Data code: BR
Type of government: federal republic
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) was elected for a four-year term by
popular vote; 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 direct presidential
election since 1960; Vice President Marco MARCIEL (since NA)
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president