Brazil

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Brazil

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The Federative Republic of Brazil is a union of twenty-six estados ("states"; singular estado) and one district, the Distrito Federal ("Federal District") which contains the capital city, Brasília.

States are generally based on historical, conventional borders and have developed throughout the centuries; though some boundaries are arbitrary. The federal district is not a state on its right, but shares some characteristics of a state and some of a municipality.

The Federal District is encompassed by the state of Goiás and Minas Gerais. The codes given below are defined in ISO 3166-2:BR.

[edit] History

The first administrative divisions of Brazil were the hereditary captaincies (capitanias hereditárias), stretches of land leased to Portuguese noblemen or merchants with a charter to build improvements and colonize the land. They were so-called hereditary because the grant was to be passed from father to son, but the crown retained the power of revoking it, which the king indeed did on later 16th century. Then the vast Portuguese dominion on South America was divided between the State of Brazil, in the southern half, and the State of Maranhão, in the northern half (note that Maranhão by then refered not only to current Maranhão, but rather to the whole of the Amazon region; the name marã-nã in Old Tupi language means "wide river", i.e., the Amazon river).

After the Iberian Union (1580-1640), the territory of Portuguese colonial domains in South America were more than doubled, and the land was divided in captaincies, royal captaincies and provinces. Unlike Spanish America, the whole land was united under a single viceroy, with a seat in Salvador (and, after 1763, Rio de Janeiro). This fact would later contribute to avoid the fragmentation of Brazil and keep it as a unified nation-state.

With independence, in 1822, the colony became an empire and all captaincies were turned into provinces. Most internal borders were kept unchanged from the colonial period, most of them with a strong following of natural division lines (such as rivers, mountain ridges etc.). Minor changes were made to suit domestic politics (such as the Triângulo Mineiro from Goiás to Minas Gerais, the splitting of Paraná and the left bank of the São Francisco river from Pernambuco to Bahia), as well as additions resulting from diplomatic settlement of territorial disputes by the end of the 19th century (Amapá, Roraima, Palmas). When the regime changed to republic, in 1889, all provinces were immediately turned into states.

In 1943, with the entrance of Brazil into the Second World War, the Vargas regime detached seven strategic territories from the border of the country in order to administer them directly: Amapá, Rio Branco, Acre, Guaporé, Ponta Porã, Iguaçu and the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha. After the war, the first three territories were retained as states, with Rio Branco and Guaporé being renamed Roraima and Rondônia, respectively. Ponta Porã and Iguaçu resorted to territorial status. In 1988, Fernando de Noronha became part of Pernambuco.

In 1960, the square-shaped Distrito Federal was carved out of Goiás in preparation for the new capital, Brasília. The previous federal district became the state of Guanabara until in 1975 it was merged with the state of Rio de Janeiro, retaining its name and with the municipality of Rio de Janeiro as its capital.

In 1977, Mato Grosso was split into two states. The northern area retained the name Mato Grosso while the southern area became the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, with Campo Grande as its capital. The new Mato Grosso do Sul incorporated the territory of Ponta Porã and the northern part of Iguaçu. Central Iguaçu went to Paraná, and southern Iguaçu went to Santa Catarina.

In 1988, the northern portion of Goiás became the state of Tocantins, with Palmas as its capital.

1534 Capitanias hereditárias	1573 Two states	1709 São Paulo at its greatest extent.	1789 Inconfidência Mineira
1823 Imperial provinces	1889 At the Start of Republic	1943 Border territories	1990 Current

Atlantic
Ocean

Pacific
Ocean

Northern Region

Northeast Region

Central-West Region

Southeast Region

South Region

Acre

Amazonas

Pará

Roraima

Amapá

Rondônia

Tocantins

Maranhão

Bahia

Piauí

Ceará

Rio Grande
do Norte

Paraíba

Pernambuco

Alagoas

Sergipe

Mato Grosso

Mato Grosso
do Sul

Federal
District

Goiás

Minas Gerais

São Paulo

Rio de Janeiro

Espírito Santo

Paraná

Santa Catarina

Rio Grande
do Sul

Argentina

Bolivia

Chile

Colombia

French Guyana

Guyana

Paraguay

Peru

Suriname

Uruguay

Venezuela

Political map of Brazil, showing the division by states and regions.

[edit] List of Brazilian states

Flag	State	Abbreviation	Capital	Area (km²)	Population (2005)	Density (2005)	GDP (% total) (2007)	GDP per capita PPP (US$) (2007)	HDI (2005)	Literacy (2003)	Infant Mortality (2002)	Life Expectancy (2004)
	Acre	AC	Rio Branco	&0000000000152581.400000152,581.4	&0000000000656043.000000656,043	&0000000000000004.3000004.30	&0000000005761000.0000005,761,000 (&0000000000000000.2000000.2%)	&0000000000008789.0000008,789	&0000000000000000.7510000.751	84%	&0000000000000033.20000033.2‰	&0000000000000070.80000070.8
	Alagoas	AL	Maceió	&0000000000027767.70000027,767.7	&0000000003015912.0000003,015,912	&0000000000000108.610000108.61	&0000000017793000.00000017,793,000 (&0000000000000000.7000000.7%)	&0000000000005858.0000005,858	&0000000000000000.6770000.677	70%	&0000000000000057.70000057.7‰	&0000000000000066.00000066.0
	Amapá	AP	Macapá	&0000000000142814.600000142,814.6	&0000000000594587.000000594,587	&0000000000000004.1600004.16	&0000000006022000.0000006,022,000 (&0000000000000000.2000000.2%)	&0000000000010254.00000010,254	&0000000000000000.7800000.780	91%	&0000000000000024.90000024.9‰	&0000000000000069.80000069.8
	Amazonas	AM	Manaus	&0000000001570745.7000001,570,745.7	&0000000003232330.0000003,232,330	&0000000000000002.0500002.05	&0000000042023000.00000042,023,000 (&0000000000000001.6000001.6%)	&0000000000013043.00000013,043	&0000000000000000.7800000.780	94%	&0000000000000020.80000020.8‰	&0000000000000073.40000073.4
	Bahia	BA	Salvador	&0000000000564692.700000564,692.7	&0000000013815334.00000013,815,334	&0000000000000024.46000024.46	&0000000109652000.000000109,652,000 (&0000000000000004.1000004.1%)	&0000000000007787.0000007,787	&0000000000000000.7420000.742	79%	&0000000000000038.70000038.7‰	&0000000000000071.40000071.4
	Ceará	CE	Fortaleza	&0000000000148825.600000148,825.6	&0000000008097276.0000008,097,276	&0000000000000054.40000054.40	&0000000050331000.00000050,331,000 (&0000000000000001.9000001.9%)	&0000000000006149.0000006,149	&0000000000000000.7230000.723	78%	&0000000000000035.10000035.1‰	&0000000000000069.60000069.6
	Distrito Federal	DF	Brasília	&0000000000005822.1000005,822.1	&0000000002333108.0000002,333,108	&0000000000000400.730000400.73	&0000000099946000.00000099,946,000 (&0000000000000003.8000003.8%)	&0000000000040696.00000040,696	&0000000000000000.8740000.874	96%	&0000000000000017.50000017.5‰	&0000000000000074.90000074.9
	Espírito Santo	ES	Vitória	&0000000000046077.50000046,077.5	&0000000003408365.0000003,408,365	&0000000000000073.97000073.97	&0000000060340000.00000060,340,000 (&0000000000000002.3000002.3%)	&0000000000018003.00000018,003	&0000000000000000.8020000.802	90%	&0000000000000020.90000020.9‰	&0000000000000073.10000073.1
	Goiás	GO	Goiânia	&0000000000340086.700000340,086.7	&0000000005619917.0000005,619,917	&0000000000000016.52000016.52	&0000000065210000.00000065,210,000 (&0000000000000002.5000002.5%)	&0000000000011548.00000011,548	&0000000000000000.8000000.800	90%	&0000000000000020.70000020.7‰	&0000000000000072.80000072.8
	Maranhão	MA	São Luís	&0000000000331983.300000331,983.3	&0000000006103327.0000006,103,327	&0000000000000018.38000018.38	&0000000031606000.00000031,606,000 (&0000000000000001.2000001.2%)	&0000000000005165.0000005,165	&0000000000000000.6830000.683	77%	&0000000000000046.30000046.3‰	&0000000000000066.80000066.8
	Mato Grosso	MT	Cuiabá	&0000000000903357.900000903,357.9	&0000000002803274.0000002,803,274	&0000000000000003.1000003.10	&0000000042687000.00000042,687,000 (&0000000000000001.6000001.6%)	&0000000000014954.00000014,954	&0000000000000000.7960000.796	90%	&0000000000000021.50000021.5‰	&0000000000000072.60000072.6
	Mato Grosso do Sul	MS	Campo Grande	&0000000000357125.000000357,125.0	&0000000002264468.0000002,264,468	&0000000000000006.3400006.34	&0000000028121000.00000028,121,000 (&0000000000000001.1000001.1%)	&0000000000012411.00000012,411	&0000000000000000.8020000.802	91%	&0000000000000019.20000019.2‰	&0000000000000073.20000073.2
	Minas Gerais	MG	Belo Horizonte	&0000000000586528.300000586,528.3	&0000000019237450.00000019,237,450	&0000000000000032.79000032.79	&Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ",".Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ","241,293,000 (&0000000000000009.1000009.1%)	&0000000000012519.00000012,519	&0000000000000000.8000000.800	89%	&0000000000000020.80000020.8‰	&0000000000000074.10000074.1
	Pará	PA	Belém	&0000000001247689.5000001,247,689.5	&0000000006970586.0000006,970,586	&0000000000000005.5800005.58	&0000000049507000.00000049,507,000 (&0000000000000001.9000001.9%)	&0000000000007007.0000007,007	&0000000000000000.7550000.755	90%	&0000000000000027.30000027.3‰	&0000000000000071.40000071.4
	Paraíba	PB	João Pessoa	&0000000000056439.80000056,439.8	&0000000003595886.0000003,595,886	&0000000000000063.71000063.71	&0000000022202000.00000022,202,000 (&0000000000000000.8000000.8%)	&0000000000006097.0000006,097	&0000000000000000.7180000.718	75%	&0000000000000045.50000045.5‰	&0000000000000068.30000068.3
	Paraná	PR	Curitiba	&0000000000199314.900000199,314.9	&0000000010261856.00000010,261,856	&0000000000000051.48000051.48	&0000000161582000.000000161,582,000 (&0000000000000006.1000006.1%)	&0000000000015711.00000015,711	&0000000000000000.8200000.820	93%	&0000000000000020.70000020.7‰	&0000000000000073.50000073.5
	Pernambuco	PE	Recife	&0000000000098311.60000098,311.6	&0000000008413593.0000008,413,593	&0000000000000085.58000085.58	&0000000062256000.00000062,256,000 (&0000000000000002.3000002.3%)	&0000000000007337.0000007,337	&0000000000000000.7180000.718	79%	&0000000000000044.80000044.8‰	&0000000000000067.50000067.5
	Piauí	PI	Teresina	&0000000000251529.200000251,529.2	&0000000003006885.0000003,006,885	&0000000000000011.95000011.95	&0000000014136000.00000014,136,000 (&0000000000000000.5000000.5%)	&0000000000004662.0000004,662	&0000000000000000.7030000.703	72%	&0000000000000033.10000033.1‰	&0000000000000068.20000068.2
	Rio de Janeiro	RJ	Rio de Janeiro	&0000000000043696.10000043,696.1	&0000000015383407.00000015,383,407	&0000000000000352.050000352.05	&0000000296768000.000000296,768,000 (&0000000000000011.20000011.2%)	&0000000000019245.00000019,245	&0000000000000000.8320000.832	96%	&0000000000000019.50000019.5‰	&0000000000000072.40000072.4
	Rio Grande do Norte	RN	Natal	&0000000000052796.80000052,796.8	&0000000003003087.0000003,003,087	&0000000000000056.88000056.88	&0000000022926000.00000022,926,000 (&0000000000000000.9000000.9%)	&0000000000007607.0000007,607	&0000000000000000.7380000.738	77%	&0000000000000041.90000041.9‰	&0000000000000069.80000069.8
	Rio Grande do Sul	RS	Porto Alegre	&0000000000281748.500000281,748.5	&0000000010845087.00000010,845,087	&0000000000000038.49000038.49	&0000000176615000.000000176,615,000 (&0000000000000006.6000006.6%)	&0000000000016689.00000016,689	&0000000000000000.8320000.832	95%	&0000000000000015.40000015.4‰	&0000000000000074.50000074.5
	Rondônia	RO	Porto Velho	&0000000000237576.200000237,576.2	&0000000001534594.0000001,534,594	&0000000000000006.4600006.46	&0000000015003000.00000015,003,000 (&0000000000000000.6000000.6%)	&0000000000010320.00000010,320	&0000000000000000.7760000.776	92%	&0000000000000024.60000024.6‰	&0000000000000070.60000070.6
	Roraima	RR	Boa Vista	&0000000000224299.000000224,299.0	&0000000000391317.000000391,317	&0000000000000001.7400001.74	&0000000004169000.0000004,169,000 (&0000000000000000.2000000.2%)	&0000000000010534.00000010,534	&0000000000000000.7500000.750	91%	&0000000000000017.80000017.8‰	&0000000000000069.30000069.3
	Santa Catarina	SC	Florianópolis	&0000000000095346.20000095,346.2	&0000000005866568.0000005,866,568	&0000000000000061.53000061.53	&0000000104623000.000000104,623,000 (&0000000000000003.9000003.9%)	&0000000000017834.00000017,834	&0000000000000000.8400000.840	95%	&0000000000000018.20000018.2‰	&0000000000000074.80000074.8
	São Paulo	SP	São Paulo	&0000000000248209.400000248,209.4	&0000000040442795.00000040,442,795	&0000000000000162.930000162.93	&0000000902784000.000000902,784,000 (&0000000000000033.90000033.9%)	&0000000000022667.00000022,667	&0000000000000000.8330000.833	95%	&0000000000000017.40000017.4‰	&0000000000000073.70000073.7
	Sergipe	SE	Aracaju	&0000000000021910.30000021,910.3	&0000000001967761.0000001,967,761	&0000000000000089.81000089.81	&0000000016896000.00000016,896,000 (&0000000000000000.6000000.6%)	&0000000000008712.0000008,712	&0000000000000000.7420000.742	90%	&0000000000000040.60000040.6‰	&0000000000000070.30000070.3
	Tocantins	TO	Palmas	&0000000000277620.900000277,620.9	&0000000001305728.0000001,305,728	&0000000000000004.7000004.70	&0000000011094000.00000011,094,000 (&0000000000000000.4000000.4%)	&0000000000008921.0000008,921	&0000000000000000.7560000.756	83%	&0000000000000028.40000028.4‰	&0000000000000070.70000070.7

[edit] See also

• Brazil Socio-Geographic Division
• List of Brazil state name etymologies
• List of major cities in Brazil

[edit] External links

• Map of Brazil, showing states and their regular timezones - yellow for -02:00 GMT, orange for -03:00 GMT and green for -04:00 GMT
• Map of Brazil, showing states and their daylight saving times observed from the 3rd sunday of october to the 3rd sunday of february, yearly - yellow for -02:00 GMT, orange for -03:00 GMT and green for -04:00 GMT
• (Portuguese) Portal of Brazilian municipalities
• Tourist Cities from Brazil