Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / Costa Rica (2004) - Brazil (2003) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Costa Rica (2004) - Brazil (2003)

Compare Costa Rica (2004) z Brazil (2003)

 Costa Rica (2004)Brazil (2003)
 Costa RicaBrazil
Administrative divisions 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose 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
Age structure 0-14 years: 29.5% (male 597,332; female 570,008)


15-64 years: 65% (male 1,300,206; female 1,271,010)


65 years and over: 5.5% (male 101,270; female 116,681) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 27.1% (male 25,151,855; female 24,196,506)


15-64 years: 67.2% (male 60,667,014; female 61,683,580)


65 years and over: 5.7% (male 4,232,784; female 6,100,865) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef
Airports 149 (2003 est.) 3,590 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 30


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 18


under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)
total: 665


over 3,047 m: 7


2,438 to 3,047 m: 23


1,524 to 2,437 m: 155


914 to 1,523 m: 435


under 914 m: 45 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 119


914 to 1,523 m: 24


under 914 m: 95 (2004 est.)
total: 2,925


1,524 to 2,437 m: 70


914 to 1,523 m: 1,384


under 914 m: 1,471 (2002)
Area total: 51,100 sq km


land: 50,660 sq km


water: 440 sq km


note: includes Isla del Coco
total: 8,511,965 sq km


land: 8,456,510 sq km


water: 55,455 sq km


note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo
Area - comparative slightly smaller than West Virginia slightly smaller than the US
Background Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred its democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural country, it has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread. 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 has overcome more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of the interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, Brazil is today South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem.
Birth rate 18.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 17.67 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.313 billion


expenditures: $2.851 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
revenues: $100.6 billion


expenditures: $91.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)
Capital San Jose Brasilia
Climate tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands mostly tropical, but temperate in south
Coastline 1,290 km 7,491 km
Constitution 7 November 1949 5 October 1988
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica


conventional short form: Costa Rica


local long form: Republica de Costa Rica


local short form: Costa Rica
conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil


conventional short form: Brazil


local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil


local short form: Brasil
Currency Costa Rican colon (CRC) real (BRL)
Death rate 4.32 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 6.13 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $5.366 billion (2003 est.) $222.4 billion (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Douglas M. BARNES


embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose


mailing address: APO AA 34020


telephone: [506] 220-3939


FAX: [506] 519-2305
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
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS


chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945


FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Durham (North Carolina), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa


consulate(s): Austin
chief of mission: Ambassador Rubens Antonio BARBOSA; note - Ambassador-Designate Roberto ABDENUR expected to arrive March 2004


chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700


FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco
Disputes - international legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on the border with Nicaragua remains unsolved unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug trafficking, and harbors Islamist militants; uncontested dispute with Uruguay over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada boundary streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina
Economic aid - recipient - $30 billion IMF disbursement (2002)
Economy - overview Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. Low prices for coffee and bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. Costa Rica recently concluded negotiations to participate in the US - Central American Free Trade Agreement, which, if ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate. Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence in world markets. The maintenance of large current account deficits via capital account surpluses became problematic as investors became more risk averse to emerging markets as a consequence of the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the Russian bond default in August 1998. After crafting a fiscal adjustment program and pledging progress on structural reform, Brazil received a $41.5 billion IMF-led international support program in November 1998. In January 1999, the Brazilian Central Bank announced that the real would no longer be pegged to the US dollar. The consequent devaluation helped moderate the downturn in economic growth in 1999, and the country posted moderate GDP growth in 2000. Economic growth slowed considerably in 2001-03 - to less than 2% - because of a slowdown in major markets and the hiking of interest rates by the Central Bank to combat inflationary pressures. New president DA SILVA, who took office 1 January 2003, has given priority to reforming the complex tax code, trimming the overblown civil service pension system, and continuing the fight against inflation.
Electricity - consumption 6.109 billion kWh (2001) 335.9 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 379 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 128 million kWh (2001) 37.19 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2001)
Electricity - production 6.839 billion kWh (2001) 321.2 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 8.3%


hydro: 82.7%


nuclear: 4.4%


other: 4.6% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m
Environment - current issues deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1% white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish) 55%, mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 1%
Exchange rates Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 398.663 (2003), 359.817 (2002), 328.871 (2001), 308.187 (2000), 285.685 (1999) reals per US dollar - 2.92 (2002), 2.36 (2001), 1.83 (2000), 1.81 (1999), 1.16 (1998)


note: from October 1994 through 14 January 1999, the official rate was determined by a managed float; since 15 January 1999, the official rate floats independently with respect to the US dollar
Executive branch chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since 8 May 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president


elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February 2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held NA February 2006)


election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote - Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%
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


