Brazil,officially the Federative Republic of Brazil,is the largest country in South
America and in the Latin America region.It is the world's fifth largest country,both by
geographical area and by population with over 193 million people.It is the largest Lusophone
country in the world,and the only one in the Americas.
Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east,Brazil has a coastline of 7,491 km (4,655 mi).It
is bordered on the north by Venezuela,Guyana,Suriname and the French overseas region of
French Guiana; on the northwest by Colombia; on the west by Bolivia and Peru; on the
southwest by Argentina and Paraguay and on the south by Uruguay.Numerous archipelagos form
part of Brazilian territory,such as Fernando de Noronha,Rocas Atoll,Saint Peter and Paul
Rocks,and Trindade and Martim Vaz.It borders all other South American countries except
Ecuador and Chile.
Brazil was a colony of Portugal from the landing of Pedro Alvares Cabral in 1500 until 1815,
when it was elevated to the rank of kingdom and the United Kingdom of Portugal,Brazil and
the Algarves was formed.The colonial bond was in fact broken in 1808,when the capital of
the Portuguese colonial empire was transferred from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro,after Napoleon
invaded Portugal.Independence was achieved in 1822 with the formation of the Empire of
Brazil,a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system.
The country became a presidential republic in 1889,when a military coup d'état proclaimed
the Republic,although the bicameral legislature,now called Congress,dates back to the
ratification of the first constitution in 1824.Its current Constitution,formulated in 1988,
defines Brazil as a federal republic.The Federation is formed by the union of the Federal
District,the 26 States,and the 5,564 Municipalities.
The Brazilian economy is the world's fifth largest by nominal GDP and the sixth largest by
purchasing power parity (as of 2011).Brazil is one of the world's fastest growing major
economies.Economic reforms have given the country new international recognition.Brazil is a
founding member of the United Nations,the G20,CPLP,Latin Union,the Organization of
Ibero-American States,the Organization of American States,Mercosul and the Union of South
American Nations,and is one of the BRIC countries.Brazil is also one of the 17 megadiverse
countries,home to diverse wildlife,natural environments,and extensive natural resources
in a variety of protected habitats.