Map of Brazil | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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Location: Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 55 00 W

Map reference: South America

Area
Total: 8,515,770 km²
Land: 8,358,140 km²
Water: 157,630 km²
Note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo
Comparative: slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries
Total: 16,145 km
Border countries: (10) 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

Coastline: 7,491 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate: mostly tropical, but temperate in south

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

Elevation
Highest point: Pico da Neblina 2,994 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 320 m

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: 32.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 8.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 23.5% (2018 est.)
Forest: 61.9% (2018 est.)
Other: 5.2% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 69,029 km² (2017)

Major rivers
By length in km:

Major watersheds area km²: Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 km²), Orinoco (953,675 km²), Paraná (2,582,704 km²), São Francisco (617,814 km²), Tocantins (764,213 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 16.13 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 9.51 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 41.42 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 8.65 trillion cubic meters (2020 est.)

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

Geography
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: cassava (manioc) the sixth most important food crop in the world - after maize, rice, wheat, potatoes, and soybeans - seems to have originated in the west-central part of Brazil; pineapples are probably indigenous to the southern Brazil-Paraguay region
Note 3: Rocas Atoll, located off the northeast coast of Brazil, is the only atoll in the South Atlantic


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Population
Distribution: the vast majority of people live along, or relatively 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: 218,689,757 (2023 est.)
Growth rate: 0.64% (2023 est.)
Below poverty line: 4.2% (2016 est.)
Below poverty line note: approximately 4% of the population are below the "extreme" poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Brazilian(s)
Adjective: Brazilian

Ethnic groups: White 47.7%, mixed 43.1%, Black 7.6%, Asian 1.1%, Indigenous 0.4% (2010 est.)

Languages: Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language); note - less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor Amerindian languages
Major-language samples:

Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Evangelical 31%, Spiritist 3%, Umbanda, Candomble, or other Afro-Brazilian religions 2%, Jewish 0.3%, atheist 1%, other 2%, none 10% (2020 est.)

Demographic profile: Brazil's rapid fertility decline since the 1960s is the main factor behind the country's slowing population growth rate, aging population, and fast-paced demographic transition. Brasilia has not taken full advantage of its large working-age population to develop its human capital and strengthen its social and economic institutions but is funding a study abroad program to bring advanced skills back to the country. The current favorable age structure will begin to shift around 2025, with the labor force shrinking and the elderly starting to compose an increasing share of the total population. Well-funded public pensions have nearly wiped out poverty among the elderly, and Bolsa Familia and other social programs have lifted tens of millions out of poverty. More than half of Brazil's population is considered middle class, but poverty and income inequality levels remain high; the Northeast, North, and Center-West, women, and black, mixed race, and indigenous populations are disproportionately affected. Disparities in opportunities foster social exclusion and contribute to Brazil's high crime rate, particularly violent crime in cities and favelas (slums).

Age structure
0-14 years: 19.77% (male 22,084,172/female 21,148,290)
15-64 years: 69.72% (male 75,612,047/female 76,853,504)
65 years and over: 10.51% (2023 est.) (male 9,848,975/female 13,142,769)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 43.1
Youth dependency ratio: 29.4
Elderly dependency ratio: 13.7
Potential support ratio: 7.3 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 34.7 years (2023 est.)
Male: 33.6 years
Female: 35.7 years

Population growth rate: 0.64% (2023 est.)

Birth rate: 13.4 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate: 6.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution: the vast majority of people live along, or relatively 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

Urbanization
Urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 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)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; illegal wildlife trade; illegal poaching; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills
International agreements party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Protocol

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 10.94 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 462.3 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 401.83 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 72 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 13.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 14.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 11.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.1 years (2023 est.)
Male: 72.6 years
Female: 79.8 years

Total fertility rate: 1.75 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 80.5% (2019)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 99.8% of population
Improved rural: 96.9% of population
Improved total: 99.4% of population
Unimproved urban: 0.2% of population
Unimproved rural: 3.1% of population
Unimproved total: 0.6% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure: 10.3% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density: 2.31 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Hospital bed density: 2.1 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban:
Unimproved urban:

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high (2023)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
Water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 22.1% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 6.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 3.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 12.8% (2020 est.)
Male: 16.2% (2020 est.)
Female: 9.4% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 6% of GDP (2019 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 94.3%
Male: 94.1%
Female: 94.5% (2021)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 16 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 16 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 31.9% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 27%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 38.2%


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Country name
Conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
Conventional short form: Brazil
Local long form: República Federativa do Brasil
Local short form: Brasil
Etymology: the country name derives from the brazilwood tree that used to grow plentifully along the coast of Brazil and that was used to produce a deep red dye

