protected habitats.


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