History of Brazil in Timeline

Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth-largest globally by area. Its population exceeds 213 million, making it the seventh most populous nation. A federation of 26 states and a Federal District (Brasília), Brazil's most populous city is São Paulo, followed by Rio de Janeiro. Portuguese is the official language, making Brazil the nation with the most Portuguese speakers in the world and the only one in the Americas.

1902: Acre War ends

In 1902, Brazil resolved border disputes with neighboring countries, only broken by the end of the Acre War (1899–1902).

1914: Brazil becomes involved in World War I

In 1914, Brazil became involved in World War I (1914–1918).

1915: Devastating drought occurred

In 1915, a devastating drought occurred in Brazil.

1918: World War I ends

In 1918, Brazil's involvement in World War I came to an end (1914–1918), followed by a failed attempt to exert a prominent role in the League of Nations.

September 1922: Beginning of Radio Broadcasting

On September 7, 1922, radio broadcasting began in Brazil with a speech by then President Epitácio Pessoa.

1922: Modern Art Week

In 1922, Brazilian Modernism, evidenced by the Modern Art Week, focused on 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

Following an economic and military crisis, civilians took power in October 1930 in Brazil, remaining there until October 1930.

1930: European Immigration to Brazil

From 1880 to 1930, four million Europeans arrived in Brazil.

1930: Vargas leads Revolution of 1930

In 1930, Getúlio Vargas, supported by most of the military, successfully led the Revolution of 1930, closing down Congress, extinguishing the Constitution, and replacing the states' governors.

1930: Armed revolution ends First Republic

In 1930, an armed revolution put an end to the First Republic and brought Getúlio Vargas to power in Brazil.

1931: Release of Limite

The film Limite was released in 1931 but was poorly received at the time.

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1932: Constitutionalist Revolution

In 1932, the Constitutionalist Revolution, led by São Paulo's oligarchy, occurred in Brazil as one of three attempts to remove Vargas and his supporters from power.

1933: Release of Ganga Bruta

The film Ganga Bruta was released in 1933, but was poorly received at the time.

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November 1935: Communist uprising

In November 1935, a Communist uprising created a security crisis in Brazil, leading to Congress transferring more power to the executive branch.

1937: Vargas assumes dictatorial powers, beginning Estado Novo

In 1937, Getúlio Vargas assumed dictatorial powers following a self-coup, marking the beginning of the Estado Novo in Brazil.

1937: Coup d'état formalizes Vargas as dictator

In 1937, a coup d'état resulted in the cancellation of the 1938 election and formalized Vargas as dictator, beginning the Estado Novo era in Brazil.

May 1938: Putsch attempt by local fascists

In May 1938, a putsch attempt by local fascists occurred in Brazil as one of three attempts to remove Vargas and his supporters from power.

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: Illiteracy Rate in Brazil

In 1940, over half of Brazil's population (54%) was illiterate.

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, was produced as part of the United States' Good Neighbor Policy during Getúlio Vargas' Estado Novo.

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August 1942: Brazil enters World War II

In August 1942, Brazil entered World War II on the allied side after suffering retaliation by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.

1945: Decline of Railway System

Brazil's railway system started declining in 1945 when highway construction was prioritized.

1945: Vargas overthrown, democracy reinstated

In 1945, Vargas' position became untenable due to the Allied victory and the end of fascist regimes in Europe, and he was swiftly overthrown in another military coup, with democracy reinstated by the same army that had ended it 15 years earlier.

1945: Democracy restored after Vargas' ousting

In 1945, democracy was restored in Brazil after the ousting of Getúlio Vargas.

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: 1950 FIFA World Cup

In 1950, Brazil hosted the FIFA World Cup.

1950: Vargas returns to power

In 1950, Getúlio Vargas returned to power in Brazil by election.

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 having returned to power by election in 1950.

1954: FIBA Basketball World Cup

In 1954, the country hosted the FIBA Basketball World Cups.

1956: Kubitschek becomes president

In 1956, Juscelino Kubitschek became president of Brazil and assumed a conciliatory stance towards the political opposition.

1960: Brasília inaugurated

In 1960, the new capital city of Brasília was inaugurated under the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek.

