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: President Fernando Henrique CARDOSO (since 1 January
1995); Vice President Marco MACIEL (since 1 January 1995); note—the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Fernando Henrique CARDOSO (since 1
January 1995); Vice President Marco MACIEL (since 1 January 1995);
note—the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 4 October
1998 (next to be held NA October 2002)
election results: Fernando Henrique CARDOSO reelected president;
percent of vote—53%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congresso
Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats;
three members from each state or federal district elected according
to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third
elected after a four year period, two-thirds elected after the next
four-year period) 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 4 October 1998 for one-third of
Senate (next to be held NA October 2002 for two-thirds of the
Senate); Chamber of Deputies—last held 4 October 1998 (next to be
held NA October 2002)
election results: Federal Senate—percent of vote by party—NA%; seats
by party—PMDB 27, PFL 20, PSDB 16, PT 7, PPB 5; Chamber of
Deputies—percent of vote by party—NA%; seats by party—PFL 106, PSDB
99, PMDB 82, PPB 60, PT 58
Judicial branch: Supreme Federal Tribunal, 11 judges are
appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate