Report on Brazil

Submitted By:- Siddharth Kumar

Shubhankar Rudra
Munir Ahmad
Mohit Agarwal
Shadab Javed
Aakash Singh
MBA(IB) Section-C

AMITY INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SCHOOL

Introduction
Following more than three centuries under Portuguese rule, Brazil gained its independence in
1822, maintaining a monarchical system of government until the abolition of slavery in 1888 and
the subsequent proclamation of a republic by the military in 1889. Brazilian coffee exporters
politically dominated the country until populist leader Getulio VARGAS rose to power in 1930. By
far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil underwent more than a half
century of populist and military government until 1985, when the military regime peacefully
ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and
development of its interior. Having successfully weathered a period of global financial difficulty
in the late 20th century, Brazil was seen as one of the worlds strongest emerging markets and a
contributor to global growth. The awarding of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer
Olympic Games, the first ever to be held in South America, was seen as symbolic of the countrys
rise. However, since about 2013, Brazil has been plagued by a shrinking economy, growing
unemployment, and rising inflation. Political scandal resulted in the impeachment of President
Dilma ROUSSEFF in May 2016, a conviction that was upheld by the Senate in August 2016; her
vice president, Michel TEMER, will serve as president until 2018, completing her second term.

Geography
Location:
Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean
Climate:
mostly tropical, but temperate in south
Natural resources:
bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, rare earth elements,
uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber
Population - distribution:
the vast majority of people live along, or relatively near, the Atlantic coast in the east; the
population core is in the southeast, anchored by the cities of Sao Paolo, Brazilia, and Rio de
Janeiro
Natural hazards:
recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south
Environment - current issues:

deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal
species indigenous to the area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution in
Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land degradation and water pollution
caused by improper mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

People and society

Population:
205,823,665 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
Nationality:
noun: Brazilian(s)
adjective: Brazilian
Ethnic groups:
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage that is
real or assumed- sharing cultural characteristics. This shared heritage may be based upon putative common ancestry,
history, kinship, religion, language, shared territory, nationality or physical appearance. Members of an ethnic group
are conscious of belonging to an ethnic group; moreover ethnic identity is further marked by the recognition from
others of a group's distinctiveness.
Brazil is a racially diverse and multiracial country. Intermarriage among different ethnic groups has been part of the
country's history.

The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) classifies the Brazilian population in five
categories: white, black, pardo(brown), yellow, and Indigenous, based on skin color as given by the individual being
interviewed in the census.
White (49.4% of the population): usually a Brazilian of full or predominant European ancestry or other
ancestry (such as German Brazilian) who considers himself or herself to be White.
Brown (Multiracial) (42.3%):This is a word from colonial times. It was used by the Portuguese to describe
what they called a "mixed 'race'" person. Native American European offspring, as well as African European
offspring, were called "pardos" without distinction. Currently, it usually means a Multiracial Brazilian of mixedrace features who considers himself or herself to be "Pardo". In practice, most of the people who do not have
either "light" or "dark" complexions, but "intermediate" skin colour, will fall under the "pardo" category (full
Europeans with brown skin colour included. Most of the "Pardo" people are of mixed European and African
(mulatos), but this category also includes people of mixed European and Amerindian (caboclos) and Amerindian
and African (cafusos) genetic ancestry.
Black (7.4%):usually a dark-skinned Brazilian of full or predominant Black African ancestry who considers
himself or herself to be Black.
Yellow or Asian (0.5%): usually a Brazilian of East Asian descent, mostly Japanese.
Indigenous (0.3%): usually a Brazilian of full or predominant Amerindian ancestry who considers himself
or herself to be Amerindian.
Languages:
Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language)

