theast; floods and frost in south;
deforestation in Amazon basin; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro
and Sao Paulo

Note: largest country in South America; shares common boundaries
with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

- People
Population: 152,505,077 (July 1990), growth rate 1.9% (1990)

Birth rate: 26 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 69 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 62 years male, 68 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 3.1 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Brazilian(s); adjective--Brazilian

Ethnic divisions: Portuguese, Italian, German, Japanese, black,
Amerindian; 55% white, 38% mixed, 6% black, 1% other

Religion: 90% Roman Catholic (nominal)

Language: Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

Literacy: 76%

Labor force: 57,000,000 (1989 est.); 42% services, 31% agriculture,
27% industry

Organized labor: 13,000,000 dues paying members (1989 est.)

- Government
Long-form name: Federative Republic of Brazil

Type: federal republic

Capital: Brasilia

Administrative divisions: 24 states (estados, singular--estado),
2 territories* (territorios, singular--territorio), and 1 federal district**
(distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa*, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara,
Distrito Federal**, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato
Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana,
Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul,
Rondonia, Roraima*, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins;
note--the territories of Amapa and Roraima will become states
on 15 March 1991

Independence: 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

Constitution: 5 October 1988

Legal system: based on Latin codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congresso Nacional)
consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or
Chamber of Deputies (Camara dos Deputados)

Judicial branch: Supreme Federal Tribunal

Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Fernando
Affonso COLLOR de Mello (since 15 March 1990); Vice President
Itamar FRANCO (since 15 March 1990)

Political parties and leade