geography located in eastern south america largest country total area of 8 511 965 sq km has 9 continental neighbors cont near the equator climate is mostly tropical terrain flat to rolling lowlands north plains hills mountains throughout narrow costal belt natural resources bauxite gold iron ore manganese nickel phosphates platinum tin uranium petroleum hydropower and timber land use 6 2 arable 1 42 permanent crops 92 28 other activities history discovered by pedro lvares cabral 1500 first immigrants arrived 1530 brought animals plants seeds with them gained independence from portugal on september 7 1822 brazil was ruled as an empire for 67 years became a republic 1889 this lasted until 1930 changed dictatorship while getulio vargas 15 would then remain democratic up through today population 176 29 million vs 280 5 ethnic groups 55 white 38 mixed & black languages portuguese official language spanish english french age structure 0 14 64 66 4 65 over education only