Portuguese is spoken by almost the entire Brazilian population which means that there are around 190 Mio.
speakers in Brazil alone. In addition it is the official or co-official language of 9 further countries and the number of
speakers worldwide is over 240 Mio.
Besides Poruguese, there is also a high presence of Indian languages in Brazil, mainly in the northern regions of the
country. Yet except for a few isolated indian tribes, Portuguese is the main and only language of communication.
Some immigrant communities, mostly Italian and German, established in Brazil at the end of the 19 th century, still
preserve their language to a certain degree. So if you are in the south of Brazil, where these communities are located,
you could be addressed in your own language.
Due to Brazil's rising importance in the global market, the importance of Portugues as a world language will rise.
Religions:
Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6% (many accepting the label "Catholic" practices religions common to Brazil such as
Umbanda and Candomble)
- Protestant 15.4%
- Spiritualist 1.3%
- Bantu/voodoo 0.3%
- Other 1.8%
- Unspecified 0.2%
- None 7.4%
Religion in Brazil is diverse.Brazils constitution establishes a secular government, where citizens are free to choose
their religion.Although there are a number of minority religions in Brazil, the country is mostly made up of
adherents to Roman Catholicism, practitioners of religious activities brought from Africa by slaves centuries ago,
and native religions to Brazil. Many who identify as "Catholic" practice religions common to Brazil such as
Umbanda and Candomble.In some cases, people combine these three religions, but often still identify with the label
Roman Catholic.Protestant Christianity is also growing in the country, especially Neo-Pentecostalism.

Demographic profile:
Brazil's rapid fertility decline since the 1960s is the main factor behind the country's slowing
population growth rate, aging population, and fast-paced demographic transition. Brasilia has not
taken full advantage of its large working-age population to develop its human capital and
strengthen its social and economic institutions but is funding a study abroad program to bring
advanced skills back to the country. The current favorable age structure will begin to shift around
2025, with the labor force shrinking and the elderly starting to compose an increasing share of the
total population. Well-funded public pensions have nearly wiped out poverty among the elderly,
and Bolsa Familia and other social programs have lifted tens of millions out of poverty. More than
half of Brazil's population is considered middle class, but poverty and income inequality levels
remain high; the Northeast, North, and Center-West, women, and black, mixed race, and
indigenous populations are disproportionately affected. Disparities in opportunities foster social
exclusion and contribute to Brazil's high crime rate, particularly violent crime in cities and
favelas.
Brazil has traditionally been a net recipient of immigrants, with its southeast being the prime
destination. After the importation of African slaves was outlawed in the mid-19th century, Brazil
sought Europeans (Italians, Portuguese, Spaniards, and Germans) and later Asians (Japanese) to
work in agriculture, especially coffee cultivation. Recent immigrants come mainly from Argentina,
Chile, and Andean countries (many are unskilled illegal migrants) or are returning Brazilian

nationals. Since Brazil's economic downturn in the 1980s, emigration to the United States,
Europe, and Japan has been rising but is negligible relative to Brazil's total population. The
majority of these emigrants are well-educated and middle-class. Fewer Brazilian peasants are
emigrating to neighboring countries to take up agricultural work.

Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.79% (male 23,905,185/female 22,994,222)
15-24 years: 16.43% (male 17,146,060/female 16,661,163)
25-54 years: 43.84% (male 44,750,568/female 45,489,430)
55-64 years: 8.89% (male 8,637,011/female 9,656,370)
65 years and over: 8.06% (male 7,059,944/female 9,523,712) (2016 est.)
population pyramid:
A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may
provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The
population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on
the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as
horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest
at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility,
mortality, and international migration trends.

Population growth rate:

0.75% (2016 est.)

Birth rate:
14.3 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)
Death rate:
6.6 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1 4 3
Population distribution:
the vast majority of people live along, or relatively near, the Atlantic coast in the east; the
population core is in the southeast, anchored by the cities of Sao Paolo, Brazilia, and Rio de
Janeiro
Urbanization:
urban population: 85.7% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 1.17% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Education expenditures:
5.9% of GDP (2012)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6%
male: 92.2%
female: 92.9% (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 16 years (2013)
Child labor - children ages 5-14:
total number: 959,942
percentage: 3%
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total: 15%
male: 12.3%
female: 18.7% (2013 est.)

