Brazil Background: Background: Following more than three centuries under Portuguese rule, Brazil gained its independence

in 1822, maintaining a monarchical system of government until the abolition of slavery in 1888 and the subsequent proclamation of a republic by the military in 1889. Brazilian coffee exporters politically dominated the country until populist leader Getulio VARGAS rose to power in 1930. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil underwent more than half a century of populist and military government until 1985, when the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's leading economic power and a regional leader, one of the first in the area to begin an economic recovery. Highly unequal income distribution and crime remain pressing problems. In January 2010, Brazil assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2010-11 term.

Definition: This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.

Brazil Geography Profile: Location:Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean Geographic coordinates:10 00 S, 55 00 W Map references:South America Area:Total: 8,514,877 sq km

Land: 8,459,417 sq km Water: 55,460 sq km note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo Area comparative:Slightly smaller than the US Land boundaries:Total: 16,885 km border countries: Argentina 1,261 km, Bolivia 3,423 km, Colombia 1,644 km, French Guiana 730 km, Guyana 1,606 km, Paraguay 1,365 km, Peru 2,995 km, Suriname 593 km, Uruguay 1,068 km, Venezuela 2,200 km Coastline:7,491 km Maritime claims:Territorial sea: 12 nm Contiguous zone: 24 nm Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin Climate:Mostly tropical, but temperate in south Terrain:-

Mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt Elevation extremes:Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m Highest point: Pico da Neblina 2,994 m Natural resources:bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber Land use:Arable land: 6.93% Permanent crops: 0.89% Other: 92.18% (2005) Irrigated land:45,000 sq km (2008) Total renewable water resources:8,233 cu km (2000) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):Total: 59.3 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%) Per capita: 318 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards:Recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south

 Environment - current issues:Deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there is lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills Environment - international agreements:Party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate ChangeKyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography note:Largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

Brazil Demographics Profile: Population:203,429,773 (July 2011 est.) Note: Brazil conducted a census in August 2000, which reported a population of 169,872,855; that figure was about 3.8% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census Age structure:0-14 years: 26.2% (male 27,219,651/female 26,180,040) 15-64 years: 67% (male 67,524,642/female 68,809,357)

65 years and over: 6.7% (male 5,796,433/female 7,899,650) (2011 est.) Median age:Total: 29.3 years Male: 28.5 years Female: 30.1 years (2011 est.) Population growth rate:1.134% (2011 est.) Birth rate:17.79 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) Death rate:6.36 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) Net migration rate:-0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) Urbanization:Urban population: 87% of total population (2010) Rate of urbanization: 1.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) Sex ratio:At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.) Infant mortality rate:Total: 21.17 deaths/1,000 live births Male: 24.63 deaths/1,000 live births Female: 17.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.) Life expectancy at birth:Total population: 72.53 years Male: 68.97 years Female: 76.27 years (2011 est.) Total fertility rate:2.18 children born/woman (2011 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA HIV/AIDS deaths:NA Nationality:Noun: Brazilian(s)

Adjective: Brazilian Ethnic groups:White 53.7%, Mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, Black 6.2%, Other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, Unspecified 0.7% (2000 census) Religions:Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, Other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4% (2000 census) Languages:Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language) Note: less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor Amerindian languages Literacy:Definition: age 15 and over can read and write Total population: 88.6% Male: 88.4% Female: 88.8% (2004 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):Total: 14 years

Male: 14 years Female: 14 years (2008) Education expenditures:5.08% of GDP (2007) Maternal mortality rate:58 deaths/100,000 live births (2008) Children under the age of 5 years underweight:2.2% (2007) Health expenditures:9% of GDP (2009) Physicians density:1.72 physicians/1,000 population (2007) Hospital bed density:2.4 beds/1,000 population (2009) Obesity - adult prevalence rate:11.1% (2003)

Brazil Government Profile: Country name:Conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil Conventional short form: Brazil

Local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil Local short form: Brasil Government type:Federal republic Capital:Name: Brasilia Geographic coordinates: 15 47 S, 47 55 W Time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins third Sunday in October; ends last Sunday in February Note: Brazil is divided into three time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands Administrative divisions:26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins Independence:7 September 1822 (from Portugal) National holiday:Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

 Constitution:5 October 1988 Legal system:Civil law; note - a new Brazilian civil law code was enacted in 2002 replacing the 1916 code International law organization participation:Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction Suffrage:voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military conscripts do not vote Executive branch:Chief of state: President Dilma ROUSSEFF (since 1 January 2011); Vice President Michel TEMER (since 1 January 2011); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government Head of government: President Dilma ROUSSEFF (since 1 January 2011); Vice President Michel TEMER (since 1 January 2011) Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president Elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held on 3 October 2010 with runoff on 31 October 2010 (next to be held on 5 October 2014 and, if necessary, a runoff election on 2 November 2014) Election results: Dilma ROUSSEFF (PT) elected president in a runoff election; percent of vote - Dilma ROUSSEFF 56.01%, Jose SERRA (PSDB) 43.99% Legislative branch:-

Bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members from each state and federal district elected according to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third and two-thirds of members elected every four years, alternately) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) Elections: Federal Senate - last held on 3 October 2010 for two-thirds of the Senate (next to be held in October 2014 for one-third of the Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 3 October 2010 (next to be held in October 2014) Election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party PMDB 20, PT 13, PSDB 10, DEM (formerly PFL) 7, PTdoB 6, PP 5, PDT 4, PR 4, PSB 4, PPS 1, PRB 1, other 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PT 87, PMDB 80, PSDB 53, DEM (formerly PFL) 43, PP 41, PR 41, PSB 34, PDT 28, PTdoB 21, PSC 17, PCdoB 15, PV 15, PPS 12, other 18 Judicial branch:Supreme Federal Tribunal or STF (11 ministers are appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life); note - though appointed "for life," judges, like all federal employees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70 Political parties and leaders:Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy Michel TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Roberto JEFFERSON]; Brazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTB [Jose Levy FIDELIX da Cruz]; Brazilian Republican Party or PRB [Vitor Paulo Araujo DOS SANTOS]; Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Sergio GUERRA]; Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Governor Eduardo Henrique Accioly CAMPOS]; Christian Labor Party or PTC [Daniel TOURINHO]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Jose Renato RABELO]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos Roberto LUPI]; the Democrats or DEM [Federal Deputy Rodrigo MAIA] (formerly Liberal Front Party or PFL); Freedom and Socialism Party or PSOL [Heloisa HELENA]; Green Party or PV [Jose Luiz de Franca PENNA]; Humanist Party of Solidarity or PHS [Paulo Roberto MATOS]; Labor Party of Brazil or PTdoB [Luis Henrique de Oliveira RESENDE]; Liberal Front Party or PFL (now known as the Democrats or DEM); National Mobilization Party

or PMN [Oscar Noronha FILHO]; Party of the Republic or PR [Sergio TAMER]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Federal Deputy Fernando CORUJA]; Progressive Party or PP [Francisco DORNELLES]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Vitor Jorge Abdala NOSSEIS]; Workers' Party or PT [Jose Eduardo DUTRA] Political pressure groups and leaders:Landless Workers' Movement or MST Other: labor unions and federations; large farmers' associations; religious groups including evangelical Christian churches and the Catholic Church International organization participation:AfDB (nonregional member), BIS, CAN (associate), CPLP, FAO, FATF, G-15, G20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, RG, SICA (observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US:Chief of mission: Ambassador Mauro Luiz Iecker VIEIRA Chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 Telephone: [1] (202) 238-2805 FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827 Consulate general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US:Chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas A. SHANNON

Embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia Mailing address: Unit 7500, DPO, AA 34030 Telephone: [55] (61) 3312-7000 FAX: [55] (61) 3225-9136 Consulate general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo Consulate: Recife Flag description:green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress); the current flag was inspired by the banner of the former Empire of Brazil (1822-1889); on the imperial flag, the green represented the House of Braganza of Pedro I, the first Emperor of Brazil, while the yellow stood for the Habsburg Family of his wife; on the modern flag the green represents the forests of the country and the yellow rhombus its mineral wealth; the blue circle and stars, which replaced the coat of arms of the original flag, depict the sky over Rio de Janeiro on the morning of 15 November 1889 - the day the Republic of Brazil was declared; the number of stars has changed with the creation of new states and has risen from an original 21 to the current 27 (one for each state and the Federal District) National anthem:Name: "Hino Nacional Brasileiro" (Brazilian National Anthem) Lyrics/music: Joaquim Osorio Duque ESTRADA/Francisco Manoel DA SILVA Note: music adopted 1890, lyrics adopted 1922; the anthem's music, composed in 1822, was used unofficially for many years before it was adopted Group:All, APLAA, South America/Global, South America

 Brazil Economy Profile: Economy overview:Characterized by large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that of all other South American countries, and Brazil is expanding its presence in world markets. Since 2003, Brazil has steadily improved its macroeconomic stability, building up foreign reserves, and reducing its debt profile by shifting its debt burden toward real denominated and domestically held instruments. In 2008, Brazil became a net external creditor and two ratings agencies awarded investment grade status to its debt. After record growth in 2007 and 2008, the onset of the global financial crisis hit Brazil in September 2008. Brazil experienced two quarters of recession, as global demand for Brazil's commodity-based exports dwindled and external credit dried up. However, Brazil was one of the first emerging markets to begin a recovery. Consumer and investor confidence revived and GDP growth returned to positive in 2010, boosted by an export recovery. Brazil's strong growth and high interest rates make it an attractive destination for foreign investors. Large capital inflows over the past year have contributed to the rapid appreciation of its currency and led the government to raise taxes on some foreign investments. President Dilma ROUSSEFF has pledged to retain the previous administration's commitment to inflation targeting by the Central Bank, a floating exchange rate, and fiscal restraint. GDP (purchasing power parity):$2.172 trillion (2010 est.) $2.021 trillion (2009 est.) $2.034 trillion (2008 est.) Note: data are in 2010 US dollars GDP (official exchange rate):$2.09 trillion (2010 est.) GDP - real growth rate:7.5% (2010 est.) -0.6% (2009 est.)

5.2% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP):$10,800 (2010 est.) $10,200 (2009 est.) $10,400 (2008 est.) Note: data are in 2010 US dollars GDP - composition by sector:Agriculture: 5.8% Industry: 26.8% Services: 67.4% (2010 est.) Population below poverty line:26% (2008) Labor force:103.6 million (2010 est.) Labor force - by occupation:Agriculture: 20% Industry: 14% Services: 66% (2003 est.) Unemployment rate:6.7% (2010 est.) 8.1% (2009 est.) Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:-

Total: 17.82% Male: 13.86% Female: 23.11% (2009) Household income or consumption by percentage share:Lowest 10%: 1.2% Highest 10%: 42.5% (2009) Distribution of family income - Gini index:53.9 (2009) 60.7 (1998) Investment (gross fixed):18.4% of GDP (2010 est.) Budget:Revenues: $485.5 billion Expenditures: $572.3 billion (2010 est.) Taxes and other revenues:23.2% of GDP (2010 est.) Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):-4.2% of GDP (2010 est.) Public debt:59% of GDP (2010 est.) 57.5% of GDP (2009 est.)

 Inflation rate (consumer prices):5% (2010 est.) 4.9% (2009 est.) Central bank discount rate:15.17% (31 December 2009) 20.48% (31 December 2008) Commercial bank prime lending rate:39.992% (31 December 2010 est.) 44.65% (31 December 2009 est.) Stock of narrow money:$168.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $143.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.) Stock of money:$125 billion (30 November 2009) $95.03 billion (31 December 2008) Stock of quasi money:$645 billion (30 November 2009) $724.5 billion (31 December 2008) Stock of broad money:$1.522 trillion (31 December 2009) $972.8 billion (31 December 2008) Stock of domestic credit:$2.191 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.769 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)

 Market value of publicly traded shares:$1.546 trillion (31 December 2010) $1.167 trillion (31 December 2009) $589.4 billion (31 December 2008) Agriculture products:coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef Industries:textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment Industrial production growth rate:10.5% (2010 est.) Electricity production:461.1 billion kWh (2009 est.) Electricity - production by source:Fossil fuel: 8.3% Hydro: 82.7% Nuclear: 4.4% Other: 4.6% (2001) Electricity consumption:421 billion kWh (2009 est.) Electricity exports:1.08 billion kWh (2009 est.)

 Electricity imports:39.67 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2009 est.) Oil production:2.746 million bbl/day (2010 est.) Oil consumption:2.654 million bbl/day (2010 est.) Oil exports:699,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) Oil imports:720,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) Oil - proved reserves:12.86 billion bbl (1 January 2011 est.) Natural gas production:12.41 billion Cum (2010 est.) Natural gas consumption:25.13 billion cum (2010 est.) Natural gas exports:NA (2010 est.) Natural gas imports:12.72 billion cum (2010 est.)

 Natural gas - proved reserves:366.4 billion cum (1 January 2011 est.) Current Account Balance:-$47.36 billion (2010 est.) -$24.3 billion (2009 est.) Exports:$201.9 billion (2010 est.) $153 billion (2009 est.) Exports commodities:transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos Exports partners:China 15.2%, US 9.6%, Argentina 9.2%, Netherlands 5.1%, Germany 4% (2010) Imports:$181.7 billion (2010 est.) $127.7 billion (2009 est.) Imports commodities:machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products, oil, automotive parts, electronics Imports partners:US 15%, China 14.1%,

Argentina 7.9%, Germany 6.9%, South Korea 4.6% (2010) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$288.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $238.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.) Debt external:$346.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $276.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:$368.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $319.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:$128.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $117.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.) Exchange rates:-

reals (BRL) per US dollar (March 3, 2011): U.S. $1 = 1.65 Brazilian reais 1.77 (2010) 2 (2009) 1.8644 (2008) 1.85 (2007) 2.1761 (2006) Brazil Transnational Issues Profile: Disputes international:-

Uncontested boundary dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; smuggling of firearms and narcotics continues to be an issue along the Uruguay-Brazil border; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Brazil's border region with Venezuela Illicit drugs:second-largest consumer of cocaine in the world; illicit producer of cannabis; trace amounts of coca cultivation in the Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian, and Peruvian cocaine headed for Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics proceeds are often laundered through the financial system; significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area (2008)

