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Compare Switzerland (2005) - Brazil (2001)

Compare Switzerland (2005) z Brazil (2001)

 Switzerland (2005)Brazil (2001)
 SwitzerlandBrazil
Administrative divisions 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich 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: 16.6% (male 643,497/female 597,565)


15-64 years: 68% (male 2,570,544/female 2,522,365)


65 years and over: 15.4% (male 472,769/female 682,630) (2005 est.)
0-14 years:
28.57% (male 25,390,039; female 24,449,902)

15-64 years:
65.98% (male 56,603,895; female 58,507,289)

65 years and over:
5.45% (male 3,857,564; female 5,659,886) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef
Airports 65 (2004 est.) 3,264 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 42


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 10


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)
total:
570

over 3,047 m:
5

2,438 to 3,047 m:
21

1,524 to 2,437 m:
141

914 to 1,523 m:
370

under 914 m:
33 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 23


under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)
total:
2,694

1,524 to 2,437 m:
68

914 to 1,523 m:
1,279

under 914 m:
1,347 (2000 est.)
Area total: 41,290 sq km


land: 39,770 sq km


water: 1,520 sq km
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 less than twice the size of New Jersey slightly smaller than the US
Background The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. Switzerland's sovreignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality. 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 became Latin America's leading economic power by the 1970s. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem.
Birth rate 9.77 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 18.45 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $131.5 billion


expenditures: $140.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues:
$151 billion

expenditures:
$149 billion, including capital expenditures of $36 billion (1998)
Capital Bern Brasilia
Climate temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers mostly tropical, but temperate in south
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 7,491 km
Constitution revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, officially entered into force 1 January 2000 5 October 1988
Country name conventional long form: Swiss Confederation


conventional short form: Switzerland


local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)


local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera (Italian)
conventional long form:
Federative Republic of Brazil

conventional short form:
Brazil

local long form:
Republica Federativa do Brasil

local short form:
Brasil
Currency - real (BRL)
Death rate 8.48 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 9.34 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $NA (2000) $232 billion (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela P. WILLEFORD


embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11


FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44
chief of mission:
Ambassador Anthony S. HARRINGTON

embassy:
Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia

mailing address:
Unit 3500, APO AA 34030

telephone:
[55] (061) 321-7272

FAX:
[55] (061) 225-9136

consulate(s) general:
Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo

consulate(s):
Recife
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER


chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900


FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco


consulate(s): Boston
chief of mission:
Ambassador Rubens Antonio BARBOSA

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 none none
Economic aid - donor ODA, $1.1 billion (1995) -
Economic aid - recipient - NA
Economy - overview Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8%, to 0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003, with a small rise to 1.8% in 2004. Even so, unemployment has remained at less than half the EU average. 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. In the late eighties and early nineties, high inflation hindered economic activity and investment. "The Real Plan", instituted in the spring of 1994, sought to break inflationary expectations by pegging the real to the US dollar. Inflation was brought down to single digit annual figures, but not fast enough to avoid substantial real exchange rate appreciation during the transition phase of the "Real Plan". This appreciation meant that Brazilian goods were now more expensive relative to goods from other countries, which contributed to large current account deficits. However, no shortage of foreign currency ensued because of the financial community's renewed interest in Brazilian markets as inflation rates stabilized and the debt crisis of the eighties faded from memory. The maintenance of large current account deficits via capital account surpluses became problematic as investors became more risk averse to emerging market exposure 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. This devaluation helped moderate the downturn in economic growth in 1999 that investors had expressed concerns about over the summer of 1998. Brazil's debt to GDP ratio for 1999 beat the IMF target and helped reassure investors that Brazil will maintain tight fiscal and monetary policy even with a floating currency. The economy continued to recover in 2000, with inflation remaining in the single digits and expected growth for 2001 of 4.5%. Foreign direct investment set a record of more than $30 billion in 2000.
Electricity - consumption 54.53 billion kWh (2002) 353.674 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 32.3 billion kWh (2002) 5 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 27.8 billion kWh (2002) 39.86 billion kWh

note:
supplied by Paraguay (1999)
Electricity - production 63.47 billion kWh (2002) 337.44 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
5.28%

hydro:
90.66%

nuclear:
1.12%

other:
2.94% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m


highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Pico da Neblina 3,014 m
Environment - current issues air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers the existence of a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; 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

note:
President CARDOSO in September 1999 signed into force an environmental crime bill which for the first time defines pollution and deforestation as crimes punishable by stiff fines and jail sentences
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish) 55%, mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 1%
Exchange rates Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000) reals per US dollar - 1.954 (January 2001), 1.830 (2000), 1.815 (1999), 1.161 (1998), 1.078 (1997), 1.005 (1996)

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 Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005); Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005); Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term


elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held 8 December 2004 (next to be held December 2005)


election results: Samuel SCHMID elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 70.7%; Moritz LEUENBERGER elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 64.8%
chief of state:
President Fernando Henrique CARDOSO (since 1 January 1995); Vice President Marco MACIEL (since 1 January 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Fernando Henrique CARDOSO (since 1 January 1995); Vice President Marco MACIEL (since 1 January 1995); 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 4 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2002)

election results:
Fernando Henrique CARDOSO reelected president; percent of vote - 53%
Exports 10,420 bbl/day (2001) $55.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products manufactures, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee
Exports - partners Germany 20.2%, US 10.5%, France 8.7%, Italy 8.3%, UK 5.1%, Spain 4% (2004) US 23%, Argentina 11%, Germany 5%, Netherlands 5%, Japan 5% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag 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 - $1.13 trillion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.5%


industry: 34%


services: 64.5% (2003 est.)
agriculture:
9%

industry:
29%

services:
62% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $33,800 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1.8% (2004 est.) 4.2% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 47 00 N, 8 00 E 10 00 S, 55 00 W
Geography - note landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador
Heliports 2 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 71,212 km


paved: 71,212 km (including 1,706 of expressways)


unpaved: 0 km (2002)
total:
1.98 million km

paved:
184,140 km

unpaved:
1,795,860 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.6%


highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)
lowest 10%:
1%

highest 10%:
47.6% (1996)
Illicit drugs a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin limited illicit producer of cannabis, minor coca cultivation in the Amazon region, mostly used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment country for Bolivian, 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 Bolivian, Peruvian, and Colombian cocaine
Imports 289,500 bbl/day (2001) $55.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles machinery and equipment, chemical products, oil, electricity
Imports - partners Germany 32.8%, Italy 11.3%, France 9.9%, US 5.2%, Netherlands 5%, Austria 4.3% (2004) US 24%, Argentina 12%, Germany 10%, Japan 5%, Italy 5% (1999)
Independence 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation) 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
Industrial production growth rate 4.7% (2004 est.) 6.9% (2000 est.)
Industries machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment
Infant mortality rate total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
36.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 0.9% (2004 est.) 6% (2000)
International organization participation ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC AfDB, BIS, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 50 (2000)
Irrigated land 250 sq km (1998 est.) 28,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal 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 3.77 million (2004 est.) 79 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 4.6%, industry 26.3%, services 69.1% (1998) services 53.2%, agriculture 23.1%, industry 23.7%
Land boundaries total: 1,852 km


border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 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: 10.42%


permanent crops: 0.61%


other: 88.97% (2001)
arable land:
5%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
22%

forests and woodland:
58%

other:
14% (1993 est.)
Languages German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)


note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national languages, but only the first three are official languages
Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
Legal system civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)


elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October 2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held October 2007)


election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%, FDP 17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13, other small parties 14
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 4 October 1998 for one-third of Senate (next to be held NA October 2002 for two-thirds of the Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 4 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2002)

election results:
Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PMDB 27, PFL 20, PSDB 16, PT 7, PPB 5, PSB 3, PDT 2, PPS 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PFL 106, PSDB 99, PMDB 82, PPB 60, PT 58, PTB 31, PDT 25, PSB 19, PL 12, PCdoB 7, other 14
Life expectancy at birth total population: 80.39 years


male: 77.58 years


female: 83.36 years (2005 est.)
total population:
63.24 years

male:
58.96 years

female:
67.73 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99% (1980 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
83.3%

male:
83.3%

female:
83.2% (1995 est.)
Location Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean
Map references Europe South America
Maritime claims none (landlocked) contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
200 NM

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 604,843 GRT/1,050,914 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, container 3


foreign-owned: 6 (United Kingdom 6)


registered in other countries: 291 (2005)
total:
171 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,788,999 GRT/6,067,314 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 33, cargo 26, chemical tanker 5, combination ore/oil 9, container 12, liquefied gas 11, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 56, roll on/roll off 12, short-sea passenger 1 (2000 est.)
Military branches Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe) Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes naval air and marines), Brazilian Air Force, Federal Police (paramilitary)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $2.548 billion (FY01) $13.408 billion (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1% (FY01) 1.9% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
48,298,486 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
32,388,786 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
1,762,740 (2001 est.)
National holiday Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291) Independence Day, 7 September (1822)
Nationality noun: Swiss (singular and plural)


adjective: Swiss
noun:
Brazilian(s)

adjective:
Brazilian
Natural hazards avalanches, landslides, flash floods recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south
Natural resources hydropower potential, timber, salt bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber
Net migration rate 3.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2004) crude oil 2,980 km; petroleum products 4,762 km; natural gas 4,246 km (1998)
Political parties and leaders Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER]; Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Doris LEUTHARD, president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Marianne KLEINER-SCHLAEPFER, president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Hans-Juerg FEHR, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Jader BARBALHO, president]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Roberto JEFFERSON]; Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Teotonio VILELA Filno]; Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Miguel ARRAES, president]; Brazilian Progressive Party or PPB [Paulo Salim MALUF]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Sergio Roberto Gomes SOUZA, chairman]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Leonel BRIZOLA, president]; Liberal Front Party or PFL [Jorge BORNHAUSEN, president]; Liberal Party or PL [Francisco Teixeira de OLIVEIRA]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Ciro GOMEZ, president]; Worker's Party or PT [Jose DIRCEU, president]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA left wing of the Catholic Church, Landless Worker's Movement, and labor unions allied to leftist Worker's Party are critical of government's social and economic policies
Population 7,489,370 (July 2005 est.) 174,468,575

note:
Brazil took an intercensal count in August 1996 which reported a population of 157,079,573; that figure was about 5% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, which 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 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 17.4% (1990 est.)
Population growth rate 0.49% (2005 est.) 0.91% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Basel Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus, Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, Santos, Vitoria
Radio broadcast stations AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998) AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM stations) (1999)
Radios - 71 million (1997)
Railways total: 4,527 km


standard gauge: 3,232 km 1.435-m gauge (3,211 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 1,285 km 1.000-m gauge (1,273 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2004)
total:
30,539 km (2,129 km electrified); note - excludes urban rail

broad gauge:
5,679 km 1.600-m gauge (1199 km electrified)

standard gauge:
194 km 1.440-m gauge

narrow gauge:
24,666 km 1.000-m gauge (930 km electrified)

dual gauge:
336 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (1999 est.)
Religions Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000 census) Roman Catholic (nominal) 80%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female


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


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


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age
Telephone system general assessment: excellent domestic and international services


domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks


international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
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 5.419 million (2002) 17.039 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 6.172 million (2003) 4.4 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995) 138 (1997)
Terrain mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt
Total fertility rate 1.42 children born/woman (2005 est.) 2.09 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 3.4% (2004 est.) 7.1% (2000 est.)
Waterways 65 km


note: Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee, some canals, and 12 navigable lakes (2003)
50,000 km
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