Hofstede Ranking

Government
Government type:
federal presidential republic
Brazil is governed under the 1988 constitution as amended. The president, who is elected by popular vote for a foury
earterm (and may serve two terms), is both head of state and head of government. There is a bicameral legislature co
nsistingof an upper Federal Senate and a lower Chamber of Deputies. The 81 senators are elected for eight years and
the 513deputies are elected for four years. The president may unilaterally intervene in state affairs. Administratively,
the country isdivided into 26 states and one federal district (Braslia); each state has its own governor and legislature
. The main politicalparties are the Brazilian Democratic Movement party, the Liberal Front party (now known as the
Democrats party), theDemocratic Labor party, the Brazilian Social Democracy party, and the Workers party.

Legal system:
civil law
Brazil is a civil law country and its legal system, which has its origin in Roman law, was implemented by the
Portuguese during the colonization period. The system is based on codes and legislation enacted primarily by the
federal legislature power, and also by the legislatures from the states and municipalities. Brazil is a federative
republic formed by the indissoluble union of the states, municipalities, and the Federal District.The legislative,
executive, and judicial branches compose the Brazilian government.
The National Congress is composed of the Chamber of Deputies and the Federal Senate and it exercises its
legislative power through the legislative process. The executive branch encompasses the President of the Republic
and the Ministers of State.The judiciary consists of the Federal Supreme Court; National Council of Justice;
Superior Tribunal of Justice; Federal Justice; Labor Justice; Electoral Justice; Military Justice; and State Justice

Economy :
Characterized by large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service
sectors, and a rapidly expanding middle class, Brazil's economy outweighs that of all other South
American countries, and Brazil is expanding its presence in world markets. Since 2003, Brazil has
steadily improved its macroeconomic stability, building up foreign reserves, and reducing its debt
profile by shifting its debt burden toward real denominated and domestically held instruments.
Since 2008, Brazil became a net external creditor and all three of the major ratings agencies
awarded investment grade status to its debt.
After strong growth in 2007 and 2008, the onset of the global financial crisis hit Brazil in 2008.
Brazil experienced two quarters of recession, as global demand for Brazil's commodity-based
exports dwindled and external credit dried up. However, Brazil was one of the first emerging
markets to begin a recovery. In 2010, consumer and investor confidence revived and GDP growth
reached 7.5%, the highest growth rate in the past 25 years. GDP growth has slowed since 2011,
due to several factors, including overdependence on exports of raw commodities, low productivity,
high operational costs, persistently high inflation, and low levels of investment. After reaching
historic lows of 4.8% in 2014, the unemployment rate remains low, but is rising. Brazil's
traditionally high level of income inequality has declined for the last 15 years.
Brazils fiscal and current account balances have eroded during the past four years as the
government attempted to boost economic growth through targeted tax cuts for industry and
incentives to spur household consumption. After winning reelection in October 2014 by a
historically narrow margin, President Dilma ROUSSEFF appointed a new economic team led by
Finance Minister Joaquim LEVY, who introduced a fiscal austerity package intended to restore the
primary account surplus (before interest expenditures are included) to 1.2% of GDP and preserve
the country's investment-grade sovereign credit rating. LEVY encountered political headwinds and
an economy facing more challenges than he anticipated. The target for the primary account surplus
fell to a deficit of 2%, and two of the three main credit rating agencies downgraded Brazil to
junk status.
Brazil seeks to strengthen its workforce and its economy over the long run by imposing local
content and technology transfer requirements on foreign businesses, by investing in education
through social programs such as Bolsa Familia and the Brazil Science Mobility Program, and by
investing in research in the areas of space, nanotechnology, healthcare, and energy.

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.773 trillion (2015 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-3.8% (2015 est.)
0.1% (2014 est.)
3% (2013 est.)

Economic growth is central to economic development. When national income grows, real people benefit. While
there is no known formula for stimulating economic growth, data can help policy-makers better understand their
countries' economic situations and guide any work toward improvement. Data here covers measures of economic
growth, such as gross domestic product (GDP) and gross national income (GNI). It also includes indicators
representing factors known to be relevant to economic growth, such as capital stock, employment, investment,
savings, consumption, government spending, imports, and exports

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$15,600 (2015 est.)
$16,400 (2014 est.)
$16,500 (2013 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9% (2015 est.)
6.3% (2014 est.)

