Brazil

The Federative Republic of Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil in Portuguese) is the largest and most populous country in Latin America, and the fifth largest in the world. Spanning a vast area between central South America and the Atlantic Ocean, it borders Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, France (French Guiana) — every South American nation except for Ecuador and Chile. Named after brazilwood, a tree highly valued by early colonists, Brazil is home to both extensive agricultural lands and rain forests. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it has the biggest GDP in South America (10th in the world) and is today South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Portuguese is the national language of Brazil.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Brazil

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The 1988 constitution grants broad powers to the federal government, of which the President and Vice-President are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms. The President has extensive executive powers: he appoints the Cabinet, and he is also both head of state and head of government.

Related Topics:
1988 - Constitution - President - Executive - Cabinet - Head of state - Head of government

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The Brazilian legislature, the bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional, consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal of 81 seats, of which three members from each state or federal district are elected according to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after a four-year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year period. Beside the Senate there is the Chamber of Deputies or Câmara dos Deputados of 513 seats, whose members are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms.

Related Topics:
Legislature - Congresso Nacional - Senate - Senado Federal - Chamber of Deputies - Câmara dos Deputados - Proportional representation

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See also:

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• Cangaço (criminal hinterland bands in the first years of the 20th century)
• Café com leite (reference to Brazil's domination by the "coffee oligarchs" in the first years of the 20th century)
• Coronelismo (reference to machine politics in the first years of the 20th century, still present on a lesser scale in modern days)
• Integralismo (influential Brazilian fascist movement in the 1930s)