Capital: Brasilia
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: based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage: voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70;
compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Fernando Henrique
CARDOSO (since 1 January 1995) election last held 3 October 1994; next
to be held October 1998); results - Fernando Henrique CARDOSO 53%,
Luis Inacio LULA da Silva 26%, Eneas CARNEIRO 7%, Orestes QUERCIA 4%,
Leonel BRIZOLA 3%, Espiridiao AMIN 3%; note - second free, direct
presidential election since 1960
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congresso Nacional)
Federal Senate (Senado Federal): election last held 3 October 1994 for
two-thirds of Senate (next to be held October 1996 for one-third of
the Senate); results - PMBD 28%, PFL 22%, PSDB 12%, PPR 7%, PDT 7%, PT
6%, PTB 6%, other 12%
Chamber of Deputies (Camara dos Deputados): election last held 3
October 1994 (next to be held October 1998); results - PMDB 21%, PFL
18%, PDT 7%, PSDB 12%, PPR 10%, PTB 6%, PT 10%, other 16%
Judicial branch: Supreme Federal Tribunal