Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At 8.5 million square kilometers and with over 208 million people, Brazil is the world’s fifth-largest country by area and the fifth most populous.
Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Brazil has a coastline of 7,491 kilometers . This unique environmental heritage makes Brazil one of 17 megadiverse countries, and is the subject of significant global interest and debate regarding deforestation and environmental protection.
Brazil was inhabited by numerous tribal nations prior to the landing in 1500 of explorer Pedro lvares Cabral, who claimed the area for the Portuguese Empire. Brazil remained a Portuguese colony until 1808, when the capital of the empire was transferred from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro.In 1815, the colony was elevated to the rank of kingdom upon the formation of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves.Independence was achieved in 1822 with the creation of the Empire of Brazil, a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system.The ratification of the first constitution in 1824 led to the formation of a bicameral legislature, now called the National Congress.
Brazil is a regional power and sometimes considered a great Brazil is a founding member of the United Nations, the G20, BRICS, Union of South American Nations, Mercosul, Organization of American States, Organization of Ibero-American States and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries.
