Brazil is the largest country in South America with a land mass of over three million square miles. It has more than 4655m (7491kms) of Atlantic Ocean coastline and this forms most of its eastern and north eastern boundary.
The remainder of the country is bordered by nine countries plus French Guiana, which since 1947 has been an overseas department of France. In fact, Brazil has borders with all of the South American countries apart from Chile and Ecuador.
Brazil has a population of over 190 million and covers three time zones. To the south it shares a border with Uruguay; to the south-west and west Brazil borders Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru; to the north-west Brazil borders Columbia and to the north it shares a border with Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
The territory of Brazil also includes various archipelagos including Fernando de Noronha and the reef formation of Rocas Atol; together representing about 50 per cent of the oceanic islands in the South Atlantic. St Peter and Paul Rocks, Trindade and Martim Vaz are also part of the country.
Brazil, which was once a colony of Portugal, became independent in 1822 and since 1889 has been a republic. It is now a Federal Republic with 26 states and a multi-ethnic population. It is the only South American country to derive its language and culture from Portugal and its main language is Portuguese. It is one the world's rising economic powers and recently elected its first female president, Dilma Rouseff. Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and is so vast it covers half of South America.
The remainder of the country is bordered by nine countries plus French Guiana, which since 1947 has been an overseas department of France. In fact, Brazil has borders with all of the South American countries apart from Chile and Ecuador.
Brazil has a population of over 190 million and covers three time zones. To the south it shares a border with Uruguay; to the south-west and west Brazil borders Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru; to the north-west Brazil borders Columbia and to the north it shares a border with Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
The territory of Brazil also includes various archipelagos including Fernando de Noronha and the reef formation of Rocas Atol; together representing about 50 per cent of the oceanic islands in the South Atlantic. St Peter and Paul Rocks, Trindade and Martim Vaz are also part of the country.
Brazil, which was once a colony of Portugal, became independent in 1822 and since 1889 has been a republic. It is now a Federal Republic with 26 states and a multi-ethnic population. It is the only South American country to derive its language and culture from Portugal and its main language is Portuguese. It is one the world's rising economic powers and recently elected its first female president, Dilma Rouseff. Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and is so vast it covers half of South America.