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: Hosting the FIBA Basketball World Cup and Pan American Games

In 1963, São Paulo organized the IV Pan American Games, and Brazil hosted the FIBA Basketball World Cup, where 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 Brazil by a coup that resulted in a military dictatorship.

1964: Release of Black God, White Devil

Glauber Rocha's film Black God, White Devil was released in 1964.

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1964: Authoritarian military dictatorship emerges

In 1964, an authoritarian military dictatorship emerged in Brazil with support from the United States.

1967: Release of Entranced Earth

Glauber Rocha's film Entranced Earth was released in 1967.

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1967: Paved Roads in Brazil

In 1967, Brazil had 35,496 km of paved roads.

1968: Promulgation of the Fifth Institutional Act

In 1968, the new regime in Brazil became a full dictatorship with the promulgation of the Fifth Institutional Act.

1969: Glauber Rocha wins Best Director at Cannes

In 1969, Glauber Rocha won the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival for Antonio das Mortes.

1970: Population Growth Rate

Between 1960 and 1970, the population growth rate remained at 2.9% as life expectancy rose from 44 to 54 years.

1970: Railway Track Length in Brazil

In 1970, Brazil's total railway track length was 31,848 km.

1970: Amazon Rainforest Deforestation

Since 1970, the Amazon rainforest has faced increased deforestation due to economic and demographic expansion, resulting in over 600,000 square kilometers being cleared by logging.

1972: Immigration to Brazil

Between 1808 and 1972, approximately five million people from over 60 countries immigrated to Brazil.

September 1974: Opening of the São Paulo Metro

On September 14, 1974, the São Paulo Metro began operating as the first underground transit system in Brazil.

1977: Glauber Rocha wins Special Jury Prize

In 1977, Glauber Rocha won the Special Jury Prize for Best Short Film for Di.

1978: Ethanol Engine Car Production

In 1978, the first car with an ethanol engine was produced in Brazil.

1979: Enactment of the Amnesty Law

In 1979, with the enactment of the Amnesty Law, Brazil began a slow return to democracy.

1985: Sarney assumes the presidency

In 1985, José Sarney, a civilian, assumed the presidency in Brazil.

1985: Civilian governance resumes

In 1985, civilian governance resumed in Brazil after a period of military dictatorship.

1988: Abolishment of Federal Territories

In 1988, Brazil's constitution abolished the last three federal territories: Amapá and Roraima, which became states, and Fernando de Noronha, which became a state district of Pernambuco.

1988: Enactment of current constitution

In 1988, Brazil's current constitution was enacted, defining it as a democratic federal republic.

1988: Creation of the Unified Health System

In 1988, the Unified Health System was created, which is Brazil's universal health care system.

1989: Collor elected president

In 1989, Fernando Collor, almost-unknown, was elected president of Brazil.

1990: Forest cover

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: Cardoso devises Plano Real and wins election

In 1994, Fernando Henrique Cardoso devised a highly successful Plano Real that stabilized the Brazilian economy, and he also won the 1994 election.

1995: Release of O Quatrilho

In 1995, the film O Quatrilho, directed by Fábio Barreto, was released and achieved critical and commercial success, later being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

1997: Release of O Que É Isso, Companheiro?

In 1997, the film O Que É Isso, Companheiro?, directed by Bruno Barreto, was released and became a critical and commercial success, later receiving a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

1998: Cardoso wins election again

In 1998, Fernando Henrique Cardoso won the election again in Brazil.

1998: Release of Central do Brasil

In 1998, the film Central do Brasil, directed by Walter Salles, was released and was a critical and commercial success. It was later nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, with Fernanda Montenegro receiving a Best Actress nomination.

2000: Ranking of Brazilian Health System

In 2000, the Brazilian health system was ranked 125th among 191 countries evaluated by the World Health Organization (WHO).

2002: Lula da Silva elected president

In 2002, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was elected president of Brazil.

2002: Sign Language Law

In 2002, a law was passed in Brazil requiring government authorities and public agencies to accept and provide information in LIBRAS, the Brazilian Sign Language.

2002: Release of City of God

In 2002, the crime film City of God, directed by Fernando Meirelles, was released, achieving critical acclaim and a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

2004: Academy Award Nominations for City of God

In 2004, the film City of God received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Director.

2005: Domestic Tourism

In 2005, 51 million Brazilian nationals made ten times more trips than foreign tourists and spent five times more money than their international counterparts.

2005: Presidential Edict on Sign Language

In 2005, a presidential edict in Brazil extended the 2002 sign language law, requiring the teaching of LIBRAS as part of education and speech and language pathology curricula.

2005: Number of Uncontacted Tribes

In 2005, the National Indian Foundation estimated that Brazil had 40 uncontacted tribes.

2005: Ethanol Airplane Engine

In 2005, the first airplane engine running on ethanol was produced in Brazil.

2006: Brazil became self-sufficient in oil

In 2006, Brazil achieved self-sufficiency in oil production, marking a significant shift from its dependence on imports.

2006: Lula da Silva re-elected

In 2006, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was re-elected president of Brazil.

2007: Brazil became self-sufficient in oil

In 2007, Brazil achieved self-sufficiency in oil production, marking a significant shift from its dependence on imports.

2007: 2007 Pan American Games

In 2007, Rio de Janeiro hosted the XV Pan American Games.

2007: Life Expectancy

In 2007, life expectancy in Brazil rose to 72.6 years.

2007: Privatization of Federal Railroad Network Corporation

In 2007, the Federal Railroad Network Corporation (RFFSA), which owned most of Brazil's railway system, was privatized.

2007: Number of Uncontacted Tribes

In 2007, the National Indian Foundation estimated that Brazil had 67 different uncontacted tribes.

2008: Brazil's Population

According to the 2008 PNAD, Brazil's population was approximately 190 million, with an urban population of 83.75%.

2008: Economic Crisis

In 2008, Brazil had a economic crisis.

2008: Illiteracy Rate in Brazil

In 2008, the illiteracy rate in Brazil was 11.48%.

October 2009: Agreement with the Vatican

In October 2009, the Brazilian Senate approved an agreement with the Vatican regarding the Legal Statute of the Catholic Church in Brazil.

October 2009: Rio de Janeiro Selected to Host 2016 Olympic Games

On October 2, 2009, Rio de Janeiro was selected to host the 2016 Olympic Games and 2016 Paralympic Games.

2009: Global Information Technology Report

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 Use

By 2009, the mobile phone and Internet use in Brazil was the fifth largest in the world.

2009: Economic Crisis

In 2009, Brazil had a economic crisis.

February 2010: Agreement with the Vatican

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.

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2010: Irreligious Population in Brazil

According to the 2010 census, individuals professing no religion exceeded 8% of the population in Brazil.

2010: Global Information Technology Report

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: Growth of Protestantism in Brazil

By 2010, the Protestant community in Brazil had grown to include over 22% of the population.

2010: Rousseff elected president

In 2010, Dilma Rousseff won election as the president of Brazil, succeeding Lula.

2010: International Tourist Revenue

In 2010, revenues from international tourists in Brazil reached US$6 billion, showing a recovery from the 2008–2009 economic crisis.

2011: Historical Records

In 2011, Brazil reached historical records of 5.4 million visitors and US$6.8 billion in receipts.

May 2013: Nationwide Marriage Rights

Since May 2013, same-sex couples in Brazil have held nationwide marriage rights.

2013: Textile Industry Producer

Although it was among the five largest world producers in 2013, Brazil's textile industry is very little integrated into world trade.

2014: Economic Recession

In 2014, Brazil entered a recession amid a political corruption scandal and nationwide protests.

2014: 2014 FIFA World Cup

In 2014, Brazil hosted the FIFA World Cup.

2014: Rousseff re-elected by narrow margin

In 2014, Dilma Rousseff won the election in Brazil, being re-elected by narrow margins.

2015: Forest ownership

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, making it the main destination in South America and second in Latin America after Mexico, in terms of international tourist arrivals.

2015: Railway Track Length in Brazil

In 2015, Brazil's total railway track length was 30,576 km, making it the ninth-largest network globally.

2016: Camões Prize Recipients

As of 2016, Brazil has eleven recipients of the Camões Prize, which it shares with the rest of the Portuguese-speaking world.

2016: Pulp and Paper Producer

In 2016, Brazil was the second-largest producer of pulp and the eighth-largest producer of paper in the world.