HR policies in Brazil
Human resource department of a Brazilian organization, in todays industrialized sector, acts as an asset generator and augments the production of the company enormously. A handful of people are appointed to attend the departmental issues and take care of the companys welfare in close collaboration with the management team. The human resource management team in coordination with the companys authorities constructs the HR policies to facilitate proper functioning of the organization. The implementation of HR policies in Brazil is less complicated and quite beneficial for the employees. Its expected of the employees to adhere to the HR policies in Brazil. The following segments on recruitment policies, working hours and other benefits and termination policies would provide you a better perspective about the HR policies in Brazil. Recruitment policies:

A Brazilian employee can be hired only by a proper registered company. A foreign company is required to undergo definite procedures in order to hire the employees. Employees are recruited on the basis of certain term and conditions of the employment agreement. Within 48 hours of an employees

commencement of services in a respective organization, the mentioned agreement should be registered. Apart from the case of seniority, all the employees with same job profile should be treated equally and granted similar compensation. In addition, the pay scale is generally assessed on the basis of an employees job profile, experience and qualification. Working hours & other benefits Brazilian government has a standardized working schedule for all the employees i.e. 8 hours/day. However, in agreement with the employees, companies can manipulate it and stretch the working hours. For overtime, workers are paid the salary of a day and a half. Apart from the monthly salaries, substantial benefits are provided to the employees. Generally it includes annual and vacation bonuses, housing allowances and other similar kind of benefits. The female and male executives of the Brazilian companies are eligible to get a liberal maternity benefit and 5 days of paternity benefit respectively. Termination policies In Brazil the termination policies are quite formal and the companies have to undergo handful of procedure to make it official. The employment agreement can be terminated by either the employee or the employer. An employees agreement can be made ineffective before the expiry date by the employer after paying a certain amount of compensation. Generally, such grave measures are taken if the employee violates the crucial duties and company policies. However, an employee is bound to provide a 30 days notice period to the organization to enjoy incur all the official benefits. In addition, all the intrinsic details of the termination are generally mentioned in the settlement agreement.

Religion in Brazil
The Brazil religion is predominantly Catholicism, with Brazil having the largest Roman Catholic population in the world. In a census which took place in 2000, seventy percent of the Brasil population declared being Roman Catholic, with approximately ninety percent declaring some religious belief system.

The Brazil culture and religion is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope, Benedict XVI, who visited Brazil in May 2007. Statue of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) at Rio de Janeiro How Catholicism became Brazil's Religion The influence of Catholicism on brazil culture and religion occurred followed its introduction by the missionaries who accompanied the Portuguese explorers and settlers of Brazil. It is said that the first Mass celebrated in Brasil was on Easter Sunday in 1500, carried out by a priest in the party who claimed possession of Portugal. Brazil culture and religion does not however encompass only Brazil people of the Catholic faith. There has been a growing number of other religions in Brazil such as Protestant communities over the last decades. In addition Christianity - Pentecostalism, Babtistism and methodism, which are also growing in numbers, there are many other belief systems, many of which have been absorbed into Catholicism. There is also a large number of Jehovah's Witnesses in Brasil. A very small number of people are followers of African traditional religions such as Candombl and Umbanda. The merging of the Brazil people, Brazil's cultures, traditions, customs and religious beliefs especially, have been important elements, which have all helped to inform and shape Brazil Art forms. Brazil culture and Brazil traditions Being of Latin American culture, the Brazilian traditions and customs are of immense diversity, with important influences from Europe, the indigenous South American people, people from Africa and Asia. Also largely influenced early on in its history by the Portuguese's colonisation, Portuguese language and many other of its cultural elements, Brasil has evolved into a society that exudes mixed unity; a claim many countries pride themselves on, yet come no where near to achieving the Brazilian harmoneous multi-cultural society.

The mere mention of Brazil or Brazil people, is synonomous with Brazilian soccer, Brazil carnivals and beautiful sunny beaches. While these are all wonderful aspects of the Brazilian culture and traditions, they are by no means the best of everything Brazil has to offer. The culture of Brazil happens to be a real mixture of different races and ethnicities, all of which of course, add to the Brazilian diversity. Unlike most other Latin American countries where the Indian population is obvious, in Brazil's case there is no such distinction. Interracial marriages have taken place to the extent where there is a blurring of racial lines. The phrase 'big melting pot' really rings true of the cultures in Brazil, Brazilian traditions and the Brazil people. When you consider Brazil's vast landscape, its indigenous people, the eclectic mix of immigrants who also brought a wide variety of their own country's cultures, traditions and cuisines, it is little wonder that the traditions and cultures of Brazil today make up a unique and rich blend of diversity in itself.