Debt - external:
$712.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$482.8 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:

agriculture: 5.9%
industry: 22.2%
services: 71.9%
Agriculture - products:
coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef

Industries:
textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lum ber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other
machinery and equipment

Exports:

In 2014 Brazil exported $228B, making it the 23rd largest exporter in the world. During the last five years the
exports of Brazil have increased at an annualized rate of 7.6%, from $158B in 2009 to $228B in 2014. The most
recent exports are led by Iron Ore which represent 11.8% of the total exports of Brazil, followed by Soybeans, which
account for 10.3%.

Imports

In 2014 Brazil imported $228B, making it the 19th largest importer in the world. During the last five years the
imports of Brazil have increased at an annualized rate of 12.3%, from $127B in 2009 to $228B in 2014. The most
recent imports are led by Refined Petroleum which represent 7.54% of the total imports of Brazil, followed by
Crude Petroleum, which account for 6.12%.

Trade Balance

As of 2014 Brazil had a positive trade balance of $124M in net exports. As compared to their trade balance in 1995
when they had a negative trade balance of $4.26B in net imports.

Technology

Brazil is a world leader in petroleum exploration in deep water, also leads researches on 1st and 2nd
generation biofuels. 80% of the vehicles sold in Brazil are equipped with biofuel motors.

Brazilian automation system is the most advanced in the world according to the World Bank and IMF
(International Monetary Fund).

Brazilian telecommunications system and digital TV are amongst the most advanced in the world.

Another technological advance are their voting machines for Elections, this machines allows 140 million
people to vote and so Brazilian elector can know the results in a brief time.

Brasil expends between 1.16 and 1.21% from their GDP in Research and Development.

A great number of startups have recently developed inthe country. Also a lot of technological IT providers
stand in the country as: Stefanini, TIVIT, Sambatech, Apdata, Inmetrics, Stone Age, Dclick, among others
startups and national companies.

Is expected that these companies increase their revenues and expore foreign markets.

Energy

Electric Power
In 1950 Brazil's capacity to generate electricity was only 1.9 million kilowatts, and most of the required petroleum
products had to be imported. An adequate supply of electric energy became critical, both for production and for a
rapidly growing urban population. Petroleum requirements expanded quickly because of the decision to make the
automobile industry the mainstay of import-substitution industrialization and because of the heavy reliance on trucks
for short- and long-distance transportation. Ambitious road-building programs were implemented, and the domestic
automobile industry quickly expanded the stock of motor vehicles, reaching 1.05 million units in 1960, 3.1 million
units in 1970, and 10.8 million units in 1980.
Low electricity prices stemmed from the substitution policy and from the attempt to control inflation by restraining
the increase in public-sector prices in nominal terms. Thus, the capacity of the electricity sector to generate
resources for investment was affected considerably. As a result of federally induced borrowing in the late 1970s and
early 1980s, the sector was also heavily indebted. Intermittent adjustments in electricity prices allowed the sector to
generate profits and thus some resources for investment. However, on occasion, the government returned to the
practice of manipulating consumer prices to contain inflation.
Although the federal treasury initially assumed many of the cost distortions of the energy policy, by the end of the
1980s the virtual bankruptcy of the public sector precluded this approach. In the early 1990s, the government
implemented a series of measures to reduce its role. It introduced deregulation, market reforms, and privatization,
but these reforms did not change the essence of the energy policy. Low electricity prices induced a considerable
substitution of electricity for other sources of energy and the expansion of electricity-intensive production, such as
aluminum. The heavy investments in hydroelectricity of the 1970s and 1980s matured, creating a considerable
generating capacity (50,500 million megawatts or 93.3 percent of the total generating capacity of electricity in
1993). One of the world's leading producers of hydroelectric power, Brazil has a potential of 106,500 to 127,868
megawatts, or, according to the World Factbook 1996 , 55,130,000 kilowatts. The country's two largest operating
hydroelectric power stations are the 12,600-megawatt Itaipu Dam, the world's largest dam, on the Rio Paran in the
South, and the Tucuru Dam in Par, in the North Region
In principle, an increase in the generating capacity for electricity should have been easy to achieve. Brazil has
enormous hydroelectric potential, and investments in the sector were forthcoming, although with an initial delay.

