Brazil was discovered in 1500 and gained independence from Portugal in 1822. It is the fifth largest country in the world and has a very cosmopolitan population due to immigration from Italy, Portugal, Spain and other countries. Brazil has a large economy as the eighth largest in the world and is a member of the BRIC countries. It has a diverse landscape and regions, with the north home to the Amazon and indigenous groups, and the southeast being the economic center where Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are located.