Government type: federal presidential republic

Capital
Name: Brasília
Geographic coordinates: 15 47 S, 47 55 W
Time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Time zone note: Brazil has four time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands
Etymology: name bestowed on the new capital of Brazil upon its inauguration in 1960; previous Brazilian capitals had been Salvador from 1549 to 1763 and Rio de Janeiro from 1763 to 1960

Administrative divisions: 26 states (estados, singular - estado) 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

Dependent areas

Independence: 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Constitution
History: several previous; latest ratified 5 October 1988
Amendments: proposed by at least one third of either house of the National Congress, by the president of the republic, or by simple majority vote by more than half of the state legislative assemblies; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote by both houses in each of two readings; constitutional provisions affecting the federal form of government, separation of powers, suffrage, or individual rights and guarantees cannot be amended; amended many times, last in 2022

Legal system: civil law; note - a new civil law code was enacted in 2002 replacing the 1916 code

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent only: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years

Suffrage: voluntary between 16 to 18 years of age, over 70, and if illiterate; compulsory between 18 to 70 years of age; note - military conscripts by law cannot vote

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2023); Vice President Geraldo José Rodrigues ALCKMIN Filho (since 1 January 2023); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2023); Vice President Geraldo José Rodrigues ALCKMIN Filho (since 1 January 2023)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
Elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a single consecutive term, and additional terms after at least one term has elapsed); election last held on 2 October 2022 with runoff on 30 October 2022 (next to be held on 4 October 2,026)
Election results:

Legislative branch
Description:
Elections:
Election results:

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Federal Court or Supremo Tribunal Federal (consists of 11 justices)
Judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president and approved by the Federal Senate; justices appointed to serve until mandatory retirement at age 75
Subordinate courts: Tribunal of the Union, Federal Appeals Court, Superior Court of Justice, Superior Electoral Court, regional federal courts; state court system

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: AfDB (nonregional member), BIS, BRICS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, CPLP, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-5, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro VIOTTI (since 30 June 2023)
In the us chancery: 3,006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 238-2,700
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 238-2,827
In the us email address and website:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley BAGLEY (since 5 February 2023)
From the us embassy: SES - Avenida das Nações, Quadra 801, Lote 3, 70,403-900 - Brasília, DF
From the us mailing address: 7,500 Brasilia Place, Washington DC 20,521-7,500
From the us telephone: [55] (61) 3,312-7,000
From the us FAX: [55] (61) 3,225-9,136
From the us email address and website:

Flag description: green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress); the current flag was inspired by the banner of the former Empire of Brazil (1822-1889); on the imperial flag, the green represented the House of Braganza of Pedro I, the first Emperor of Brazil, while the yellow stood for the Habsburg Family of his wife; on the modern flag the green represents the forests of the country and the yellow rhombus its mineral wealth (the diamond shape roughly mirrors that of the country); the blue circle and stars, which replaced the coat of arms of the original flag, depict the sky over Rio de Janeiro on the morning of 15 November 1889 - the day the Republic of Brazil was declared; the number of stars has changed with the creation of new states and has risen from an original 21 to the current 27 (one for each state and the Federal District)
Note: one of several flags where a prominent component of the design reflects the shape of the country; other such flags are those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Eritrea, and Vanuatu

National symbols: Southern Cross constellation; national colors: green, yellow, blue

National anthem
Name: "Hino Nacional Brasileiro" (Brazilian National Anthem)
Lyrics/music: Joaquim Osorio Duque ESTRADA/Francisco Manoel DA SILVA
Note: music adopted 1890, lyrics adopted 1922; the anthem's music, composed in 1822, was used unofficially for many years before it was adopted

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 23 (15 cultural, 7 natural, 1 mixed)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview: industrial-led economic growth model; recovering from 2014-2016 recession when COVID-19 hit; industry limited by Amazon rainforest but increasing deforestation; new macroeconomic structural reforms; high income inequality; left UNASUR to join PROSUR

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 63.4% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 20% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 15.6% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 12.6% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -11.6% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.6% (2017 est.)
Industry: 20.7% (2017 est.)
Services: 72.7% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: sugar cane, soybeans, maize, milk, cassava, oranges, poultry, rice, beef, cotton

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

Industrial production growth rate: 4.48% (2021 est.)