However, until 1995 nationalistic considerations excluded foreign capital from the electric energy sector, and
regulatory obstacles prevented domestic private investment. The federal and state governments were therefore left
with the task of expanding the generating capacity. As of the early 1990s, the government continued to control the
sector's production end, as well as transmission and distribution, although privatization of the sector is under
consideration.
Petroleum
The fast-growing requirements of petroleum and petroleum by-products were met initially by imports. However,
foreign-exchange difficulties, coupled with strategic considerations, led to efforts to reduce the country's dependence
on imports. In the early 1950s, the government granted a near monopoly of the exploration, production, refining, and
transportation of oil to the Brazilian Petroleum Corporation (Petrleo Brasileiro S.A.--Petrobrs), the state-owned
oil company, and made resources available for investments. Emphasis was placed on the expansion of a domestic
refining capacity because world oil prices were low and no problems were envisaged with oil supply. Thus, an
important refining sector developed gradually.
The oil crises of the 1970s placed Brazil in a vulnerable situation. In 1974 almost 80 percent of Brazil's total oil
consumption was imported, and the increases in oil prices imposed a substantial burden on the country's balance of
payments. Consequently, reducing dependence on imported energy, particularly petroleum, became the main
objective of energy policy. This reduction was to be achieved by large investments in petroleum substitutes, notably
electric energy and ethanol, and by a substantial expansion in the exploration and domestic production of petroleum.
Although modest oil fields were not discovered until late in the 1970s, investments in the energy sector increased
from around 10 percent of total investment in the early 1970s to a peak of 23.5 percent in 1982-83. As a proportion
of GDP, investment in energy increased steadily, from 2.8 percent early in the 1970s, to a peak of 5.0 percent in
1982.
The government also implemented the energy price policy in reaction to the 1979 oil shock. The basic assumption
was that the price of oil would remain at its high 1979 level. Thus, emphasis on promoting substitution was absolute.
The problem, however, was that this emphasis did not change after oil prices began to decline. To encourage
substitution, the government set energy prices. The price of gasoline was set at a high level, not only to reduce its
use but also to finance Petrobrs's exploration effort and to subsidize other petroleum products. The prices of diesel
fuel and propane (extensively used for cooking) were maintained artificially low, requiring subsidies. The low diesel
price was intended to keep transportation costs from increasing sharply, and social arguments were used to justify
the propane subsidy.
To induce the purchase of ethanol-propelled cars, the price of ethanol was maintained at 60 percent of that of
gasoline. To finance this subsidy, a mixture of 20 percent of ethanol in the gasoline was established. The high

