History of Brazil in Timeline
Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth-largest globally in area. With a population exceeding 212 million, it ranks as the seventh most populous nation. A federation comprised of 26 states and the Federal District (Brasília), Brazil's largest city is São Paulo, followed by Rio de Janeiro. Notably, it is the only country in the Americas with Portuguese as its official language, hosting the world's largest population of Portuguese speakers.
1902: Acre War
In 1902, Brazil was involved in the Acre War, disrupting the relative balance in foreign policy.
1914: World War I
In 1914, Brazil was involved in World War I, disrupting the relative balance in foreign policy.
1915: Devastating Drought
In 1915, a similarly devastating drought occurred in Brazil, causing significant hardship.
1918: World War I
In 1918, Brazil was involved in World War I, disrupting the relative balance in foreign policy.
September 1922: Beginning of Radio Broadcasting
On September 7, 1922, radio broadcasting began in Brazil with a speech by then President Pessoa.
1922: Brazilian Modern Art Week
Brazilian Modernism, evidenced by the Modern Art Week in 1922, was concerned with a nationalist avant-garde literature.
April 1923: Formalization of Radio Broadcasting
On April 20, 1923, radio broadcasting was formalized with the creation of the "Radio Society of Rio de Janeiro".
October 1930: Civilians Take Power
After an economic and military crisis, civilians took power in Brazil in October 1930, remaining in power until later.
1930: Arrival of European immigrants
From 1880 to 1930, 4 million Europeans arrived in Brazil.
1930: Revolution of 1930
In 1930, Getúlio Vargas, supported by the military, successfully led the Revolution of 1930, assuming power and initiating significant political changes.
1931: Release of Limite
The film Limite was released in 1931 but was poorly received at the time.
1932: Constitutionalist Revolution
In 1932, the Constitutionalist Revolution, led by São Paulo's oligarchy, occurred in Brazil as an attempt to remove Vargas from power.
1933: Release of Ganga Bruta
The film Ganga Bruta was released in 1933 but was poorly received at the time.
November 1935: Communist Uprising
In November 1935, a Communist uprising occurred in Brazil, contributing to a security crisis and increased executive power.
1937: Coup d'état
In 1937, a coup d'état in Brazil resulted in the cancellation of the 1938 election and formalized Vargas as dictator, marking the beginning of the Estado Novo era.
May 1938: Putsch Attempt by Local Fascists
In May 1938, a putsch attempt by local fascists occurred in Brazil, further destabilizing the political landscape.
1940: Renewal of Brazilian theater
In 1940, Paschoal Carlos Magno and his student's theater, the comedians group and the Italian actors Adolfo Celi, Ruggero Jacobbi and Aldo Calvo, founders of the Teatro Brasileiro de Comédia, renewed the Brazilian theater.
1940: Population growth rate
In the 1940s the annual population growth rate was 2.4%.
1941: Production of It's All True
In 1941, the unfinished film It's All True, directed by Orson Welles, had segments filmed in Brazil as part of the United States' Good Neighbor Policy.
1945: Allied Victory and Overthrow of Vargas
In 1945, with the Allied victory in World War II, Vargas was overthrown in a military coup.
1945: Decline of Railway System
Starting in 1945, Brazil's railway system began to decline as focus shifted towards highway construction.
September 1950: Beginning of Television in Brazil
On September 18, 1950, television in Brazil began officially with the founding of TV Tupi by Assis Chateaubriand.
1950: Vargas Returns to Power
In 1950, Vargas returned to power in Brazil through election, setting the stage for later political turmoil.
1950: Population growth rate
In the 1950s the annual population growth rate was 3.0%.
August 1954: Vargas Commits Suicide
In August 1954, Vargas committed suicide amid a political crisis, after returning to power by election in 1950.
1954: FIBA Basketball World Cup
In 1954, Brazil hosted the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
1956: Kubitschek Becomes President
In 1956, Juscelino Kubitschek became president of Brazil, assuming a conciliatory posture that allowed him to govern without major crises.
1960: Brasília Inaugurated
In 1960, the new capital city of Brasília was inaugurated, marking a significant achievement of Kubitschek's presidency.
1960: Population growth rate
In the 1960s the annual population growth rate was 2.9%.
1961: Quadros Resigns
In 1961, Jânio Quadros resigned as president of Brazil, less than a year after taking office.
