The closest piece of land is the island of Fernando de Noronha 630 km to the Southwest. The rocks are part of Pernambuco state, Brazil. The highest of the rocks, Southwest Rock, has an elevation of 22.5 m, are peaks of the largely submarine Mid-Atlantic Ridge that extend above the water level. The rocks are scattered across an area that measures 350 m North-South and 200 m East-West. The total land area is about 10,000 m². The exact location is given as 00°55′08″N, ...

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Saint Peter and Paul Rocks, Saint Peter and Paul Rocks - Geography, Saint Peter and Paul Rocks - Structures, Saint Peter and Paul Rocks - Biology, Saint Peter and Paul Rocks - History

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The Federative Republic of Brazil (in Portuguese, República Federativa do Brasil; pron. IPA /ʁe.'pu.bli.kɐ fe.de.ɾa.'tʃi.vɐ du bɾa.'ziw/) is the largest and most populous country in Latin America, and fifth largest in the world. Spanning a vast area between central South America and the Atlantic Ocean, it is the easternmost country of the Americas and it borders Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and the French de ...

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• Brazil - States
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• Brazil - Economy
• Brazil - Demographics
• Brazil - Ethnicity and race
• Brazil - Languages
• Brazil - Religion
• Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration
• Brazil - International rankings
• Brazil - Culture
• Brazil - Flora and fauna
• Brazil - Sports

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Brazil is thought to have been inhabited for at least 10,000 years by semi-nomadic populations when the first Portuguese explorers, led by Pedro Álvares Cabral, disembarked in 1500. Over the next three centuries, it was resettled by the Portuguese and exploited mainly for brazilwood (Pau-Brasil) at first, and later for sugarcane(Cana-de-Açúcar) agriculture and gold mining. Work in the colony was based on slavery. In 1808, Queen Maria I of Portugal and her son and regent, the future João VI of Portugal, fleeing from Napoleon, relocated to ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports

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Brazil is thought to have been inhabited for at least 10,000 years by semi-nomadic populations when the first Portuguese explorers, led by Pedro Álvares Cabral, disembarked in 1500. Over the next three centuries, it was resettled by the Portuguese and exploited mainly for brazilwood (Pau-Brasil) at first, and later for sugarcane(Cana-de-Açúcar) agriculture and gold mining. The colony's source of manpower was initially on enslaved Amerindians, and after 1550, mainly African slaves. In 1808, Queen Maria I of Portugal and her son and regent, ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports, Brazil - Notes

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Many controversies mark the archipelago's discovery. Its original name, Ilha da Quaresma (Lent Island), it is known to have been sighted by expeditions from the years 1501, 1502 and 1503. The Viscount of Santarém, however, attributed the discovery to Gaspar de Lemos, captain of the supply ship of Pedro Álvares Cabral's fleet, sent back to Portugal with news of the discovery of Brazil. Modern historians, however, attribut the discovery of the archipelago to the ...

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Fernando de Noronha, Fernando de Noronha - Geography, Fernando de Noronha - History, Fernando de Noronha - Diving

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Brazil currently has 25 million people living in conditions of poverty [2] [3]. This is a critical issue. Poverty in Brazil can be seen in the large metropolitan areas (capitals) and in the "pockets of poverty" (upcountry regions with low rates of economic and social development). The Northeast has chronic problems as a result of its dry climate, with millions of people suffering hunger during the dry seasons. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has proposed a prog ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty, illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports

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The main islands of this archipelago are the visible parts of a range of submerged mountains . Consisting of 21 islands, islets and rocks of volcanic origin, the main island has an area of 7.1 square miles (18 km²), being 6.2 miles (10 km) long and 2.2 miles (3.5 km) at its maximum width. The base of this enormous volcanic formation is 2480 feet (756 m) below the surface. The main island, from which the group gets its name, makes up 91% of the total area; the islands of Rata, Sela Gineta, Cabeluda and São Jose, together with ...

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Fernando de Noronha, Fernando de Noronha - Geography, Fernando de Noronha - History, Fernando de Noronha - Diving

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The 1988 constitution grants broad powers to the federal government. The President has extensive executive powers; he appoints the Cabinet, and he is also both head of state and head of government. The President and Vice-President are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms. The Brazilian legislature, the bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional, includes the Federal Senate or Senado Federal of 81 seats, of which three members from each state or federal district are elected according to th ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports, Brazil - Notes

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Brazil currently has 45 million people living in conditions of poverty. This is a critical issue. Poverty in Brazil can be seen in the large metropolitan areas (capitals) and in the "pockets of poverty" (upcountry regions with low rates of economic and social development). The Northeast has chronic problems as a result of its dry climate, with millions of people suffering hunger during the dry seasons. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has proposed a progr ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports, Brazil - Notes