gasoline prices exceeded the cost of ethanol, and the profits were used to cover the subsidy. Specially low prices for
electric energy were established to encourage the replacement of fuel oil and other oil derivatives in production.
The combination of conservation and substitution, along with the expansion of domestic production, reduced the
country's dependence on imported crude oil, from around 80 percent in the late 1970s to 45.6 percent in 1990.
Domestic output of crude oil increased from an average 165,000 barrels a day in 1975 to some 800,100 barrels a day
by 1996. By the end of 1995, Brazil's proven reserves had reached 4.8 billion barrels and potential reserves were at
8.8 billion barrels. About 64 percent of Brazil's domestic oil comes from the continental shelf in the Campos Basin,
which accounts for 83 percent of proven reserves. The country's petroleum reserves may actually reach 20 billion
barrels if as yet unproven discoveries in deep water off the Brazilian coast are included.
Despite these advances, however, the rigidity of the energy price policy brought about serious problems. The
maintenance of the gasoline-ethanol price differential and other inducements led to a rapid increase in the purchase
of ethanol-propelled automobiles and to a growing conversion of gasoline cars to ethanol. Moreover, the basic
assumption that the price of oil would remain high was incorrect. Although world oil prices declined, the price
policy remained in effect for ethanol producers, owners of ethanol-propelled cars, and the motor vehicle industry.
Additionally, the real gasoline price was eroded gradually by the government's tendency to fight inflation by
tampering with the prices of goods and services produced by the public sector. Also, the substitution of ethanol for
gasoline caused a swift reduction in the sale of gasoline in the domestic market. Consequently, the profits Petrobrs
obtained initially from gasoline dwindled quickly, and the company required assistance from the treasury for its
exploration program and to cover various subsidies. The sharp increase in the use of diesel fuel for transportation,
created by this fuel's subsidy, together with technical rigidities in refining, forced Petrobrs to produce much more
gasoline than was required by the domestic market. This excess had to be sold abroad, often at below-cost prices.
Because the demand for diesel fuel continued to grow and the demand for gasoline to shrink, Petrobrs was forced
to invest heavily in changing the product profile of its refineries. In the early 1990s, the government reduced the
gasoline-ethanol price differential (in 1993 the price of ethanol was 78.4 percent of that of gasoline). The price of
gasoline was maintained sufficiently high to prevent massive subsidies to ethanol. The prices of diesel fuel and
propane were increased.
Natural Gas
Brazil meets only 2 percent of its energy needs with natural gas, but the country's natural gas consumption is likely
to increase greatly. In May 1992, the state oil companies of Brazil and Bolivia signed an agreement outlining the
route for a 2,270-kilometer, US$2 billion pipeline system to deliver natural gas from Bolivian fields to Brazil's
Southeast. The pipeline was scheduled to begin supplying 8 million cubic meters a day of Bolivian gas in 1997,
building up to 16 million cubic meters a day by 2004.
Nuclear Power

Nuclear energy provides an interesting chapter in Brazil's energy policy. In the early 1970s, nuclear energy was
considered to have great potential, but it failed to develop. In 1975 Brazil signed an agreement with the Federal
Republic of Germany (West Germany) under which that country would supply eight nuclear power reactors and
transfer technology for the complete nuclear fuel cycle. A small nuclear power plant--the Angra I, which has a 626megawatt capacity--was built near Rio de Janeiro, and work was programmed to start on two larger facilities on the
same site (the Angra II and III units, which were to have a combined capacity of 3.1 million kilowatts).
The Angra I plant, which has a reactor supplied by Westinghouse Electric Corporation, was completed and trial runs
were made in 1982, but reactor defects delayed operations until 1983. Moreover, technical problems allowed the
facility to function only intermittently. Regarding the Angra II and III plants, construction was started on the first.
However, the fiscal crisis, a slower than anticipated growth in the demand for electricity in the 1980s, the adverse
United States reaction to the Brazil-West Germany agreement, and a growing environmental militancy in Brazil led
to slowdowns in construction.
In 1985 the agreement with West Germany was revised, and the construction of the other reactors was postponed
indefinitely, in part for financial reasons. Moreover, growing fiscal difficulties led to an interruption of construction
on Angra II and further postponement of Angra III. In 1988 it was estimated that the completion of the two plants
would require US$2.8 billion, which was not available. In the early 1990s, there were no indications of when the
two facilities would be completed. Despite the delays, the technology transfer clauses of the agreement have been
maintained, and Brazil has continued to receive West German nuclear technology.
In 1990 Brazil's uranium reserves were estimated at 301,500 tons, or the equivalent of 2.1 billion tons of petroleum.
A yellow-cake (see Glossary) factory and a plant to produce nuclear fuel elements have been completed, and
additional processing facilities are under construction or planned.

Communication
Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 43,677,141
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (July 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 257.814 million
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (July 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
Telephone system:
general assessment: good working system including an extensive microwave radio relay system and
a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations
domestic: fixed-line connections have remained relatively stable in recent years and stand at about
20 per 100 persons; less-expensive mobile-cellular technology has been a major driver in

expanding telephone service to the lower-income segments of the population with mobile-cellular
teledensity roughly 125 per 100 persons
international: country code - 55; landing point for a number of submarine cables, including
Americas-1, Americas-2, Atlantis-2, GlobeNet, South America-1, South American Crossing/Latin
American Nautilus, and UNISUR that provide direct connectivity to South and Central America,
the Caribbean, the US, Africa, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1
Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur
Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station (2015)
Broadcast media:
state-run Radiobras operates a radio and a TV network; more than 1,000 radio stations and more
than 100 TV channels operating - mostly privately owned; private media ownership highly
concentrated (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM stations) (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
138 (1997)

Internet users:
total: 120.676 million
percent of population: 59.1% (July 2015 est.)

Transportation
Roads are the primary carriers of freight and passenger traffic. Brazil's road system totaled 1.98 million km (1.23
million mi) in 2002. The total of paved roads increased from 35,496 km (22,056 mi) in 1967 to 184,140 km
(114,425 mi) in 2002. Motor vehicles registered as of 2000 included 14,82,001 passenger cars, and 3,300,000
commercial vehicles. Although the bulk of highway traffic is concentrated in the southern and central regions,
important roads have been constructed to link the northeastern and northern areas with the industrialized south.
Roads of all types have been built with federal aid, the most important being the network of more than 14,000 km
(8,700 mi) of paved roads south of Braslia; aid is also supplied for their maintenance. In September 1970,
construction began on the 5,000-km (3,100-mi) Trans-Amazon Highway, possibly the most ambitious overland road
project undertaken in this century, linking Brazil's Atlantic coast with the Peruvian border; when completed, a 4,138km (2,571-mi) north-south section will link Santarm, on the Amazon River, with Cuiab. The project has had a
profound effect on the Amazon Basin, among the world's last great wildernesses. However, a World Bank study in
the early 1990s showed that 28% of the country's existing highways were in bad condition, up from only 10% in
1979. Lack of proper road maintenance possibly adds 1015% to total transportation costs in Brazil. As of 2002, the
government had privatized or turned over to the states most of the federal highway system.
Brazil's railway system has been declining since 1945, when emphasis shifted to highway construction. The total
extension of railway track was 30,875 km (19,186 mi) in 2002, as compared with 31,848 km (19,789 mi) in 1970.
Most of the railway system belongs to the Federal Railroad Corp., with a majority government interest; there are
also seven lines which the government privatized in 1997.
Coastal shipping links widely separated parts of the country. Of the 36 deep-water ports, Santos and Rio de Janeiro
are the most important, followed by Paranagu, Recife, Vitria, Tubarao, Macei, and Ilhus. Bolivia and Paraguay
have been given free ports at Santos. There are 50,000 km (31,070 mi) of navigable inland waterways. In 2002,
the merchant shipping fleet, which included 165 vessels (1,000 GRT or over), had a total GRT of 3,662,570.
Air transportation is highly developed. In 2001, local and international airlines transported 34,285,600 passengers.
In 2001 there were an estimated 3,365 airports, of which 665 had paved runways. Of the 48 principal airports, 21 are
international; of these, Rio de Janeiro's Galeao international airport and Sao Paulo's Guarulhos International Airport
are by far the most active. The main international airline is Empresa de Viaao Area Rio Grandense (VARIG).
Other Brazilian airlines are Transbrasil Linhas Areas, Cruzeiro do Sul, (associated with VARIG since 1983), and
Viaao Area Sao Paulo (VASP), which handles only domestic traffic and is run by the state of Sao Paulo. All except
VASP are privately owned.

Military and Security

Military branches:
Brazilian Army (Exercito Brasileiro, EB), Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil (MB),
includes Naval Air and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian Air
Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira, FAB) (2011)
Military service age and obligation:
18-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation
is 10-12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; an increasing
percentage of the ranks are "long-service" volunteer professionals; women were
allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s, when the
Brazilian Army became the fi rst army in South America to accept women into
career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve Corps
(2012)
Military expenditures:
1.47% of GDP (2012)
1.49% of GDP (2011)
1.47% of GDP (2010)