Brazil at a Glance

The Federal Republic of Brazil, established in 1889, is the largest and most populous nation in Latin America, with most of the population concentration in the south-central area, which includes industrial cities such as São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro. Brazil has well-established agricultural, mining, industrial and service sectors, with the service sector being the largest. The inequality indices indicate wide disparities in regional development. About 33% of the population in the northeast lives in poverty, compared to 11 % in the richer southeast. Rapid growth in urban population has led to increased urban poverty while poor mining practices have resulted in land, water and air pollution. Deforestation in the Amazon Basin has endangered many species of plants and animals indigenous to the area. Development efforts in Brazil have focused on a combination of broad-based growth and sectoral development, such as education and health.