1963: Organization of the IV Pan American Games and FIBA Basketball World Cup and Brazil National Basketball Team Winning World Championship
In 1963, São Paulo organized the IV Pan American Games, and Brazil hosted the FIBA Basketball World Cup. At the 1963 event, the Brazil national basketball team won one of its two world championship titles.
April 1964: Goulart Deposed in Military Coup
In April 1964, João Goulart was deposed in a coup that resulted in a military dictatorship in Brazil.
1964: Release of Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol
Glauber Rocha's film Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol was released in 1964.
1964: Military Dictatorship Emerges
In 1964, an authoritarian military dictatorship emerged in Brazil, marking a significant shift in the country's governance.
1967: Release of Terra em Transe
Glauber Rocha's film Terra em Transe was released in 1967.
1967: Increase in paved roads
In 1967, the total of paved roads increased from 35,496 km.
1968: Fifth Institutional Act
In 1968, the promulgation of the Fifth Institutional Act in Brazil marked the transition of the new regime into a full dictatorship.
1970: Significant population increase
Brazil's population increased significantly between 1940 and 1970, because of a decline in the mortality rate.
1970: Brazil's Railway Track Length
In 1970, Brazil's total railway track length was 31,848 km, making it the ninth largest network in the world.
1970: Deforestation Threat
Since the 1970s, the Amazon rainforest in Brazil has been under direct threat of deforestation due to rapid economic and demographic expansion.
1972: Migration to Brazil
From 1808 to 1972, about five million people from over 60 countries migrated to Brazil.
September 1974: São Paulo Metro begins operations
On September 14, 1974, the São Paulo Metro, the first underground transit system in Brazil, began operating.
1978: First ethanol engine car
In 1978, the first car with an ethanol engine was produced.
1979: Amnesty Law Enacted
In 1979, the Amnesty Law was enacted in Brazil, beginning a slow return to democracy.
1985: Sarney Assumes Presidency
In 1985, José Sarney assumed the presidency of Brazil, marking the return of civilians to power.
1985: Civilian Governance Resumes
In 1985, after a period of military rule, civilian governance resumed in Brazil, signifying a return to democratic principles.
October 1988: Promulgation of the Federal Constitution
On 5 October 1988, the Federal Constitution, the fundamental law of Brazil, was promulgated, establishing the basis for the legal system and mandating that all legislation and court decisions conform to its rules.
1988: Current Constitution Enacted
Brazil's current constitution was enacted in 1988, defining the country as a democratic federal republic.
1988: Creation of universal healthcare system
Since the creation of the universal health care system in Brazil in 1988, there has been progress.
1988: Abolishment of federal territories
The 1988 Constitution abolished the last three federal territories: Amapá and Roraima, which gained statehood, and Fernando de Noronha, which became a state district of Pernambuco.
1989: Collor Elected
In 1989, Fernando Collor was elected as president of Brazil.
1990: Forest Cover in 1990
In 1990, Brazil's forest cover was 588,898,000 hectares.
1992: Collor Impeached
In 1992, Fernando Collor was impeached by the National Congress in Brazil.
1994: Plano Real and Cardoso's Victory
In 1994, Fernando Henrique Cardoso produced the Plano Real, stabilizing the Brazilian economy, and subsequently won the election.
1997: Release of O Que É Isso, Companheiro?
In 1997, the film O Que É Isso, Companheiro? was released.
1998: Cardoso Wins Re-election
In 1998, Cardoso won re-election in Brazil, continuing his presidency.
1998: Release of Central do Brasil
In 1998, the film Central do Brasil was released.
2000: WHO ranking of Brazilian health system
The Brazilian health system was ranked 125th among the 191 countries evaluated by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2000.
2002: Lula Elected President
In 2002, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was elected president of Brazil, marking a peaceful transition of power.
2002: Release of City of God
In 2002, the crime film City of God, directed by Fernando Meirelles, was released and critically acclaimed.
2002: Sign language law
The 2002 sign language law requires government authorities and public agencies to accept and provide information in Língua Brasileira dos Sinais or "LIBRAS".
2004: Academy Award nominations for City of God
In 2004, City of God received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Director.
2005: Presidential edict on sign language
A 2005 presidential edict requires teaching of LIBRAS as a part of education and speech and language pathology curricula.
2005: Base Year for Emission Reduction
Brazil's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) sets a goal to cut greenhouse emissions by 59% to 67% compared to 2005 levels by 2035.
2005: Domestic tourism in Brazil
In 2005, 51 million Brazilian nationals made ten times more trips than foreign tourists and spent five times more money, highlighting the importance of domestic tourism.
2005: Number of uncontacted tribes
In 2005, the National Indian Foundation estimated that Brazil has 40 different uncontacted tribes.
2005: First ethanol airplane engine
In 2005, the first airplane engine running on ethanol was produced.
2006: Brazil becomes self-sufficient in oil
In 2006, Brazil achieved self-sufficiency in oil production, reducing its dependence on imports.
2006: Lula Re-elected
In 2006, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was re-elected as president of Brazil.
2006: Public health problems to be solved
In 2006, the main public health problems to be solved in Brazil were the high infant and maternal mortality rates.
2007: Life expectancy rises
By 2007, life expectancy in Brazil had risen to 72.6 years.
2007: Brazil becomes self-sufficient in oil
In 2007, Brazil achieved self-sufficiency in oil production, reducing its dependence on imports.
2007: XV Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro
In 2007, Rio de Janeiro hosted the XV Pan American Games.
2007: Privatization of Federal Railroad Network Corporation (RFFSA)
In 2007, the Federal Railroad Network Corporation (RFFSA), which owned most of the railway system, was privatized.
2007: Number of uncontacted tribes
In 2007, the National Indian Foundation estimated that Brazil has 67 different uncontacted tribes.
2008: Economic crisis
In 2008, Brazil faced an economic crisis that lasted until 2009, affecting revenues from international tourism.
2008: Population growth rate
In 2008, the population growth rate was 1.05%.
2008: Brazil's population
In 2008, the population of Brazil was approximately 190 million.
October 2009: Brazilian Senate approves agreement with the Vatican
In October 2009, the Brazilian Senate approved an agreement with the Vatican.
October 2009: Rio de Janeiro Selected to Host the 2016 Olympic Games and 2016 Paralympic Games
On October 2, 2009, Rio de Janeiro was selected to host the 2016 Olympic Games and 2016 Paralympic Games, making it the first South American city to host the games and second in Latin America, after Mexico City.
2009: Global Information Technology Report ranking
According to the Global Information Technology Report 2009-2010 of the World Economic Forum, Brazil is the world's 61st largest developer of information technology.
2009: Mobile Phone and Internet Usage
By 2009, the mobile phone and Internet use in Brazil was the fifth largest in the world.
2009: Economic crisis
In 2009, Brazil faced an economic crisis that started in 2008, affecting revenues from international tourism.
February 2010: Agreement with the Vatican enacted
In February 2010, the President of Brazil enacted an agreement with the Vatican, recognizing the Legal Statute of the Catholic Church in Brazil.
May 2010: Launch of TV Brasil Internacional
In May 2010, the Brazilian government launched TV Brasil Internacional, an international television station, initially broadcasting to 49 countries.
2010: Individuals professing no religion
According to the 2010 census, individuals professing no religion exceeded 8% of the population in Brazil.
2010: Demographic census
According to the 2010 demographic census, 64.63% of the Brazilian population followed Roman Catholicism, 22.2% Protestantism, 2.0% Kardecist spiritism, and 8.0% had no religion.
2010: Global Information Technology Report ranking
According to the Global Information Technology Report 2009-2010 of the World Economic Forum, Brazil is the world's 61st largest developer of information technology.
2010: Protestant community growth
By 2010, the Protestant community in Brazil had grown to include over 22% of the population.
2010: Revenue from international tourism
In 2010, Brazil's revenues from international tourists reached US$6 billion, showing a recovery from the 2008-2009 economic crisis.
2010: Rousseff Elected
In 2010, Dilma Rousseff was elected president of Brazil, succeeding Lula.
2011: Historical records in tourism
In 2011, Brazil reached historical records of 5.4 million visitors and US$6.8 billion in receipts from tourism.
2012: Healthcare statistics
In 2012, Brazil had 1.85 doctors and 2.3 hospital beds for every 1,000 inhabitants.
2012: WHO estimation of deaths in Brazil
In 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated about 32 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in Brazil, one of the highest rates of homicide in the world.
May 2013: Nationwide marriage rights for same-sex couples
Same-sex couples in Brazil have held nationwide marriage rights since May 2013.
2013: Brazil's textile industry
Although it was among the five largest world producers in 2013, Brazil's textile industry is very little integrated into world trade.
2013: Homicide rate differences between states in Brazil
In 2013, the homicide rate in São Paulo was 10.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, while in Alagoas, it was 64.7 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, showcasing the differences between crime rates in Brazilian states.
June 2014: Prison population in Brazil
As of June 2014, Brazil had the third largest prison population in the world with approximately 700,000 prisoners, leading to overcrowding in the Brazilian prison system.
2014: Recession in Brazil
After rapid growth in preceding decades, Brazil entered an ongoing recession in 2014 amid a political corruption scandal and nationwide protests.
2014: Rousseff Re-elected
In 2014, Dilma Rousseff was re-elected as president of Brazil by narrow margins.
2015: Forest Ownership in 2015
In 2015, 56% of Brazil's forest area was reported to be under public ownership and 44% under private ownership.
2015: International tourist arrivals
In 2015, Brazil had 6.36 million visitors, ranking as the main destination in South America and second in Latin America after Mexico.
2015: Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index ranking
In 2015, Brazil ranked 28th at the world's level in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), third in the Americas, after Canada and United States.
2015: Brazil's Railway Track Length
In 2015, the country's total railway track length was 30,576 km.
2016: Camões Prize
As of 2016, Brazil has eleven recipients of the Camões Prize.
2016: Brazil as producer of pulp and paper
In 2016, Brazil was the second-largest producer of pulp and the eighth-largest producer of paper in the world.
2016: Rousseff Impeached
In 2016, Dilma Rousseff was impeached by the Brazilian Congress, leading to Michel Temer assuming presidential powers.
2016: 2016 Olympic Games and 2016 Paralympic Games
In 2016, Rio de Janeiro hosted the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
2017: Land use in Brazil
In 2017, preserved native vegetation occupied 61% of the Brazilian territory, while agriculture occupied 8% and pastures 19.7%.
2017: Investigation of Lawmakers
In 2017, the Supreme Court requested the investigation of 71 Brazilian lawmakers and ministers linked to the Petrobras corruption scandal.
2017: Freedom House report score for Brazil
The 2017 Freedom in the World report by Freedom House gave Brazil a score of "2" for both political rights and civil liberties.
2018: Corruption as Biggest Problem
According to a 2018 poll, 62% of the Brazilian population identified corruption as the country's biggest problem.
2018: Increase in paved roads
By 2018, the total of paved roads increased to 215,000 km.
2018: Record number of murders in Brazil
In 2018, Brazil had a record of 63,880 murders, highlighting the country's high levels of violent crime.
2018: Brazil's ranking as a tourist destination
In 2018, Brazil was the 48th most visited country in the world, with 6.6 million tourists and revenues of 5.9 billion dollars.
2018: Bolsonaro Elected President
In 2018, Jair Bolsonaro was elected president of Brazil, winning against Fernando Haddad.
2018: Brazil's chemical industry ranking
In 2018, the chemical industry of Brazil was the eighth-largest in the world.
2018: GDP representation by the tertiary sector
In 2018, the tertiary sector (trade and services) represented 75.8% of Brazil's GDP, with the service sector accounting for 60% and trade for 13%.
2019: Literacy rate in Brazil
According to the IBGE, in 2019, the literacy rate of the population was 93.4%, meaning that 11.3 million people are still illiterate in the country.
2019: Comparison of forest area in Europe and Brazil
In 2019, 43% of the entire European continent was covered by forests, but only 3% of Europe's total forest area was native forest, highlighting Brazil's strong interest in conservation due to its agriculture sector's dependence on forests.
2019: Renewable electric energy in Brazil
In 2019, Brazil had 83% renewable electric energy, while the world only had 25%.
2019: Global Innovation Index ranking
In 2019, Brazil was ranked 66th in the Global Innovation Index, a rise from 50th in 2024.
2019: Brazil as exporter of processed foods
In 2019, Brazil was the second-largest exporter of processed foods in the world and the fourth-largest producer in the footwear industry.
2019: Constitutional Amendment No. 104
In 2019, Constitutional Amendment No. 104 established Federal, District, and State Penal Police agencies for law enforcement in Brazil.
2019: Religious Demographics
In 2019, it was estimated that 50% of the Brazilian population were Roman Catholic, 31% Protestant, 11% irreligious, 3% Spiritist, 2% practitioners of Afro-Brazilian faiths, and 0.3% Jewish.
