Weather
Mostly tropical, but temperate in south.
Terrain
Mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt.
Currency
Real (BRL)
Languages
Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
Religion
Roman Catholic (nominal) 80%
Ethnic groups
white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish) 55%, mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 1%
History
Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem.
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