3 GeoFroggy

Country Name

Conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil

Conventional short form: Brazil

Local short form: Brasil

Local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil

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

Independence

7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Constitution

5 October 1988

Legal System

based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International Law Organization Participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Election results: in runoff election 27 October 2002, Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (PT) was elected with 61.3% of the vote; Jose SERRA (PSDB) 38.7%

Elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 6 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006); runoff election held 27 October 2002

Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

Head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative Branch

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three members from each state or federal district 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) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

Election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party PMBD 19, PFL 19, PT 14, PSDB 11, PDT 5, PSB 4, PL 3, PTB 3, PPS 1, PSD 1, PPB 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PT 91, PFL 84, PMDB 74, PSDB 71, PPB 49, PL 26, PTB 26, PSB 22, PDT 21, PPS 15, PCdoB 12, PRONA 6, PV 5, other 11

Elections: Federal Senate - last held 6 October 2002 for two-thirds of the Senate (next to be held NA October 2006 for one-third of the Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)

Judicial Branch

Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life)

Political Parties and Leaders

Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Michel TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Jose Carlos MARTINEZ]; Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Jose ANIBAL]; Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Miguel ARRAES]; Brazilian Progressive Party or PPB [Paulo Salim MALUF]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Renato RABELLO]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Leonel BRIZOLA]; Green Party or PV [leader NA]; Liberal Front Party or PFL [Jorge BORNHAUSEN]; Liberal Party or PL [Deputy Valdemar COSTA Neto]; National Order Reconstruction Party or PRONA [Dr. Eneas CARNEIRO]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Senator Roberto FREIRE]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [leader NA]; Worker's Party or PT [Jose GENOINO]

Political Pressure Groups and Leaders

Left wing of the Catholic Church; Landless Worker's Movement; labor unions allied to leftist Worker's Party

Flag Description

Green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

National Anthem

Year

Government Type

  • Federative republic

Capital

    Brasilia

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Rubens Antonio BARBOSA; note - Ambassador-Designate Roberto ABDENUR expected to arrive March 2004
  • FAX
    [1] (202) 238-2827
  • Consulate(s) General
    Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco
  • Chancery
    3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  • Telephone
    [1] (202) 238-2700

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Donna J. HRINAK
  • Embassy
    Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia
  • Mailing Address
    Unit 3500, APO AA 34030
  • Telephone
    [55] (61) 312-7000
  • FAX
    [55] (61) 225-9136
  • Consulate(s) General
    Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo
  • Consulate(s)
    Recife

International Organization Participation

  • AfDB
  • BIS
  • ECLAC
  • FAO
  • G-15
  • G-19
  • G-24
  • G-77
  • IADB
  • IAEA
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICC
  • ICCt
  • ICFTU
  • ICRM
  • IDA
  • IFAD
  • IFC
  • IFRCS
  • IHO
  • ILO
  • IMF
  • IMO
  • Interpol
  • IOC
  • IOM (observer)
  • ISO
  • ITU
  • LAES
  • LAIA
  • Mercosur
  • NAM (observer)
  • NSG
  • OAS
  • OPANAL
  • OPCW
  • PCA
  • RG
  • UN
  • UNCTAD
  • UNESCO
  • UNHCR
  • UNIDO
  • UNITAR
  • UNMISET
  • UNMOP
  • UNMOVIC
  • UNU
  • UPU
  • WCL
  • WCO
  • WFTU
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WToO
  • WTrO