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Main article: Religion in Brazil About 74% of the population in Brazil are Roman Catholic. Followers of Protestantism are rising in number, currently at 15.4%. Spiritism constitute 1.3% of the population (about 2,3 millions) and is the country with more adepts of this religion. African traditional religions such as Candomblé, Macumba, and Umbanda are the next largest groups. There are around 120,000 members of the Jewish community (located mostly in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro but also in Brasilia, Curitiba, Porto Alegre and ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports, Brazil - Notes

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Main Article: Sports in Brazil Brazil national football team Brazilian Football League Teams Some fight sports with Brazilian origins have become popular around the world: Capoeira Vale tudo Brazilian jiu-jitsu ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports

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The most popular sport in Brazil is football (soccer). There is great rivalry between local teams, yet there is strong support for the highly-successful national team. The Brazilian national team has been victorious in the World Cup tournament a record five times. Pele, one of the world's most recognized player, led Brazil to three of those championships. After the third time, Brazil kept the World Cup trophy permanently. Recently, Ronaldo and Ri ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports, Brazil - Notes

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Portuguese is the official language, and is spoken by the entire population. Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking nation in the Americas, giving it a national culture distinct from its Spanish-speaking neighbors. Portuguese is the only official language of Brazil, and there are few regional variances. It is virtually the only language used in schools, newspapers, radio and TV, and for all b ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports, Brazil - Notes

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Brazil is a melting-pot of different ethnicities and origins. The dominant ancestry among Brazilians is the Portuguese, descendants of the early colonists or of 19th and 20th centuries Portuguese immigrants. The settlement of Portuguese started in Brazil after 1532, when the active process of colonization began since the founding of São Vicente. Until independence in 1822, the Portuguese were the only European nation that successfully settled in Brazil, and mos ...

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Brazil is characterized by the extensive low-lying Amazon Rainforest in the north, and a more open terrain of hills and low mountains to the south — home to most of Brazil's population and its agricultural base. Along the Atlantic seacoast are also found several mountain ranges, reaching roughly 2,900 m high. The highest peak is the Pico da Neblina at 2,994 m, in Guiana's highlands. Major rivers include the Amazon, the largest river in the world by volume, and often considered the world's longest; the Paraná and its major tributary, the Iguaçu River, where the impressive ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports, Brazil - Notes

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Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, as well as a large labor pool, Brazil's GDP (PPP) outweighs that of any other Latin American country, and the country is expanding its presence in world markets. Major export products include airplanes, coffee, vehicles, soybean, iron ore, orange juice, steel, textiles, footwear and electrical equipment. After forming a fiscal adjustment program, and pledging progress on structural reform, Brazil received a US$41.5 billion IMF-led internation ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports, Brazil - Notes

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Brazil consists of 26 states (estados, singular estado) and 1 federal district (distrito federal): Brazil and its 26 states and Federal District are divided by IBGE into 5 distinctive regions: North, Northeast, Center-West, Southeast and South (Division by Regions). See also: List of cities in Brazil (all cities and municipalities) List of major cities in Brazil (metropolitan areas and major regional cities) ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports, Brazil - Notes

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The 1988 constitution grants broad powers to the federal government. The President has extensive executive powers: he appoints the Cabinet, and he is also both head of state and head of government. The President and Vice-President are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms. The Brazilian legislature, the bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional, includes the Federal Senate or Senado Federal of 81 seats, of which three members from each state or federal district are elected according to th ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports

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Portuguese is the official language, and is spoken by the entire population. Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking nation in the Americas, giving it a national culture distinct from its Spanish-speaking neighbors. Portuguese is the only official language of Brazil, and there are few regional variances. It is virtually the only language used in schools, newspapers, radio and TV, and for all b ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports

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Main article: Religion in Brazil About 74% of the population in Brazil are Roman Catholic. Followers of Protestantism are rising in number, currently at 15.4%. Other Christian groups constitute only 1.3% of the population. African tribal religions such as Candomblé are the next largest groups. There are around 120,000 members of the Jewish community (located mostly in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro but also in Brasilia, Curitiba, Porto Alegre and other major towns) while Buddhism, Shinto, and other Asian religions are also sizeable. There are around 28,000 m ...

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Brazil, Brazil - History, Brazil - Politics, Brazil - States, Brazil - Geography, Brazil - Economy, Brazil - Demographics, Brazil - Ethnicity and race, Brazil - Languages, Brazil - Religion, Brazil - Poverty illiteracy and income concentration, Brazil - International rankings, Brazil - Culture, Brazil - Flora and fauna, Brazil - Sports

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