The Federative Republic of Brazil is the largest country in Latin America and South America. At 8,456,510 square kilometers (3,286,470 square miles), it is larger than the continental United States and comprises almost half of the South American landmass. Brazil shares borders with all of the countries in South America except Chile and Ecuador, yet its only coast is on the Atlantic Ocean. It encompasses the vast Amazon River basin, the largest rain forest in the world. Given its size, its climate varies tremendously, from the temperate south to the tropical north. Brazil's population reached 177 million in 2003, making it the fifth most populous country in the world. São Paulo, Brazil's largest city, has a population of almost 19 million. With a gross domestic product (GDP) of U.S.$500 billion in 2002, its per capita income stood at only $2,820.

Colonial Period

Brazil is a product of sixteenth-century European commercial expansion. It is...