Editing Geography of Brazil

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{Country geography
|name = Brazil
|map = Location Brazil.svg
|map size = 250
|continent = [[South America]]
|region = 
|coordinates = {{Coord|10|S|55|W|region:BR_type:country|display=inline,title}}
|area ranking = 5th
|km area = 8,514,877
|percent land = 99.34
|percent water = 0.66
|km coastline = 7,491 
|borders = [[Argentina]] {{convert|1263|km|mi|abbr=on}}<br />[[Bolivia]] {{convert|3403|km|mi|abbr=on}}<br />[[Colombia]] {{convert|1790|km|mi|abbr=on}}<br />[[French Guiana]] {{convert|649|km|mi|abbr=on}}<br />[[Guyana]] {{convert|1308|km|mi|abbr=on}}<br />[[Paraguay]] {{convert|1371|km|mi|abbr=on}}<br />[[Peru]] {{convert|2659|km|mi|abbr=on}}<br />[[Suriname]] {{convert|515|km|mi|abbr=on}}<br />[[Uruguay]] {{convert|1050|km|mi|abbr=on}}<br />[[Venezuela]] {{convert|2137|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|highest point = [[Pico da Neblina]]<br />{{convert|2,995.30|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
|lowest point = [[Atlantic Ocean]],<br />{{convert|0|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
|longest river = [[Amazon River]],<br />{{convert|6992|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}
|largest lake = [[Lagoa dos Patos]]<br />{{convert|9850|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}
|climate = North: tropical, South: temperate
|terrain = Coastal mountain ranges, vast central plateau ([[Planalto Central]]), remainder is primarily sedimentary basins
|natural resources = bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, clay, rare earth elements, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, and timber
|natural hazards =recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south
|environmental issues = [[Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest|deforestation in the Amazon basin]], illegal wildlife trade, [[illegal poaching]], air and [[water pollution]], [[land degradation]] and water pollution caused by [[mining]] activities, wetland degradation and severe [[oil spill]]s
|exclusive economic zone={{convert|3,830,955|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}
}}

The country of Brazil occupies roughly half of [[South America]], bordering the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. Brazil covers a total area of {{convert|8514215|km2|abbr=on}} which includes {{convert|8456510|km2|abbr=on}} of land and {{convert|55455|km2|abbr=on}} of water. The highest point in Brazil is [[Pico da Neblina]] at {{convert|2994|m|abbr=on}}. Brazil is bordered by the countries of [[Argentina]], [[Bolivia]], [[Colombia]], [[Guyana]], [[Paraguay]], [[Peru]], [[Suriname]], [[Uruguay]], [[Venezuela]], and [[French Guiana]].

Much of the climate is tropical, with the south being relatively temperate. The largest river in Brazil, and the second longest in the world, is the [[Amazon River|Amazon]].

==Size and geographical location==
Brazil occupies most of the eastern part of the [[South America|South American continent]] and its geographic heartland and various islands in the Atlantic Ocean.<ref name="Hudson-1998">{{citation-attribution|1={{Cite book|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/97036500/|title=Brazil : a country study|date=1998|publisher=[[Federal Research Division]], [[Library of Congress]]|isbn=0-8444-0854-9|editor-last=Hudson|editor-first=Rex A.|edition=5th|location=Washington, D.C.|pages=90–109|oclc=37588455}}}}</ref> The only countries in the world that are larger are [[Russia]], [[Canada]], [[China]] and the [[United States]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The national territory extends {{convert|4397.53|km|mi|0|sp=us|abbr=}} from north to south (5°16'10" N to 33°45'03" S latitude), and {{convert|4320.53|km|mi|0|sp=us|abbr=}} from east to west (34°47'35" W to 73°58'59" W longitude).<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> It spans four [[Time in Brazil|time zone]]s, the westernmost of which is equivalent to [[Eastern Time Zone (North America)|Eastern Standard Time]] in the United States.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The [[Time in Brazil|time zone of the capital (Brasília)]] and of the most populated part of Brazil along the east coast ([[UTC-3]]) is two hours ahead of [[Eastern Time Zone (North America)|Eastern Standard Time]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The Atlantic islands are in the easternmost time zone.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> 
This continent occupies almost half of the total area. Its coasts are washed by the waters of the [[Atlantic Ocean]] in the east. Brazil borders all [[South American]] countries except [[Chile]] and [[Ecuador]]. It ranks 5th among the countries of the world in terms of area. The territory of Brazil is located on the ancient [[South American platform]]. Therefore, the relief consists of lowlands and flat mountains. In the north, a large area is occupied by the Amazonian lowland. To the south of it is the strongly dissected Brazilian lowland. Between the Brazilian lowland and the Atlantic Ocean is a narrow coastal lowland. Brazil has large deposits of [[oil]], [[iron]], [[bauxite]], [[nickel]], [[uranium]], [[manganese ores]], diamonds and other minerals. Due to the fact that most of it is located in the equatorial and subequatorial [[climatic zones]] and the influence of the trade winds blowing from the [[Atlantic Ocean]], the climatic conditions are characterized by high humidity and heat. Due to the temperate climate, the hydrographic network in Brazil is very well developed.  The longest and most fertile river in the world, the Amazon, flows through the north of the country. The Amazon basin has formed one of the largest and thickest massifs on our planet. In addition to the [[Amazon River|Amazon]], Brazil also has such large rivers as the [[Paraná River|Paraná]], [[Tocantins]], and [[São Francisco River|São Francisco]]. In general, Brazil is one of the countries best endowed with [[water]], [[hydroelectric power]], and [[forest resources]].

