COUNTRY PROFILE

Federative Republic of
BRAZIL

ORIGIN
Shortened form of Terra do

Brasil (Land of Brazilwood).

HISTORY

Early History
Approximately

7
million
indigenous people lived in
Brazil before the arrival of the
Portuguese. These indigenous
peoples represented 4 major
ethnic groups: the Tupis,
Guaranis, Gs and Arawaks.

HISTORY CONTD

Arrival of the Europeans and Colonisation

Brazil claimed by Pedro lvares Cabral on April 22, 1500
Colonial period began in 1534 Territory divided into 15 Captaincy Colonies
Creation of the Governate General of Brazil in 1549 due to failed administration

of captaincy colonies - a single, centralized colony

Sugar => Brazils main export crop in the 16th Century
Decline in sugar demand => Brazilian Gold Rush in 1690

HISTORY CONTD
United Kingdom of Portugal and Independence
Crown relocated temporarily to Brazil from Lisbon in 1807 after receiving threats

from the Spanish and from Napoleon during the Peninsula War (1807-1814).
Establishment of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves forming

a pluricontinental transatlantic monarchic state in 1814 => a move to justify

Portugals absence from mainland Europe even after the war was over.
Proclamation of Independence by Prince Pedro on 7 September, 1822.
Portugal officially recognized Brazil on 29 August 1825.
Military coup overthrowing monarchy in November 1889.

HISTORY CONTD
Brazilian Revolution of 1930 led by Getlio Vargas with military support.

Established the Estado Novo => Dictatorship, government brutality, censorship.

Juscelino Kubitschek (1956-1961) => Favourable economic and political period;

construction of the new capital city of Brasilia in 1960.

Reversion to a system of military dictatorship (1964-1985) => Guerilla tactics,

censorship in and outside the country

Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1995-2003) => Economic stabilization of Brazil

under his Plano Real led to his election.

GEOGRAPHY
Total land area - 8,515,770 sq. km
Largest in South America and Latin America
5th largest in the world (based on both land

area and population size)

Common borders exclude Chile and Ecuador
Occupies 47% of the continent.

DEMOGRAPHICS
Population of Brazil - 205,823,665

(Largest Portuguese-speaking nation)

Language: Portuguese
Birth rate - 14.3 births/1,000

population
Mortality rate - 6.6 deaths/1,000

population
Life expectancy - Total pop: 73.8 yrs.
Male: 70.2 yrs.
Female: 77.5 yrs.

Literacy rate - Total pop: 92.6%

Male: 92.2%

Female: 92.9%
Unemployment (Youth ages 15-24):
Total pop: 15%

Male: 12.3%
Female: 18.7% (2013 est.)

DEMOGRAPHICS CONTD
RELIGION
Spiritism
2%

Other
1%

Worlds largest Catholic

population

No
religion
8%

Christ the
Redeemer
(Cristo Redentor)

Protestantism
23%
Roman Catholicism
66%

SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT
4 MAIN POLITICAL PARTIES

Workers' Party
Brazilian Social Democracy Party
Brazilian Democratic Movement Party
Democrats

COMPULSORY VOTING
Literate population
Ages 18 and 70

ECONOMY
Largest economy in Latin America

GDP per capita - $15,600

9th largest economy by GDP - $1.773 trillion

Abundant natural resources

Agriculture (5.9%)
Industry (22.2%)
Services (71.9%)

Major
Sectors

Transport equipment
Iron ore
Soybeans
Footwear
Coffee (Largest exporter
for over 150 years!)
Automobiles

Machinery
Electrical and transport
equipment
Chemical products
Oil
Automotive parts
Electronics

Exports

Imports

ECONOMY CONTD

Trade Partnership
Main import partners
Main export partners
China
17.9% China
18.6%
United States
15.6% United States
12.7%
Germany
6.1% Argentina
6.7%
Argentina
6.0% Netherlands
5.3%

FOREIGN POLICY THEN

Traditional approach
Independent foreign policy => Greater state interest
Quiet diplomacy => fear of retaliation from Spanish neighbours

Post Cold War Era => Expansion of Brazils policy in 3 domains:

Ideas - Dependency Theory. Careful selection of strategies and partnerships to facilitate

national development and democratic consolidation.

Economic - Attempts at regional economic integration with Brazil at its core. Transnational

production with focus on the strengths of each participating nation.

Security Establishment of strategic relations with United States to prevent external

threats.

FOREIGN POLICY
NOW

President => Ultimate authority over foreign policy.

Personalization of foreign policy => The President

determines which policy issues are pertinent and

deserve to be treated..
Ministry of Foreign Relations known as Itamaraty =>

Advises President and oversees relations with other

countries and international organisations.

LUIZ INCIO LULA DA SILVA

Strengthen bilateral & multilateral relations => political and

economic international clout

Increase cooperation
Avoid agreements that pose a threat to long-term

development
Increase coordination within BRICS
Establish UNASUR
Strengthen MERCOSUR
Maintain relations with the United States
Reform of UN Security Council => Permanent Seat

DILMA ROUSSEFF
Commercial dominance and diplomacy in the region
G20 => Global warming and climate change
Cooperation with other emerging powers.

Against foreign military intervention = Libya, Syria

Strengthen

political

and

economic

integration

with

neighbours.
Anchor as a regional power through MERCOSUR and

UNASUR => Leadership forums to voice its positions on

regional and global issues.
Financial aid and technical assistance => Major contributor

to Cuba, Haiti, Honduras (2005 - 2009)

MICHEL TEMER

Expanding economy
Defending human rights
Closure of several overseas embassies and offices
MERCOSUR-EU free trade agreement
Allow MERCOSUR members to enter bilateral agreements

with non-MERCOSUR states

Promotion of more Brazilian exports
Practical versus ideological diplomacy

PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS