Brazil

Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Brazil has a coastline of 7,491 kilometers (4,655 mi).^[15] It borders all other countries and territories in South America except Ecuador and Chile and covers roughly half of the continent's land area.^[16] Its Amazon basin includes a vast tropical forest, home to diverse wildlife, a variety of ecological systems, and extensive natural resources spanning numerous protected habitats.^[15] This unique environmental heritage positions Brazil at number one of 17 megadiverse countries. The country's natural richness is also the subject of significant global interest, as environmental degradation (through processes such as deforestation) has direct impacts on global issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss.


The territory which would become known as Brazil was inhabited by numerous tribal nations prior to the landing of explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500. Then, the land was claimed for the Portuguese Empire. Brazil remained a Portuguese colony until 1808, when the capital of the empire was transferred from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro. In 1815, the colony was elevated to the rank of kingdom upon the formation of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves. Independence was achieved in 1822 with the creation of the Empire of Brazil, a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system. The ratification of the first constitution in 1824 led to the formation of a bicameral legislature, now called the National Congress. Slavery was abolished in 1888. The country became a presidential republic in 1889 following a military coup d'état. An authoritarian military dictatorship emerged in 1964 and ruled until 1985, after which civilian governance resumed. Brazil's current constitution, formulated in 1988, defines it as a democratic federal republic.^[17] Due to its rich culture and history, the country ranks thirteenth in the world by number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.^[18]


Brazil is a regional and middle power^[19][20][21] that is an emerging power^{[22][23][24][25]} and a major non-NATO ally of the United States.^[26] Categorised as a developing country with a high Human Development Index,^[27] Brazil is considered an advanced emerging economy,^[28] having the eighth largest GDP in the world by nominal, and eighth by PPP measures—the largest in Latin America and the Southern Hemisphere.^[8][29] Considered as an upper-middle income economy by the World Bank^[30] and a newly industrialized country,^[31] Brazil has the largest share of global wealth in South America and is one of the world's major breadbaskets, being the largest producer of coffee for the last 150 years.^[32] Despite its growing economic and global profile, the country continues to face noticeable corruption, crime and social inequality which are the challenges to overcome. Brazil is a founding member of the United Nations, the G20, BRICS, G4, Mercosul, Organization of American States, Organization of Ibero-American States and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. Brazil is also an observer state of the Arab League.^[33]