Brazil possesses the archipelago of [[Fernando de Noronha]], located {{convert|350|km|mi|0|sp=us}} northeast of its "horn", and several small islands and atolls in the Atlantic - [[Abrolhos Marine National Park|Abrolhos]], [[Atol das Rocas]], [[Saint Peter and Paul Rocks|Penedos de São Pedro e São Paulo]], [[Trindade and Martim Vaz|Trindade]], and [[Trindade and Martim Vaz|Martim Vaz]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In the early 1970s, Brazil claimed a territorial sea extending {{convert|362|km|mi|0|sp=us}} from the country's shores, including those of the islands.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

On Brazil's east coast, the Atlantic coastline extends {{convert|7367|km|mi|0|sp=us}}.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In the west, in clockwise order from the south, Brazil has {{convert|15719|km|mi|0|sp=us}} of borders with Uruguay, [[Argentina]], [[Paraguay]], [[Bolivia]], [[Peru]], [[Colombia]], [[Venezuela]], [[Guyana]], [[Suriname]], and [[French Guiana]] (overseas department of [[France]]).<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The only South American countries with which Brazil does not share borders are [[Chile]] and [[Ecuador]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> A few short sections are in question, but there are no true major boundary controversies with any of the neighboring countries.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Brazil has the 10th largest [[Exclusive Economic Zone]] of {{convert|3,830,955|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}.

Brazil's 49 major ecosystems include the Amazon Basin, [[Pantanal]], [[Cerrado]], [[Caatinga]], [[Atlantic Forest]], and [[Pampas]], each contributing uniquely to the country's rich biodiversity and environmental diversity. In Brazil [[forest cover]] is around 59% of the total land area, equivalent to 496,619,600 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 588,898,000 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 485,396,000 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 11,223,600 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 44% was reported to be [[primary forest]] (consisting of native tree species with clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 30% of the forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 56.% of the forest area was reported to be under [[State ownership|public ownership]] and 400% [[Private property|private ownership]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/a6e225da-4a31-4e06-818d-ca3aeadfd635/content |title=Terms and Definitions FRA 2025 Forest Resources Assessment, Working Paper 194 |publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |year=2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020, Brazil |url=https://fra-data.fao.org/assessments/fra/2020/BRA/home/overview |website=Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations}}</ref>

== Geology, geomorphology and drainage ==
In contrast to the [[Andes]], which rose to elevations of nearly {{convert|7000|m|ft|0|sp=us}} in a relatively recent epoch and inverted the Amazon's direction of flow from westward to eastward, [[Geology of Brazil|Brazil's geological formation]] is ancient.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> [[Precambrian]] crystalline shields cover 36% of the territory, especially its central area.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The dramatic granite [[bornhardt|sugarloaf mountains]] in the city of Rio de Janeiro are an example of the terrain of the Brazilian shield regions, where continental basement rock has been sculpted into towering domes and columns by tens of millions of years of [[erosion]], untouched by mountain-building events.

The principal mountain ranges average elevations under {{convert|2000|m|ft|0|sp=us}}.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The [[Serra do Mar]] Range hugs the Atlantic coast, and the [[Serra do Espinhaço]] Range, the largest in area, extends through the south-central part of the country.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The highest mountains are in the Tumucumaque, [[Pacaraima]], and Imeri ranges, among others, which traverse the northern border with the Guianas and Venezuela.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

In addition to mountain ranges (about 0.5% of the country is above {{convert|1200|m|ft|0|abbr=on|disp=or}}), Brazil's Central Highlands include a vast central plateau ([[Planalto Central]]).<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The plateau's uneven terrain has an average elevation of {{convert|1000|m|ft|0|sp=us}}.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The rest of the territory is made up primarily of sedimentary basins, the largest of which is drained by the [[Amazon River|Amazon]] and its tributaries.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Of the total territory, 41% averages less than {{convert|200|m|ft|0|sp=us}} in elevation.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The coastal zone is noted for thousands of kilometers of tropical beaches interspersed with [[mangrove]]s, [[lagoon]]s, and [[dune]]s, as well as numerous [[coral reef]]s.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> A recent global remote sensing analysis also suggested that there were 5,389&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> of tidal flats in Brazil, making it the 7th ranked country in terms of how much tidal flat occurs there.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Murray |first1=N.J. |last2=Phinn |first2=S.R. |last3=DeWitt |first3=M. |last4=Ferrari |first4=R. |last5=Johnston |first5=R. |last6=Lyons |first6=M.B. |last7=Clinton |first7=N. |last8=Thau |first8=D. |last9=Fuller |first9=R.A. |title=The global distribution and trajectory of tidal flats |journal=Nature |date=2019 |volume=565 |issue=7738 |pages=222–225 |doi=10.1038/s41586-018-0805-8 |pmid=30568300 |s2cid=56481043 |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0805-8|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The [[Parcel de Manuel Luís Marine State Park]] off the coast of [[Maranhão]] protects the largest coral reef in South America.<ref>{{citation |title=Decreto nº 11.902 de 11 de Junho de 1991 |language=pt |author1=Edison Lobão|author2=Fernando César de Moreira Mesquita|date=11 June 1991|publisher=State of Maranhão |url=https://documentacao.socioambiental.org/ato_normativo/UC/305_20100823_151217.pdf|access-date=2016-08-03}}</ref>

[[Image:Brazil topo.jpg|thumb|250px|Topographic map of Brazil]]

Brazil has one of the world's most extensive [[river system]]s, with eight major [[drainage basin]]s, all of which drain into the Atlantic Ocean.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Two of these basins—the [[Amazon basin|Amazon]] and Tocantins-Araguaia account for more than half the total drainage area.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The largest river system in Brazil is the Amazon, which originates in the Andes and receives tributaries from a basin that covers 45.7% of the country, principally the north and west.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The main Amazon river system is the Amazonas-Solimões-Ucayali axis (the {{convert|6762|km|mi|0|adj=on|sp=us}}-long Ucayali is a Peruvian tributary), flowing from west to east.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Through the Amazon Basin flows one-fifth of the world's fresh water.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> A total of {{convert|3615|km|mi|0|sp=us}} of the Amazon are in Brazilian territory.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Over this distance, the waters decline only about {{convert|100|m|ft|-1|sp=us}}.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The major tributaries on the southern side are, from west to east, the Javari, Juruá, Purus (all three of which flow into the western section of the Amazon called the [[Solimões]]), [[Madeira River|Madeira]], [[Tapajós]], [[Xingu River|Xingu]], and [[Tocantins River|Tocantins]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> On the northern side, the largest tributaries are the [[Branco River|Branco]], [[Japurá River|Japurá]], [[Jari River|Jari]], and [[Rio Negro (Amazon)|Rio Negro]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The above-mentioned tributaries carry more water than the Mississippi (its discharge is less than one-tenth that of the Amazon).<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The Amazon and some of its tributaries, called "white" rivers, bear rich sediments and hydrobiological elements.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The black-white and clear rivers—such as the Negro, Tapajós, and Xingu—have clear (greenish) or dark water with few nutrients and little sediment.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

The major river system in the Northeast is the [[São Francisco River|Rio São Francisco]], which flows {{convert|1609|km|mi|0|sp=us}} northeast from the south-central region.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Its basin covers 7.6% of the national territory.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Only {{convert|277|km|mi|0|sp=us}} of the lower river are navigable for oceangoing ships.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The [[Paraná River|Paraná]] system covers 14.5% of the country.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The Paraná flows south among the [[Río de la Plata Basin]], reaching the Atlantic between Argentina and Uruguay.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The headwaters of the Paraguai, the Paraná's major eastern tributary, constitute the [[Pantanal]], the largest contiguous wetlands in the world, covering as much as {{convert|230000|km2|sqmi|-3|sp=us}}.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

Below their descent from the highlands, many of the tributaries of the Amazon are navigable.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Upstream, they generally have [[Rapids|rapid]]s or [[waterfall]]s, and boats and barges also must face sandbars, trees, and other obstacles.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Nevertheless, the Amazon is navigable by oceangoing vessels as far as {{convert|3885|km|mi|0|sp=us}} upstream, reaching [[Iquitos]] in [[Peru]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The Amazon river system was the principal means of access until new roads became more important.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Hydroelectric projects are [[Itaipu Dam|Itaipu]], in Paraná, with 12,600 MW; Tucuruí, in [[Pará]], with 7,746 MW; and [[Paulo Afonso]], in [[Bahia]], with 3,986 MW.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

=== Natural resources ===
Natural resources in Brazil include bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, clay, rare earth elements, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, and timber.<ref name="World Factbook">{{citation-attribution|1={{Cite CIA World Factbook|country=Brazil|access-date=2020-10-29|year=2020}}}}</ref>

== Rivers and lakes ==
[[Image:Brasil Bacias hidrograficas.svg|thumb|250px|Main Hydrographic Regions of Brazil]]{{Main articles|List of rivers of Brazil}}
According to organs of the Brazilian government there are 12 major hydrographic regions in Brazil. Seven of these are river basins named after their main rivers; the other five are groupings of various river basins in areas which have no dominant river.
*7 hydrographic regions named after their dominant rivers:
** [[Amazon Basin|Amazonas]]
** [[Paraguay River|Paraguai]]
** [[Paraná River|Paraná]]
** [[Parnaiba River|Parnaíba]]
** [[São Francisco River|São Francisco]]
** [[Tocantins River|Tocantins]]
** [[Uruguay River|Uruguay]]
*5 coastal Hydrographic Regions based on regional groupings of minor river basins (listed from north to south):
** Atlântico Nordeste Ocidental (Western North-east Atlantic)
** Atlântico Nordeste Oriental (Eastern North-east Atlantic)
** Atlântico Leste (Eastern Atlantic)
** Atlântico Sudeste (South-east Atlantic)
** Atlântico Sul (South Atlantic)

The [[Amazon River]] is the widest and second longest river (behind the Nile) in the world. This huge river drains the greater part of the world's rainforests. Another major river, the Paraná, has its source in Brazil. It forms the border of Paraguay and Argentina, then winds its way through Argentina and into the Atlantic Ocean, along the southern coast of Uruguay.

== Soil and vegetation ==
[[Image:Amazon.A2002182.1405.1km.jpg|thumb|250px|The Amazon Rainforest]]

Brazil's tropical soils produce almost 210 million tons of grain crops per year,<ref>{{cite web|title=Ibge statistics|url=http://www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/indicadores/agropecuaria/lspa/lspa_201507_7.shtm}}</ref> from about 70 million hectares of crops.<ref>{{Cite web |last=dcadmin |date=2024-07-27 |title=MAAP #214: Agriculture in the Amazon: New data reveals key patterns of crops & cattle pasture |url=https://www.maapprogram.org/maap-214-agriculture-in-the-amazon-new-data-reveals-key-patterns-of-crops-cattle-pasture/#:~:text=(70%20million%20hectares) |access-date=2025-01-08 |website=MAAP |language=en-US}}</ref> The country also has the 5th largest arable land area in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|title=World Development Indicators {{!}} DataBank|url=https://databank.worldbank.org/reports.aspx?source=2&series=AG.LND.ARBL.HA|access-date=2021-08-18|website=databank.worldbank.org}}</ref> Burning also is used traditionally to remove tall, dry, and nutrient-poor grass from pasture at the end of the dry season.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Until mechanization and the use of chemical and genetic inputs increased during the agricultural intensification period of the 1970s and 1980s, [[coffee]] planting and farming, in general, moved constantly onward to new lands in the west and north.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> This pattern of horizontal or extensive expansion maintained low levels of technology and productivity and placed emphasis on quantity rather than the quality of agricultural production.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

The largest areas of fertile soils, called terra roxa (red earth), are found in the states of [[Paraná (state)|Paraná]] and [[São Paulo]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The least fertile areas are in the Amazon, where the dense [[rainforest]] is.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Soils in the [[Northeast Region, Brazil|Northeast]] are often fertile, but they lack water, unless they are [[irrigation|irrigated]] artificially.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

In the 1980s, investments made possible the use of irrigation, especially in the Northeast Region and in [[Rio Grande do Sul]] State, which had shifted from grazing to [[soy]] and [[rice]] production in the 1970s.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> [[Savanna]] soils also were made usable for soybean farming through acidity correction, [[fertilization]], [[plant breeding]], and in some cases spray irrigation.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> As agriculture underwent modernization in the 1970s and 1980s, soil fertility became less important for agricultural production than factors related to capital investment, such as infrastructure, mechanization, use of chemical inputs, breeding, and proximity to markets.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Consequently, the vigor of frontier expansion weakened.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

The variety of climates, soils, and drainage conditions in Brazil is reflected in the range of its vegetation types.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The Amazon Basin and the areas of heavy rainfall along the Atlantic coast have tropical rain forest composed of [[Broad-leaved tree|broadleaf]] evergreen trees.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The rain forest may contain as many as 3,000 [[species]] of [[flora]] and [[fauna]] within a {{convert|2.6|km2|sqmi|0|sp=us|adj=on}} area.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The Atlantic Forest is reputed to have even greater biological diversity than the Amazon rain forest, which, despite apparent homogeneity, contains many types of vegetation, from high canopy forest to bamboo groves.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

In the semiarid Northeast, [[caatinga]], a dry, thick, thorny vegetation, predominates.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Most of central Brazil is covered with a woodland savanna, known as the [[cerrado]] (sparse scrub trees and drought-resistant grasses), which became an area of agricultural development after the mid-1970s.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In the [[Southern Region, Brazil|South]] (Sul), needle-leaved [[pine]]woods (Paraná pine or [[araucaria]]) cover the highlands; grassland similar to the Argentine [[pampa]] covers the sea-level plains.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The Mato Grosso [[swampland]]s ([[Pantanal]] Mato-grossense) is a [[Florida]]-sized plain in the western portion of the Center-West (Centro-Oeste).<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> It is covered with tall [[grass]]es, [[Woody plant|bush]]es, and widely dispersed trees similar to those of the cerrado and is partly submerged during the rainy season.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

[[Image:Brazil veg 1977.jpg|thumb|350px|Natural vegetation map of Brazil, 1977. The "Paraná pine" (''[[Araucaria angustifolia]]'') is a [[conifer]] but not a [[pine]], pines are not native to the Southern Hemisphere.]]
Brazil, which is named after reddish dyewood ([[pau brasil]]), has long been famous for the wealth of its tropical forests.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> These are not, however, as important to world markets as those of Asia and Africa, which started to reach depletion only in the 1980s.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> By 1996 more than 90% of the original Atlantic forest had been cleared, primarily for agriculture, with little use made of the wood, except for araucaria pine in Paraná.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

The inverse situation existed with regard to clearing for wood in the Amazon rain forest, of which about 15% had been cleared by 1994, and part of the remainder had been disturbed by selective logging.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Because the Amazon forest is highly heterogeneous, with hundreds of woody species per [[hectare]], there is considerable distance between individual trees of economic value, such as [[mahogany]] and Pereira.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Therefore, this type of forest is not normally cleared for timber extraction but logged through high-grading or selection of the most valuable trees.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Because of vines, felling, and transportation, their removal causes destruction of many other trees, and the litter and new growth create a risk of [[forest fire]]s, which are otherwise rare in [[rainforest]]s.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In favorable locations, such as Paragominas, in the northeastern part of [[Pará]] State, a new pattern of timber extraction has emerged: diversification and the production of [[plywood]] have led to the economic use of more than 100 tree species.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

Starting in the late 1980s, rapid deforestation and extensive burning in Brazil received considerable international and national attention.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> [[Satellite image]]s have helped document and quantify deforestation as well as fires, but their use also has generated considerable controversy because of problems of defining original vegetation, cloud cover, and dealing with secondary growth and because fires, as mentioned above, may occur in old pasture rather than signifying new clearing.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Public policies intended to promote sustainable management of timber extraction, as well as sustainable use of nontimber forest products (such as rubber, [[Brazil nut]]s, [[fruit]]s, [[seed]]s, [[vegetable oil|oils]], and [[vine]]s), were being discussed intensely in the mid-1990s.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> However, implementing the principles of sustainable development, without irreversible damage to the environment, proved to be more challenging than establishing international agreements about them.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

==Climate==
{{Main|Climate of Brazil}}{{see also|Brazil#Climate}}

[[File:Köppen climate types of Brazil.svg|thumb|300px|Brazil map of Köppen climate classification zones]]
Although 74% of the country is within the [[tropical zone]], the climate of Brazil varies considerably from the mostly tropical North (the [[equator]] traverses the mouth of the Amazon) to [[temperate zone]]s below the [[Tropic of Capricorn]] (23°27' S latitude), which crosses the country at the latitude of the city of [[São Paulo (city)|São Paulo]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Brazil has five climatic regions: [[Equatorial climate|equatorial]], tropical, [[semiarid]], [[tropical|highland tropical]], [[subtropical]] and [[Oceanic climate|oceanic]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

Temperatures along the [[equator]] are high, averaging above {{convert|25|C|F|0}}, but not reaching the summer extremes of up to {{convert|40|C|F|0}} in the temperate zones.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> There is little seasonal variation near the equator, although at times it can get cool enough for wearing a jacket, especially in the rain.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> At the country's other extreme, there are frosts south of the Tropic of Capricorn during the winter (June–August), and there is snow in the mountainous areas, such as [[Paraná (state)|Paraná]], [[Rio Grande do Sul]] and [[Santa Catarina (state)|Santa Catarina]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Temperatures in the cities of São Paulo, [[Belo Horizonte]], and [[Brasília]] are moderate (usually between {{convert|15|and|30|C|F|0|disp=or}}), despite their relatively low latitude, because of their elevation of approximately {{convert|1000|m|ft|0|sp=us}}.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> [[Rio de Janeiro (city)|Rio de Janeiro]], Recife, and Salvador on the coast have warm climates, with average temperatures ranging from {{convert|23|to|27|C|F|1}}, but enjoy constant trade winds.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The southern cities of [[Porto Alegre]] and [[Curitiba]] have a subtropical climate similar to that in parts of the United States and Europe, and temperatures can fall below freezing in winter.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

Precipitation levels vary widely.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Most of Brazil has moderate [[rainfall]] of between {{convert|1000|and|1500|mm|in|1}} a year, with most of the rain falling in the winter (between December and April) south of the Equator.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The [[Amazon region]] is notoriously humid, with rainfall generally more than {{convert|2000|mm|in|1}} per year and reaching as high as {{convert|3000|mm|in|1}} in parts of the western Amazon and near Belém.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> It is less widely known that, despite high annual precipitation, the Amazon rain forest has a three- to five-month dry season, the timing of which varies according to location north or south of the equator.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

High and relatively regular levels of precipitation in the Amazon contrast sharply with the dryness of the semiarid Northeast, where rainfall is scarce and there are severe droughts in cycles averaging seven years.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The [[Northeast Region, Brazil|Northeast]] is the driest part of the country.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The region also constitutes the hottest part of Brazil, where during the dry season between May and November, temperatures of more than {{convert|38|C|F|0}} have been recorded.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> However, the [[sertão]], a region of [[desert|semidesert vegetation]] used primarily for low-density ranching, turns green when there is rain.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Most of the Center-West has {{convert|1500|to|2000|mm|in|1}} of rain per year, with a pronounced dry season in the middle of the year, while the South and most of the year without a distinct dry season.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

{{multiple image
| align = center
| image1 = Anavilhanas2.jpg
| width1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = [[Equatorial climate|Tropical rainforest climate]] in [[Anavilhanas National Park]], [[Amazonas (Brazilian state)|Amazonas]].
| image2 = Praia do Forno - Arraial.jpg
| width2 = 
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = [[Tropical climate]] in the municipality of [[Arraial do Cabo]], [[Rio de Janeiro state|Rio de Janeiro]].
| image3 = Morro cabeludo - Parque dos Pireneus - Pirenópolis - Goiás 01.jpg
| width3 = 177
| alt3 =
| caption3 = [[Savanna climate]] in the [[Cerrado]], [[Pirineus State Park]], [[Goiás]].
| image4 = CAATINGA bioma brasileiro.jpg
| width4 = 
| alt4 =
| caption4 = [[Hot semi-arid climate]] in the [[Caatinga]], a biome that covers part of the [[Northeast Region, Brazil|Northeast Region of Brazil]].
| image5 = Field covered with snow in Sao Joaqim, Brazil August 4, 2010 (cropped).jpg
| width5 = 195
| alt5 =
| caption5 = [[Snow]] in [[São Joaquim]], [[Santa Catarina (state)|Santa Catarina]]. The town has a [[Oceanic climate|temperate oceanic climate]] ''(Cfb)''.
| footer = 
}}

==Geographic regions==
{{Main|Regions of Brazil}}
Brazil's 26 [[States of Brazil|states]] and the [[Federal District (Brazil)|Federal District]] (Distrito Federal) are divided conventionally into five regions: [[North Region, Brazil|North]] (Norte), Northeast (Nordeste), [[Southeast Region, Brazil|Southeast]] (Sudeste), [[Southern Region, Brazil|South]] (Sul), and [[Center-West Region, Brazil|Center-West]] (Centro-Oeste).<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In 2015 there were 5,570 [[municipal]]ities (municípios),{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}} which have municipal governments.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Many municipalities, which are comparable to United States counties, are in turn divided into [[district]]s (distritos), which do not have [[Politics|political]] or [[Administrative division|administrative]] [[autonomy]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In 2015 there were 10,424 districts.{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}} All municipal and district seats, regardless of size, are considered officially to be urban.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> For purely statistical purposes, the municipalities were grouped in 1990 into 558 micro-regions, which in turn constituted 137 meso-regions.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> This grouping modified the previous micro-regional division established in 1968, a division that was used to present census data for 1970, 1975, 1980, and 1985.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

Each of the five major regions has a distinct [[ecosystem]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Administrative boundaries do not necessarily coincide with ecological boundaries, however.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In addition to differences in [[physical environment]], patterns of [[economic activity]] and population settlement vary widely among the regions.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The principal ecological characteristics of each of the five major regions, as well as their principal socioeconomic and demographic features, are summarized below.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

{{Detailed map of Brazil}}

=== Center-West ===
{{Main|Center-West Region, Brazil}}
[[File:Pantanal em Itiquira.jpg|thumb|right|[[Pantanal]] wetland]]
The Center-West consists of the states of [[Goiás]], [[Mato Grosso]], [[Mato Grosso do Sul]] (separated from Mato Grosso in 1979) and the [[Federal District (Brazil)|Federal District]], where [[Brasília]] is located, the national capital.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Until 1988 Goiás State included the area that then became the state of Tocantins in the North.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

The Center-West has {{convert|1612077|km2|sqmi|0|sp=us}} and covers 18.9% of the national territory.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Its main biome is the [[cerrado]], the tropical savanna in which natural grassland is partly covered with twisted shrubs and small trees.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The cerrado was used for low-density cattle-raising in the past but is now also used for soybean production.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> There are [[gallery forest]]s along the rivers and streams and some larger areas of forest, most of which have been cleared for [[farming]] and [[livestock]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In the north, the cerrado blends into tropical forest.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> It also includes the [[Pantanal]] [[wetland]]s in the west, known for their wildlife, especially aquatic birds and [[caiman]]s.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In the early 1980s, 33.6% of the region had been altered by anthropic activities, with a low of 9.3% in Mato Grosso and a high of 72.9% in Goiás (not including Tocantins).<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In 1996 the Center-West region had 10.2 million inhabitants, or 6% of Brazil's total population.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The average density is low, with concentrations in and around the cities of [[Brasília]], [[Goiânia]], [[Campo Grande]], and [[Cuiabá]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Living standards are below the national average.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In 1994 they were highest in the Federal District, with per capita income of US$7,089 (the highest in the nation), and lowest in Mato Grosso, with US$2,268.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

=== Northeast ===
{{Main|Northeast Region, Brazil}}
[[File:Belezas da Chapada Diamantina 09.JPG|thumb|[[Chapada Diamantina]] region in Bahia]]
The nine states that make up the Northeast are [[Alagoas]], [[Bahia]], [[Ceará]], [[Maranhão]], [[Paraíba]], [[Pernambuco]], [[Piauí]], Rio Grande do Norte, and [[Sergipe]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The [[Fernando de Noronha]] archipelago (formerly the federal territory of [[Fernando de Noronha]], now part of [[Pernambuco]] state) is also included in the Northeast.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

The Northeast, with {{convert|1561178|km2|sqmi|0|sp=us}}, covers 18.3% of the national terrest concentration of rural population, and its living standards are the lowest in Brazil.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In 1994 Piauí had the lowest per capita income in the region and the country, only US$835, while Sergipe had the highest average income in the region, with US$1,958.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

=== North ===
{{Main|North Region, Brazil}}
[[File:Aerial view of the Amazon Rainforest.jpg|thumb|An area of the [[Amazon rainforest]]]]
The equatorial North, also known as the Amazon or [[Amazônia]], includes, from west to east, the states of [[Rondônia]], Acre, [[Amazonas State, Brazil|Amazonas]], [[Roraima]], [[Pará]], [[Amapá]], and, as of 1988, [[Tocantins (state)|Tocantins]] (created from the northern part of Goiás State, which is situated in the Center-West).<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Rondônia, previously a federal territory, became a state in 1986.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The former federal territories of Roraima and Amapá were raised to statehood in 1988.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

With {{convert|3869638|km2|sqmi|0|sp=us}}, the North is the country's largest region, covering 45.3% of the national territory.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The region's principal [[biome]] is the humid [[tropical forest]], also known as the rain forest, home to some of the planet's richest [[biological diversity]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The North has served as a source of forest products ranging from "backlands drugs" (such as [[Smilax regelii|sarsaparilla]], [[cocoa bean|cocoa]], [[cinnamon]], and [[turtle|turtle butter]]) in the colonial period to rubber and [[Brazil nut]]s in more recent times.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In the mid-twentieth century, non-forest products from [[mining]], [[farming]], and livestock-raising became more important, and in the 1980s the [[lumber industry]] boomed.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In 1990, 6.6% of the region's territory was considered altered by anthropic (man-made) action, with state levels varying from 0.9% in Amapá to 14.0% in Rondônia.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

In 1996 the North had 11.1 million inhabitants, only 7% of the national total.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> However, its share of Brazil's total had grown rapidly in the 1970s and early 1980s as a result of interregional migration, as well as high rates of natural increase.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The largest population concentrations are in eastern Pará State and in Rondônia.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The major cities are [[Belém]] and [[Santarém, Pará|Santarém]] in Pará, and [[Manaus]] in Amazonas.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Living standards are below the national average.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The highest [[per capita income]], US$2,888, in the region in 1994, was in Amazonas, while the lowest, US$901, was in Tocantins.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

=== Southeast ===
{{Main|Southeast Region, Brazil}}
[[File:1 leblon aerial 2014.jpg|thumb|View of [[Rio de Janeiro]]]]
The Southeast consists of the four states of [[Espírito Santo]], [[Minas Gerais]], [[Rio de Janeiro (state)|Rio de Janeiro]], and [[São Paulo (state)|São Paulo]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Its total area of {{convert|927286|km2|sqmi|0|sp=us}} corresponds to 10.9% of the national territory.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The region has the largest share of the country's population, 63 million in 1991, or 39% of the national total, primarily as a result of internal migration since the mid-19th century until the 1980s.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In addition to a dense urban network, it contains the megacities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, which in 1991 had 18.7 million and 11.7 million inhabitants in their metropolitan areas, respectively.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The region combines the highest living standards in Brazil with pockets of urban poverty.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In 1994 São Paulo boasted an average income of US$4,666, while Minas Gerais reported only US$2,833.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

Originally, the principal biome in the Southeast was the Atlantic Forest, but by 1990 less than 10% of the original forest cover remained as a result of clearing for farming, ranching, and charcoal making.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Anthropic activity had altered 79.7% of the region, ranging from 75% in Minas Gerais to 91.1% in Espírito Santo.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The region has most of Brazil's [[industrialization|industrial production]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The state of São Paulo alone accounts for half of the country's industries.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Agriculture, also very strong, has diversified and now uses modern technology.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

=== South ===
{{Main|Southern Region, Brazil}}
[[Image:Cambirela, morro, neve, vista do morro da cruz - Daniel Queiroz - 23julho2013-IMG 6746.jpg|right|thumb|Snow in mountains near [[Florianópolis]], [[Santa Catarina (state)|Santa Catarina]]]]
The three states in the temperate South: [[Paraná (state)|Paraná]], [[Rio Grande do Sul]], and [[Santa Catarina (state)|Santa Catarina]]—cover {{convert|577214|km2|sqmi|0|sp=us}}, or 6.8% of the national territory.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The population of the South in 1991 was 23.1 million, or 14% of the country's total.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The region is almost as densely settled as the Southeast, but the population is more concentrated along the coast.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The major cities are [[Curitiba]] and [[Porto Alegre]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The inhabitants of the South enjoy relatively high living standards.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Because of its industry and agriculture, Paraná had the highest average income in 1994, US$3,674, while Santa Catarina, a land of small farmers and small industries, had slightly less, US$3,405.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

In addition to the [[Atlantic Forest]] and [[Araucaria moist forests]], much of which were cleared in the post-World War II period, the southernmost portion of Brazil contains the [[Uruguayan savanna]], which extends into [[Argentina]] and Uruguay.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In 1982, 83.5% of the region had been altered by anthropic activity, with the highest level (89.7%) in Rio Grande do Sul, and the lowest (66.7%) in Santa Catarina.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> [[Agriculture]]—much of which, such as [[rice]] production, is carried out by small farmers—has high levels of productivity.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> There are also some important industries.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

== Data ==
In contrast to the [[Andes]], which rose to elevations of nearly {{convert|7000|m|ft|0|sp=us}} in a relatively recent epoch and inverted the Amazon's direction of flow from westward to eastward, [[Geology of Brazil|Brazil's geological formation]] is very old.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> [[Precambrian]] crystalline shields cover 36% of the territory, especially its central area.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The dramatic granite [[bornhardt|sugarloaf mountains]] in the city of [[Rio de Janeiro]] are an example of the terrain of the Brazilian shield regions, where continental basement rock has been sculpted into towering domes and columns by tens of millions of years of [[erosion]], untouched by mountain-building events.

The principal mountain ranges average elevations just under {{convert|2000|m|ft|0|sp=us}}.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The [[Serra do Mar]] Range hugs the Atlantic coast, and the [[Serra do Espinhaço]] Range, the largest in area, extends through the south-central part of the country.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The highest mountains are in the Tumucumaque, [[Pacaraima]], and Imeri ranges, among others, which traverse the northern border with the Guianas and Venezuela.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

In addition to mountain ranges (about 0.5% of the country is above {{convert|1200|m|ft|0|abbr=on|disp=or}}), Brazil's Central Highlands include a vast central plateau ([[Planalto Central]]).<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The plateau's uneven terrain has an average elevation of {{convert|1000|m|ft|0|sp=us}}.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The rest of the territory is made up primarily of sedimentary basins, the largest of which is drained by the [[Amazon River|Amazon]] and its tributaries.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Of the total territory, 44% averages less than {{convert|200|m|ft|0|sp=us}} in elevation.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The coastal zone is noted for thousands of kilometers of tropical beaches interspersed with [[mangrove]]s, [[lagoon]]s, and [[dune]]s, as well as numerous [[coral reef]]s.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

The [[Parcel de Manuel Luís Marine State Park]] off the coast of [[Maranhão]] protects the largest coral reef in South America.<ref>{{citation |title=Decreto nº 11.902 de 11 de Junho de 1991 |language=pt |author1=Edison Lobão|author2=Fernando César de Moreira Mesquita|date=11 June 1991|publisher=State of Maranhão |url=https://documentacao.socioambiental.org/ato_normativo/UC/305_20100823_151217.pdf|access-date=2016-08-03}}</ref>

[[Image:Brazil topo.jpg|thumb|250px|Topographic map of Brazil]]

Brazil has one of the world's most extensive [[river system]]s, with eight major drainage basins, all of which drain into the Atlantic Ocean.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Two of these basins—the [[Amazon basin|Amazon]] and Tocantins-Araguaia account for more than half the total drainage area.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The largest river system in Brazil is the Amazon, which originates in the Andes and receives tributaries from a basin that covers 45.7% of the country, principally the north and west.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The main Amazon river system is the Amazonas-Solimões-Ucayali axis (the {{convert|6762|km|mi|0|adj=on|sp=us}}-long Ucayali is a Peruvian tributary), flowing from west to east.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Through the Amazon Basin flows one-fifth of the world's fresh water.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> A total of {{convert|3615|km|mi|0|sp=us}} of the Amazon are in Brazilian territory.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Over this distance, the waters decline only about {{convert|100|m|ft|-1|sp=us}}.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The major tributaries on the southern side are, from west to east, the Javari, Juruá, Purus (all three of which flow into the western section of the Amazon called the [[Solimões]]), [[Madeira River|Madeira]], [[Tapajós]], [[Xingu River|Xingu]], and [[Tocantins River|Tocantins]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> On the northern side, the largest tributaries are the [[Branco River|Branco]], [[Japurá River|Japurá]], [[Jari River|Jari]], and [[Rio Negro (Amazon)|Rio Negro]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The above-mentioned tributaries carry more water than the Mississippi (its discharge is less than one-tenth that of the Amazon).<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The Amazon and some of its tributaries, called "white" rivers, bear rich sediments and hydrobiological elements.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The black-white and clear rivers—such as the Negro, Tapajós, and Xingu—have clear (greenish) or dark water with few nutrients and little sediment.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

The major river system in the Northeast is the [[São Francisco River|Rio São Francisco]], which flows {{convert|1609|km|mi|0|sp=us}} northeast from the south-central region.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Its basin covers 7.6% of the national territory.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Only {{convert|277|km|mi|0|sp=us}} of the lower river are navigable for oceangoing ships.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The [[Paraná River|Paraná]] system covers 14.5% of the country.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The Paraná flows south among the [[Río de la Plata Basin]], reaching the Atlantic between Argentina and Uruguay.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The headwaters of the Paraguai, the Paraná's major eastern tributary, constitute the [[Pantanal]], the largest contiguous wetlands in the world, covering as much as {{convert|230000|km2|sqmi|-3|sp=us}}.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

Below their descent from the highlands, many of the tributaries of the Amazon are navigable.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Upstream, they generally have [[Rapids|rapid]]s or [[waterfall]]s, and boats and barges also must face sandbars, trees, and other obstacles.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Nevertheless, the Amazon is navigable by oceangoing vessels as far as {{convert|3885|km|mi|0|sp=us}} upstream, reaching [[Iquitos]] in [[Peru]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The Amazon river system was the principal means of access until new roads became more important.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Hydroelectric projects are [[Itaipu Dam|Itaipu]], in Paraná, with 12,600 MW; Tucuruí, in [[Pará]], with 7,746 MW; and [[Paulo Afonso]], in [[Bahia]], with 3,986 MW.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

== Locations==
Brazil occupies most of the eastern part of the [[South America|South American continent]] and its geographic heartland, as well as various islands in the Atlantic Ocean.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The only countries in the world that are larger are Russia, Canada, China, and the United States.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The national territory extends {{convert|4395|km|mi|0|sp=us|abbr=}} from north to south (5°16'20" N to 33°44'32" S latitude), and {{convert|4319|km|mi|0|sp=us|abbr=}} from east to west (34°47'30" W to 73°59'32" W longitude).<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> It spans four [[Time in Brazil|time zone]]s, the westernmost of which is equivalent to [[Eastern Time Zone (North America)|Eastern Standard Time]] in the United States.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The [[Time in Brazil|time zone of the capital (Brasília)]] and of the most populated part of Brazil along the east coast ([[UTC-3]]) is two hours ahead of [[Eastern Time Zone (North America)|Eastern Standard Time]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The Atlantic islands are in the easternmost time zone.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

Brazil possesses the archipelago of [[Fernando de Noronha]], located {{convert|350|km|mi|0|sp=us}} northeast of its "horn", and several small islands and atolls in the Atlantic - [[Abrolhos Marine National Park|Abrolhos]], [[Atol das Rocas]], [[Saint Peter and Paul Rocks|Penedos de São Pedro e São Paulo]], [[Trindade and Martim Vaz|Trindade]], and [[Trindade and Martim Vaz|Martim Vaz]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In the early 1970s, Brazil claimed a territorial sea extending {{convert|362|km|mi|0|sp=us}} from the country's shores, including those of the islands.<ref name="Hudson-1998" />

On Brazil's east coast, the Atlantic coastline extends {{convert|7367|km|mi|0|sp=us}}.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> In the west, in clockwise order from the south, Brazil has {{convert|15719|km|mi|0|sp=us}} of borders with Uruguay, [[Argentina]], [[Paraguay]], [[Bolivia]], [[Peru]], [[Colombia]], [[Venezuela]], [[Guyana]], [[Suriname]], and [[French Guiana]] (overseas department of [[France]]).<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> The only South American countries with which Brazil does not share borders are [[Chile]] and [[Ecuador]].<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> A few short sections are in question, but there are no true major boundary controversies with any of the neighboring countries.<ref name="Hudson-1998" /> Brazil has the 10th largest [[Exclusive Economic Zone]] of {{convert|3,830,955|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Brazil topics}}
{{Geography of South America}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geography Of Brazil}}
[[Category:Geography of Brazil| ]]