Brasil

Data code: BR

Type of government: federal republic

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 and head of government: President Fernando Henrique
CARDOSO (since 1 January 1995) was elected for a four-year term by
popular vote; election last held 3 October 1994; (next to be held
October 1998); results - Fernando Henrique CARDOSO 53%, Luis Inacio
LULA da Silva 26%, Eneas CARNEIRO 7%, Orestes QUERCIA 4%, Leonel
BRIZOLA 3%, Espiridiao AMIN 3%; note - second direct presidential
election since 1960; Vice President Marco MARCIEL (since NA)
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congresso
Nacional)
Federal Senate (Senado Federal): election last held 3 October 1994
for two-thirds of Senate (next to be held October 1996 for one-third
of the Senate); results - PMBD 28%, PFL 22%, PSDB 12%, PPR 7%, PDT
7%, PT 6%, PTB 6%, other 12%; seats - (81 total) seats by party NA
Chamber of Deputies (Camara dos Deputados): election last held 3
October 1994 (next to be held October 1998); results - PMDB 21%, PFL
18%, PDT 7%, PSDB 12%, PPR 10%, PTB 6%, PT 10%, other 16%; seats -
(517 total) seats by party NA
note: party totals since Fall 1994 have changed considerably due to
extensive party-switching

Judicial branch: Supreme Federal Tribunal, judges are appointed
for life by the Senate

Political parties and leaders: National Reconstruction Party
(PRN), Daniel TOURINHO, president; Brazilian Democratic Movement
Party (PMDB), Paes DE ANDRADE, president; Liberal Front Party (PFL),
Jorge BORNHAUSEN, president; Workers' Party (PT), Jose DIRCEU,
president; Braz