2019: Brazilian road system totaled 1,720,000 km
In 2019, the total length of the Brazilian road system was 1,720,000 km, making it the primary carrier of freight and passenger traffic.
2020: Forest Cover in 2020
In 2020, Brazil's forest cover was around 59% of the total land area, equivalent to 496,619,600 hectares.
May 2021: Lula Announces Candidacy
In May 2021, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced that he would run for a third term in the 2022 Brazilian general election.
2021: Brazil's trade ranking
As of 2021, Brazil is the world's 24th-largest exporter and 26th-largest importer, with China as its largest trading partner.
2021: Brazil's ranking in installed power
At the end of 2021, Brazil was the 2nd country in the world in terms of installed hydroelectric power (109.4 GW) and biomass (15.8 GW), the 7th country in the world in terms of installed wind power (21.1 GW), and the 14th country in the world in terms of installed solar power (13.0 GW). Brazil was also the 4th largest producer of wind energy in the world (72 TWh) and the 11th largest producer of solar energy in the world (16.8 TWh) in 2021.
2021: Electricity sector capacity
At the end of 2021, Brazil's electricity sector capacity was 181,532 MW, making it the largest electricity sector in Latin America.
2021: Unemployment Rate
In 2021 Brazil had a high unemployment rate of 14.4%.
2021: Brazil becomes a major oil producer
In 2021, Brazil became the 7th largest oil producer globally, exporting approximately three million barrels per day.
2021: Brazil's democracy and freedom status
In 2021, the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index categorized Brazil as a "flawed democracy", ranking 46th, and Freedom House classified it as a free country.
July 1, 2022: Brazil's population
On July 1, 2022, Brazil's population was estimated to be 210,862,983.
July 2022: Amendments to the Federal Constitution
As of July 2022, there had been 124 amendments to Brazil's Federal Constitution, which was originally promulgated in October 1988.
October 2022: Lula Wins 2022 Election
In October 2022, Lula was in first place in the first round, with 48.43% of the support from the electorate, and received 50.90% of the votes in the second round, winning the 2022 Brazilian general election.
2022: Brazilian census results
According to the 2022 Brazilian census, 45.3% of the population described themselves as Pardo, 43.5% as White, 10.2% as Black, 0.6% as Indigenous, and 0.4% as East Asian.
2022: Brazil's navy operates a helicopter carrier
As of 2022, Brazil's navy is the only navy in Latin America that operates a helicopter carrier, NAM Atlântico, and is one of twelve navies in the world to operate or have one under construction.
2022: Evangelical Protestant influence
In 2022, Evangelical Protestant influence was implicated in the Brazilian coup plot, and religion began to be reconsidered as a political factor by Evangelicals and Catholics.
2022: Economic Losses due to Extreme Weather Events
In 2022, extreme weather events in Brazil caused annual losses of around R$13 billion (US$2.6 billion), equivalent to 0.1% of the country's GDP.
January 2023: Attack on Federal Government Buildings
On 8 January 2023, a week after Lula's inauguration, a mob of Bolsonaro's supporters attacked Brazil's federal government buildings in Brasília.
2023: Main destination states
In 2023, the main destination states for tourism in Brazil were São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Rio Grande do Sul.
2024: Strongest Drought Since 1950s
In 2024, Brazil experienced its strongest drought since measurements began in the 1950s, covering almost 60% of the country's territory.
2024: Revised Nationally Determined Contribution
In 2024, Brazil revised its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), setting a goal to cut greenhouse emissions by 59% to 67% compared to 2005 levels by 2035.
2024: Global Innovation Index ranking
In 2024, Brazil was ranked 50th in the Global Innovation Index, an increase from 66th in 2019.
2024: Economy shows growth
In 2024, the Brazilian economy began showing consistent significant growth after a recession that started in 2014.
2029: Launch of Brazil's first nuclear submarine
Brazil's first nuclear submarine is expected to be launched in 2029.
2035: Emission Reduction Goal
By 2035, Brazil aims to cut greenhouse emissions by 59% to 67% compared to 2005 levels.
2050: Projected population growth rate
It is expected that the population growth rate will fall to a negative value of –0.29% by 2050, completing the demographic transition.
2060: Indicative Target for Carbon Neutrality
Brazil has an indicative target of reaching carbon neutrality by 2060 if the country receives 10 billion dollars per year.
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