Labor force: 99.47 million (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate:

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 31.9% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 27%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 38.2%

Population below poverty line: 4.2% (2016 est.)
Note: approximately 4% of the population are below the "extreme" poverty line

Gini index
Coefficient distribution of family income: 48.9 (2020 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10%: 0.8%
Highest 10%: 43.4% (2016 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $424.196 billion (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $617.332 billion (2020 est.)
Surplus  or deficit: -1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 12.96% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Public debt:

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.62% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance:

Exports:
Note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Partners: China 28%, United States 13% (2019)
Commodities: iron, soybeans, crude petroleum, sugar, poultry meats (2021)

Imports:
Partners: China 21%, United States 18%, Germany 6%, Argentina 6% (2019)
Commodities: refined petroleum, vehicle parts, crude petroleum, integrated circuits, pesticides (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external:

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification-total population: 99.4% (2021)
Access electrification-urban areas: 99.7% (2021)
Access electrification-rural areas: 97.3% (2021)
Installed generating capacity: 195.037 million kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 540,997,340,000 kWh (2020 est.)
Exports: 395 million kWh (2020 est.)
Imports: 25.113 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 105.727 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 11.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources solar: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources wind: 9.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 65.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 9.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Coal
Production: 13.993 million metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 31.841 million metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 16,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 19.217 million metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 6.596 billion metric tons (2019 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 3,629,100 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 3,142,300 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 1,123,300 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 186,200 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 12,714,600,000 barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 2.811 million bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports: 279,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 490,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 25,395,979,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
Consumption: 35,253,198,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 9,724,017,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
Proven reserves: 363.984 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 456.67 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 63.53 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 328.824 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 64.316 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 59.444 million Btu/person (2019 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 27,257,833 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 219,660,524 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 102 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: state-run Radiobras operates a radio and a TV network; more than 1,000 radio stations and more than 100 TV channels operating - mostly privately owned; private media ownership highly concentrated (2022)

Internet
Country code: .br
Users total: 170.1 million (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 81% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 36,344,670 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2020 est.)


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Military expenditures:

Military and security forces: Brazilian Armed Forces (Forças Armadas Brasileiras): Brazilian Army (Exercito Brasileiro, EB), Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil, MB, includes Naval Aviation (Aviacao Naval Brasileira) and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira, FAB) (2023)
Note: Brazil's Federal Police are under the Minister of Justice and Public Security

Military service age and obligation: 18-45 years of age for compulsory military service for men (women exempted); only 5-10% of those inducted are required to serve; conscript service obligation is 10-12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service (2023)
Note: in 2022, women comprised approximately 9% of the Brazilian military

Space program
Overview: has an active program with a long history, although it has been hampered by inconsistent funding; develops, builds, operates, and tracks satellites, including communications, remote sensing (RS), multi-mission, navigational, and scientific/testing/research; satellites are launched by foreign partners, but Brazil has a long-standing sounding (research) rocket and space launch vehicle (SLV) program and rocket launch facilities; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of Argentina, Canada, the European Space Agency and individual member states (particularly France and Germany), India, Japan, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Ukraine, and the US; has a state-controlled communications company that operates Brazil’s communications satellites and a growing commercial space sector with expertise in satellite technology (2023)
Overview note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in space programs

Terrorist groups
Terrorist groups: Hizballah (2022)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in terrorist organizations


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 9 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 443
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 102,109,977 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,845,650,000 (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: PP

Airports: 4,093 (2021)
With paved runways: 698
With paved runways civil airports: 35
With paved runways military airports: 14
With paved runways joint use (civil-military) airports: 17
With paved runways other airports: 632
With paved runways note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
With unpaved runways: 3,395
With unpaved runways note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Heliports: 13 (2021)

Pipelines: 5,959 km refined petroleum product (1,165 km distribution, 4,794 km transport), 11,696 km natural gas (2,274 km distribution, 9,422 km transport), 1,985 km crude oil (distribution), 77 km ethanol/petrochemical (37 km distribution, 40 km transport) (2016)

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

Roadways
Total: 2 million km (2018)
Paved: 246,000 km (2018)
Unpaved: 1.754 million km (2018)

Waterways: 50,000 km (2012) (most in areas remote from industry and population)

Merchant marine
Total: 877 (2022)
By type: bulk carrier 11, container ship 20, general cargo 40, oil tanker 27, other 779

Ports and terminals
Major seaports: Belem, Itajai, Paranagua, Rio Grande, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Sao Sebastiao, Tubarao
Oil terminals: DTSE/Gegua oil terminal, Ilha Grande (Gebig), Guaiba Island terminal, Guamare oil terminal
Container ports teus: Itajai (1,610,092), Paranagua (1,044,157), Santos (4,442,876) (2021)
Lng terminals import: Pecem, Rio de Janiero
River ports: Manaus (Amazon)
Dry bulk cargo ports: Sepetiba ore terminal, Tubarao


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Disputes international:

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 449,678 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay) (2023)
IDPs: 5,600 (2022)
Stateless persons: 12 (2022)

Illicit drugs: a significant drug transit and destination country for cocaine bound for Europe and other destinations including the United States; domestic drug use and addiction is a significant problem and it is second only to the United States in cocaine consumption; a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics