Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Brazil

Introduction

Brazil

Background: Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal,
Brazil became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most
populous country in South America, Brazil has overcome more than half
a century of military intervention in the governance of the country to
pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of the interior.
Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, Brazil became
South America's leading economic power by the 1970s. Highly unequal
income distribution remains a pressing problem.

Geography Brazil

Location: Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 55 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 8,511,965 sq km land: 8,456,510 sq km note: includes
Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade,
Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo water: 55,455 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries: total: 14,691 km border countries: Argentina 1,224 km,
Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia 1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119
km, Paraguay 1,290 km, Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km,
Venezuela 2,200 km

Coastline: 7,491 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin exclusive
economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: mostly tropical, but temperate in south

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

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel,
phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 2% other: 92% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 26,560 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional
frost in south

Environment - current issues: deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the
habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous
to the area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water
pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, an