Brazil Travel Podcast with Rafael Costa

Location

Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Terrain

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

Climate

Mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Elevation

Highest point

Pico da Neblina 2,994 m

Lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Mean elevation

320 m

Area

Total

8,515,770 sq km

Land

8,358,140 sq km

Water

157,630 sq km

Size comparison

Slightly smaller than the US

Coastline

7,491 km

Land borders

Total

16,145 km

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

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.)

Arable land

6.7% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops

0.9% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture

20.7% (2023 est.)

Forest

58.9% (2023 est.)

Other

12.7% (2023 est.)

Natural hazards

Recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south

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

Population

Total

221,359,387 (2025 est.)

Male

108,753,532

Female

112,605,855

Nationality

Noun

Brazilian(s)

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

Major-language sample(s)

O Livro de Fatos Mundiais, a fonte indispensável para informação básica. (Brazilian Portuguese)

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)

Median age

Total

35.4 years (2025 est.)

Male

34 years

Female

36.1 years

Life expectancy

Total population

76.3 years (2024 est.)

Male

72.6 years

Female

80.1 years

Urbanisation

Urban population

87.8% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization

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

Where people live

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

Largest cities

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)

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.

Government

Federal presidential republic

Capital

Brasília

Time zone

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

Local name

República Federativa do Brasil

Independence

7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

National day

Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

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

GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024

$19,600 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$19,100 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$18,600 (2022 est.)

Inflation

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

4.4% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4.6% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

9.3% (2022 est.)

Unemployment

Unemployment rate 2024

7.7% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

8% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

9.3% (2022 est.)

Exchange rate

Currency

Reals (BRL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

5.389 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

4.994 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

5.164 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

5.394 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

5.155 (2020 est.)

Main industries

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

Agriculture

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

Airports

5,297 (2025)

Railways

Total

29,849.9 km (2014)

Standard gauge

194 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Narrow gauge

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

Broad gauge

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

Dual gauge

492 km (2014) 1.600-1.000-m gauge

Ports

Total ports

45 (2024)

Large

4

Medium

7

Small

19

Very small

15

Ports with oil terminals

31

Key ports

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

Internet domain

.br

Internet users

Percent of population 84% (2023 est.)

Mobile subscriptions

Total subscriptions

216 million (2024 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

102 (2024 est.)

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

Fresh water

8.647 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

UNESCO Global Geoparks

Total global geoparks and regional networks

6

Global geoparks and regional networks

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