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


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president


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


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%
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos
Exports - partners US 14.2%, Guatemala 3%, Nicaragua 2.7% (2003) US 23.8%, Argentina 8.5%, Germany 5%, China 4.3%, Netherlands 4.2% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA 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)
GDP purchasing power parity - $35.34 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $1.376 trillion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 8.5%


industry: 29.4%


services: 62.1% (2003 est.)
agriculture: 8%


industry: 36%


services: 56% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $9,100 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.6% (2003 est.) 1.5% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 10 00 N, 84 00 W 10 00 S, 55 00 W
Geography - note four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65 largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador
Highways total: 35,892 km


paved: 7,896 km


unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)
total: 1,724,929 km


paved: 94,871 km


unpaved: 1,630,058 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 1.1%


highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)
lowest 10%: 0.7%


highest 10%: 48% (1998)
Illicit drugs transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic cocaine consumption is rising, particularly crack cocaine illicit producer of cannabis; minor coca cultivation in the Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment country for Colombian and Peruvian cocaine headed for the US and Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics proceeds earned in Brazil are often laundered through the financial system; significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum machinery, electrical, and transport equipment, chemical products, oil
Imports - partners US 23.2%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3.2% (2003) US 23.3%, Argentina 12.6%, Germany 8.7%, France 5.2% (2002)
Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain) 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
Industrial production growth rate 8% (2003 est.) 2.3% (2002 est.)
Industries microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment
Infant mortality rate total: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 11.17 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 31.74 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 35.61 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 27.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 9.4% (2003 est.) 8.3% (2002)
International organization participation BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO 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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 50 (2000)
Irrigated land 1,260 sq km (1998 est.) 26,560 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly) 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)
Labor force 1.758 million (2003) 79 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.) services 53%, agriculture 23%, industry 24%
Land boundaries total: 639 km


border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
total: 14,691 km


border countries: Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia 1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km, Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km
Land use arable land: 4.41%


permanent crops: 5.88%


other: 89.71% (2001)
arable land: 6.3%


permanent crops: 1.42%


other: 92.28% (1998 est.)
Languages Spanish (official), English Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
Legal system based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1; note - seats by party as of January 2005 - PUSC 19, PLN 16, PAC 8, PML 5, PRC 1, Patriotic Union 3, Homeland First 1, Authentic Member from Heredia 1, Democratic National Alliance 1, independent 2
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)


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)


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
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.63 years


male: 74.07 years


female: 79.33 years (2004 est.)
total population: 71.13 years


male: 67.16 years


female: 75.3 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96%


male: 95.9%


female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 86.4%


male: 86.1%


female: 86.6% (2003 est.)
Location Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean
Map references Central America and the Caribbean South America
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT


by type: passenger 1


registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 159 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,257,186 GRT/5,101,578 DWT


ships by type: bulk 29, cargo 23, chemical tanker 7, combination ore/oil 7, container 12, liquefied gas 11, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 53, roll on/roll off 10, short-sea passenger 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Chile 2, Germany 6, Greece 1, Monaco 1
(2002 est.)
Military branches no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes naval air and marines), Brazilian Air Force, Federal Police (paramilitary)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $64 million (2003) $13.408 billion (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.4% (2003) 1.9% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,101,887 (2004 est.) males age 15-49: 51,381,048 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 736,007 (2004 est.) males age 15-49: 34,347,078 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 41,709 (2004 est.) males: 1,744,148 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 15 September (1821) Independence Day, 7 September (1822)
Nationality noun: Costa Rican(s)


adjective: Costa Rican
noun: Brazilian(s)


adjective: Brazilian
Natural hazards occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south
Natural resources hydropower bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber
Net migration rate 0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines refined products 242 km (2004) condensate/gas 243 km; gas 10,984 km; liquid petroleum gas 341 km; oil 5,113 km; refined products 4,800 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Juan Carlos CHAVES Mora]; Democratic National Alliance [Emilia RODRIGUEZ]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First [Juan Jose VARGAS]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Victor GONZALEZ]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO]; National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas]; National Rescue Party or PRN [Carlos VARGAS Solano]; Patriotic Union [Humberto ARCE]; Popular Vanguard [Trino BARRANTES Araya]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla] 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 Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert Brown] left wing of the Catholic Church; Landless Worker's Movement; labor unions allied to leftist Worker's Party
Population 3,956,507 (July 2004 est.) 182,032,604


note: Brazil took a count in August 2000, which reported a population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 20.6% (2002 est.) 22% (1998 est.)
Population growth rate 1.52% (2004 est.) 1.15% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus, Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, Santos, Vitoria
Radio broadcast stations AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002) AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM stations) (1999)
Railways total: 950 km


narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2003)
total: 31,543 km (1,981 km electrified)


broad gauge: 4,961 km 1.600-m gauge (692 km electrified)


standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge (630 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 25,992 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified)


dual gauge: 396 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km electrified) (2002)
Religions Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2% Roman Catholic (nominal) 80%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female


total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age
Telephone system general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service


domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available


international: country code - 506; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)
general assessment: good working system


domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations


international: 3 coaxial submarine cables; 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
Telephones - main lines in use 1.132 million (2002) 17.039 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 528,047 (2002) 4.4 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations 20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002) 138 (1997)
Terrain coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt
Total fertility rate 2.33 children born/woman (2004 est.) 2.01 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 6.7% (2003 est.) 6.4% (2001 est.)
Waterways 730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2004) 50,000 km
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.