BRAZIL |
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The Federative Republic of Brazil (República
Federativa do Brasil in Portuguese) is the largest and most populous country
in South America. Spanning a vast area between the Andes and the Atlantic
Ocean, it borders Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia,
Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. Named after brazilwood, a
local tree, Brazil is home to both extensive agricultural lands and rain
forests.
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Politics
The 1988 constitution grants broad powers to the federal government, of
which the president and vice president are elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year terms. The president has extensive executive
powers and is both head of state and head of government and he also appoints
the cabinet.
The Brazilian legislature, the bicameral National Congress or Congresso
Nacional, consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal of 81 seats, of
which three members from each state or federal district are 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. Beside the Senate there is the Chamber of Deputies or Câmara dos
Deputados of 513 seats, whose members are elected by proportional
representation to serve four-year terms.
Demographics
Ethnic groups
The only clearly separated minority ethnic groups in Brazil are the various
non-assimilated indigenous tribes, comprising less than 1% of the population,
who live in officially delimited reservations and either avoid contact with
"civilized" people, or have assimilated mainstream Brazilian culture to some
extent but still constitute separate social and political communities. The
rest of the population can be considered a single "Brazilian" ethnic group,
with highly varied racial types and backgrounds, some broad regional trends,
but without clear ethnic sub-divisions.
Most of the population descends from early European settlers (chiefly
Portuguese, but also some French and Dutch), African slaves (Yoruba, Ewe,
Bantu, and others), and assimilated indigenous peoples (mostly Tupi and
Guarani, but also of many other ethnic groups). Trans-ethnic marriages and
concubinates have been common and fairly well accepted ever since the first
Portuguese settlers arrived.
Starting in the late 19th century Brazil received substantial immigration
from several other countries, mainly Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Lebanon,
Japan, China and Korea. The Japanese are the largest Asian group in Brazil,
but some Chinese and Koreans also settled Brazil. Most Chinese came from
mainland China, but others came from Taiwan, and Hong Kong, and also from
Portuguese-speaking Macau. (These Chinese from Macao could speak and
understand Portuguese, and it was not hard for them to adjust to Brazilian
life.) Those immigrant populations and their descendants still retain some
of their original ethnic identity, however they are not closed communities
and are rapidly integrating into mainstream Brazilian society: for instance,
very few of the third generation can understand their grandparents'
languages.
Religion
About 74% of all Brazilians claims to be member of the Roman Catholic Church;
most of the remaining 26% adhere to various Protestant faiths, Kardecism,
Candomblé, Umbanda, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism.
According to IBGE 2000 Census, these are the biggest religious denominations
in Brazil (only listed those with more than a half million members):
Roman Catholic Church: 124,980,132
Its Charismatic Renewal branch is fast growing; the Progressive Branch (Liberation
Theology) and the Conservative branch are in decline. Only 15% of its
membership attends the church regularly.
Assembly of God (Assembléia de Deus): 8,418,140
General Convention of the Assembly of God: 3.6 Million. Affiliated with the
American Assemblies of God, Springfield, MO
National Convention of the Assembly of God: 2.5 Million. A.k.a Madureira
Assemblies of God
Other independent Assemblies of God: 1,9 Million, such Bethesda Assemblies
of God
Baptist:3,162,691
Brazilian Baptist Convention: 1,2 Million adherents.
National Baptist Convention: 1 Million. Charismatics Baptists
Independent Baptist Convention: 400,000. Scandinavian Baptists
Other Baptists: 400,000
Christian Congregation in Brazil: 2,6 Million. Italian-Brazilian
Pentecostals
Spiritist: 2,262,401
These includes Kardec Spiritualist; Afro-Brazilian Sincretists, New Age,
etc.
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus):
2 Millon. Neo-Pentecostal Movement.
Foursquare Gospel Church: 1,318,805. Classic Pentocostals in US, but second-wave
pentecostals in Brazil.
Adventists: 1,2 Million
Seventh Day Adventist Church: 900,000
Promise Adventist Church: 150,000. Indigenous Pentecostal Adventists.
Reform Seventh Day Adventist Church: 50,000
Other Adventists: 100,000
Lutherans: 1 Million
Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confission
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil
Other Lutherans
Calvinists: 1 Million
Presbyterian Church of Brazil: 450,000
Independent Presbyterian Church: 300,00
Congregationalists: 100,000
Other Calvinists:150,000
Jehovah's Witness: 1 Million
God is Love Pentecostal Church: 700,000. Divine Healing movement.
Independent Catholics: 600,000
Groups like Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church and many small ones.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Letter Day Saints (Mormons)
Metropolitan Community Church - Brazil (GLBTT - Gays, Lesbians and Trans
people)
Sports
Brazil national football team
Brazilian Football League Teams
Capoeira
Vale Tudo
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
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