Brazil
Federative Republic of Brazil
Local name: Brasil
- Capital
- Brasília
- Population
- 212.8 million
- 7th in the world (2025)
- Area
- 8,515,767 km²
- 5th in the world
- Density
- 25 people/km²
- 161st in the world
In brief
Brazil is a country in South America. Its capital is Brasília. With 212.8 million inhabitants in 2025, it ranks 7th in the world by population, out of the 195 countries recognised by the UN. Its area is 8,515,767 km². It shares land borders with Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.
GDP per capita stands at $10,713 (2025), 81st in the world. Life expectancy at birth is 76 years (2024). 88% of the population lives in cities.
History of Brazil
Home to many Indigenous peoples, Brazil was reached by the Portuguese Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500. The colony lived off sugar and then gold, through the labour of millions of enslaved Africans, more than in any other country in the Americas. Fleeing Napoleon, the Portuguese court moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1808. Brazil declared independence on 7 September 1822 and became an empire. The last country in the Americas to abolish slavery, in 1888, it became a republic the following year. After the military dictatorship of 1964-1985, it returned to democracy. Brasília has been the capital since 1960.
Geography of Brazil
The fifth-largest country in the world, Brazil covers nearly half of South America and borders every country on the continent except Chile and Ecuador. It holds most of the Amazon rainforest and of the Amazon River, the world’s largest by flow, as well as the Pantanal, a vast wetland.
Map of Brazil
Flag of Brazil
The flag of Brazil is blue, green and yellow. Its official proportions are 7:10 (height to width).
- Green69%
- Yellow18%
- Blue12%
Share of the flag’s surface taken by each colour.
What the flag stands for
Green with a yellow rhombus and a blue globe showing the starry sky over Rio on 15 November 1889, the day the Republic was proclaimed. The 27 stars represent the states and the federal district; the motto “Ordem e Progresso” comes from the philosopher Auguste Comte.
Sources: Wikipedia, articles “Brazil” and “Flag of Brazil”.
See also: flags with a star.
Download the flag (SVG) All 5 blue, green and yellow flags All the flags of the world
Fact file
| Official name | Federative Republic of Brazil |
|---|---|
| Capital | Brasília |
| Official language | Portuguese |
| Currency | Brazilian real (BRL, R$) |
| Demonym | Brazilian |
| Continent | Americas, South America |
| Access to the sea | Yes |
| Area | 8,515,767 km² |
| Calling code | +55 |
| Internet domain | .br |
| UN status | Member state |
Economy and society
GDP per capita
$10,713
81st in the world (2025)
Life expectancy
76 years
at birth (2024)
Urban population
88%
Sources: World Bank (2025) for population and economy, Natural Earth for the map, mledoze/countries and Wikidata for reference data. Method.