- 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 brazil 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: the name is the Latinized form of the country name, bestowed on the new capital of Brazil in 1960; previous Brazilian capitals were Salvador (1549-1763) and Rio de Janeiro (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, Rondônia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins
- Legal system
- civil law
- Constitution
- history: several previous; latest ratified 5 October 1988
amendment process: 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 - 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
- Executive branch
- chief of state: President Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2023)
head of government: President Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2023)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
election/appointment process: 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)
most recent election date: 2 October 2022, with runoff on 30 October 2022
election results: 2022: Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (PT) 48.4%, Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 43.2%, Simone Nassar TEBET (MDB) 4.2%, Ciro GOMES (PDT) 3%, other 1.2%; percent of vote in second round - Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (PT) 50.9%, Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 49.1%2018: Jair BOLSONARO elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 46%, Fernando HADDAD (PT) 29.3%, Ciro GOMEZ (PDT) 12.5%, Geraldo ALCKMIN (PSDB) 4.8%, other 7.4%; percent of vote in second round - Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 55.1%, Fernando HADDAD (PT) 44.9%
expected date of next election: 4 October 2026 - Legislative branch
- legislature name: National Congress (Congresso nacional)
legislative structure: bicameral - Legislative branch - lower chamber
- chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Cámara dos Deputados)
number of seats: 513 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 10/2/2022
parties elected and seats per party: Liberal Party (PL) (99); Workers' Party (PT) (69); Brazil Union (União) (59); Progressive Party (PP) (47); Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) (42); Social Democratic Party (PSD) (42); Republicans (Republicanos) (40); Other (106)
percentage of women in chamber: 18.1%
expected date of next election: October 2026 - Legislative branch - upper chamber
- chamber name: Federal Senate (Senado Federal)
number of seats: 81 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: partial renewal
term in office: 8 years
most recent election date: 10/2/2022
parties elected and seats per party: Liberal Party (PL) (8); Brazil Union (União) (5); Workers' Party (PT) (4); Progressive Party (PP) (3); Social Democratic Party (PSD) (2); Republicans (Republicanos) (2); Other (3)
percentage of women in chamber: 19.8%
expected date of next election: October 2026 - Judicial branch
- highest court(s): 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 absolute majority 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
- Act (Agir) (formerly Christian Labor Party or PTC)Avante (formerly Labor Party of Brazil or PTdoB)Brazil Union (União Brasil); note - founded from a merger between the Democrats (DEM) and the Social Liberal Party (PSL) Brazilian Communist Party or PCBBrazilian Democratic Movement or MDBBrazilian Labor Party or PTBBrazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTBBrazilian Labor Party or PTBBrazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDBBrazilian Socialist Party or PSBChristian Democracy or DC (formerly Christian Social Democratic Party)Cidadania (formerly Popular Socialist Party or PPS)Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoBDemocratic Labor Party or PDTDemocratic Party or PSDCDemocrats or DEM (formerly Liberal Front Party or PFL); note - dissolved in February 2022Green Party or PVLiberal Party or PL [Valdemar Costa Neto] (formerly Party of the Republic or PR)National Mobilization Party or PMNNew Party or NOVOPatriota (formerly National Ecologic Party or PEN)Podemos (formerly National Labor Party or PTN) Progressive Party (Progressistas) or PPRepublican Social Order Party or PROSRepublicans (Republicanos) (formerly Brazilian Republican Party or PRB)Social Christian Party or PSCSocial Democratic Party or PSDSocial Liberal Party or PSLSocialism and Freedom Party or PSOLSolidarity or SDSustainability Network or REDEUnited Socialist Workers' Party or PSTUWorkers' Cause Party or PCOWorkers' Party or PT
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission: Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro VIOTTI (since 30 June 2023)
chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700
FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827
email address and website: contact.washington@itamaraty.gov.br https://www.gov.br/mre/pt-br/embaixada-washington
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hartford (CT), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, San Francisco - Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Gabriel ESCOBAR (since 21 January 2025)
embassy: SES - Avenida das Nações, Quadra 801, Lote 03, 70403-900 - Brasília, DF
mailing address: 7500 Brasilia Place, Washington DC 20521-7500
telephone: [55] (61) 3312-7000
FAX: [55] (61) 3225-9136
email address and website: BrasilliaACS@state.govhttps://br.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s) general: Recife, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo
branch office(s): Belo Horizonte - 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
- Independence
- 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
- National holiday
- Independence Day, 7 September (1822)
- Flag
- description: green with a large yellow diamond in the center, showing a blue celestial globe with 27 five-pointed white stars; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)meaning: green stands for the country's forests, and yellow for its mineral wealth, with the diamond representing the country's shape; the blue globe and stars 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 risen with the creation of new states, from 21 to 27 (one for each state and the Federal District)history: the flag was inspired by the former Empire of Brazil's flag (1822-1889)
- National symbol(s)
- Southern Cross constellation
- National color(s)
- green, yellow, blue
- National anthem(s)
- title: "Hino Nacional Brasileiro" (Brazilian National Anthem)
lyrics/music: Joaquim Osorio Duque ESTRADA/Francisco Manoel DA SILVA
history: music adopted 1890, lyrics adopted 1922; the anthem's music, composed in 1822, was used unofficially for many years - National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites: 24 (15 cultural, 9 natural, 1 mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Brasilia (c); Historic Salvador de Bahia (c); Historic Ouro Preto (c); Historic Center of the Town of Olinda (c); Iguaçu National Park (n); Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis (c); Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes (c); Central Amazon Conservation Complex (n); Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves (n); Historic Center of Salvador de Bahia (c); Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas (c ); Brasilia (c ); Serra da Capivara National Park (c ); Historic Center of Sao Luis( c); Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves (n); Historic Center of the Town of Diamantina (c ); Pantanal Conservation Area (n); Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves (n); Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks (n); Historic Centre of the Town of Goiás (c); São Francisco Square in the Town of São Cristóvão (c ); Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea (c ); Pampulha Modern Ensemble (c ); Valongo Wharf Archaeological Site (c ); Paraty and Ilha Grande – Culture and Biodiversity (m); Sítio Roberto Burle Marx (c ); Lençóis Maranhenses National Park (n);Peruaçu River Canyon (n)