Pedro Alvares Cabral reached the shores of Brazil in 1500. The country took its name from the brazilwood tree found along the coast. Brazil is the largest country in South America with boundaries with 10 other South American countries. It has a population of over 205 million people and its capital is Brasilia. Brazil is a major global exporter of goods like iron ore, soybeans, coffee and sugar.

1. Prepared by:
BHAVIK HARIYANI (57)

2.  On April 22, 1500, a Portuguese navigator
called Pedro Alvares Cabral reached the
shores of Brazil. The country took its name
from “brazilwood”, a redwood tree commonly
found along the Brazilian coastline that was
ordinarily used to dye garments back in
Europe.

3.  1500 :The Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral
lands in Brazil.
1572 :The King of Portugal creates the Viceroyalty of
Brazil in Salvador (Bahia).
1763 :Rio de Janeiro proclaimed Brazil's sole Capital.
1789 :First independence movement
1807 :Napoleon invades Portugal
1944-45: Brazilian troops fight alongside Allies in World
War II.
1960 :Brasilia becomes the new capital. 1985 Democracy
is restored. Jose Sarney becomes President.
1988 New constitution proclaimed.
2006 Luis Inacio Lula da Silva re-elected as President.

4.  Brazil is the largest country in South America
with 15,735 km (9,777 miles) of boundaries
with 10 out of the 12 South American
countries.
 Brazil has 7,491 km sea shore (4,655 miles)
on the Atlantic Coast.

5.  Full country name: Federative Republic of Brazil
 Area: 8,547,403 sq km
 Population: 205.7 million (UN, 2011)
 Capital City: Brasilia
 Language: Portuguese
 Religion: Roman Catholic (73.6%), Pentecostal
(15.4%), Other (11%)
 Currency: Real

6.  GDP per head : US$11,600(2011)
 Annual Growth: 7.5% (2010)
 Inflation: 5.9% (2010)

7.  Brazil is larger than the continental US and
Australia.
 It is the fifth largest country in the world.
With a population of 195 million, Brazil is
also the fifth most populous country and
fourth largest democracy. Sao Paulo is the
second most populous city in the world, with
almost 11 million.
 Brazil is the world's largest exporter of iron
ore and soya; it will soon be the largest
exporter of frozen meat. Brazilian industry
produces more cars than Mexico, more steel
than Italy, the same amount as India.

8.  There are 347,490 square miles of farmable
land in Brazil, and that's without counting one
single inch of the 350 million of the Amazon
forest.
 Brazil is the world’s largest coffee, sugar, and
alcohol producer, and second in soybean and
corn, apart from being the third largest fruit
producer.

9.  One of the most important Brazilian industrial
segment is the automobile industry. Many
international companies make cars in Brazil:
Volkswagen, Ford, Mercedes Bens, General
Motors, Fiat, Volvo, etc.