Brazil

National name:
República Federativa do Brasil

Government:
Federal republic

Geography
Brazil covers nearly half of South America and is the continent’s largest nation. It extends 4,772 km north-south, 4,331 km east-west, and borders every nation on the continent except Chile and Ecuador. Brazil may be divided into the Brazilian Highlands, or plateau, in the south and the Amazon River Basin in the north. Over a third of Brazil is drained by the Amazon and its more than 200 tributaries. The Amazon is navigable for ocean steamers to Iquitos, Peru, 3,700 km upstream. Southern Brazil is drained by the Plata system— the Paraguay, Uruguay, and Paraná Rivers.

Historical Background
Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. 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. Brazil signed a defense agreement worth more than $12 billion with France in December 2008.

Capital

Brasília

Government

Federal presidential constitutional republic
 -  President Dilma Rousseff (PT)
 -  Vice President Michel Temer (PMDB)
 -  President of the Chamber of Deputies Marco Maia (PT)
 -  President of the Senate José Sarney (PMDB)
 -  Chief Justice Cezar Peluso

Language

Brazilian Portuguese

Religion

Roman Catholicism

Area

Total 8,514,877 km2 (5th) 3,287,597 sq mi   

-  Water (%) 0.65

Population

2010 census 190,732,694 [2] (5th)

Density

22/km2 (182nd) 57/sq mi

Currency

Real (R$) (BRL)