2016: Rousseff impeached, Temer assumes power

In 2016, Dilma Rousseff was impeached by the Brazilian Congress, and replaced by her vice-president Michel Temer, who assumed full presidential powers after Rousseff's impeachment was accepted on August 31.

2016: 2016 Olympic Games and 2016 Paralympic Games

In 2016, Rio de Janeiro hosted the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

2017: Recorded Homicides

In 2017, Brazil recorded a record of 63,880 homicides.

2017: Land Usage

In 2017, native vegetation covered 61% of Brazil, agriculture occupied 8%, and pastures covered 19.7% of the national territory.

2017: Freedom in the World Report Score

In 2017, the Freedom in the World report by Freedom House gave Brazil a score of '2' for both political rights and civil liberties.

2017: Investigation of lawmakers and ministers linked to Petrobras scandal

In 2017, the Supreme Court requested the investigation of 71 Brazilian lawmakers and nine ministers of President Michel Temer's cabinet who were allegedly linked to the Petrobras corruption scandal.

2018: Paved Roads in Brazil

By 2018, the total of paved roads in Brazil had increased to 215,000 km.

2018: World Tourist Destinations

In 2018, Brazil was the 48th most visited country, with 6.6 million tourists and revenues of 5.9 billion dollars.

2018: Chemical Industry Size

In 2018, the chemical industry of Brazil was the eighth-largest in the world.

2018: Bolsonaro elected president

In 2018, the conservative candidate Jair Bolsonaro was elected president of Brazil.

2018: GDP Contribution

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: 2019 Copa América

In 2019, Brazil hosted the Copa América.

2019: Global Innovation Index Ranking

In 2019, Brazil was ranked 66th in the Global Innovation Index, up from 66th.

2019: Processed Foods Exporter

In 2019, Brazil was the second-largest exporter of processed foods in the world.

2019: Constitutional Amendment No. 104

In 2019, Brazil's Constitutional Amendment No. 104 included the Federal, District and State Penal Police as one of the six police agencies for law enforcement.

2019: Renewable Electric Energy in Brazil

In 2019, Brazil's electric energy matrix had 83% renewable sources, significantly higher than the world's 25%.

2019: Brazilian Energy Matrix Composition

In 2019, Brazil's energy matrix was composed of 45% renewable energy, while the world matrix was only 14%.

2019: Comparison to Europe Forests

In 2019, forests covered 43% of Europe, only 3% of the continent's forest area was native forest.

2019: Brazilian Road System

In 2019, the Brazilian road system totaled 1,720,000 km, serving as the primary carrier of freight and passenger traffic.

2019: Literacy Rate in Brazil

In 2019, the literacy rate in Brazil was 93.4%, with 11.3 million people still illiterate and a functional illiteracy rate of 21.6%.

2020: Forest cover

In 2020, forest cover in Brazil was around 59% of the total land area, equivalent to 496,619,600 hectares.

May 2021: Lula da Silva announces presidential run

In May 2021, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced that he would run for a third term in the 2022 Brazilian general election against Bolsonaro.

2021: Trading Partners

As of 2021, Brazil is the world's 24th-largest exporter and 26th-largest importer, with China being its largest trading partner, accounting for 32% of the total trade.

2021: Renewable Energy Rankings

At the end of 2021, Brazil was the 2nd country in the world in terms of installed hydroelectric power and biomass.

2021: Brazil's Electricity Sector Capacity

By the end of 2021, Brazil's electricity sector capacity was 181,532 MW.

2021: Brazil as 7th Largest Oil Producer

In 2021, Brazil became the 7th largest oil producer in the world, exporting an average of nearly three million barrels per day.

2021: Healthcare Statistics in Brazil

In 2021, Brazil had 2.1 doctors and 2.5 hospital beds for every 1,000 inhabitants.

2021: 2021 Copa América

In 2021, Brazil hosted the Copa América.

2021: Democracy Index Category

In 2021, the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index categorized Brazil as a "flawed democracy", ranking 46th in the report.

July 2022: Amendments to the Federal Constitution

As of July 2022, there have been 124 amendments to Brazil's Federal Constitution.

October 2022: Lula wins the Brazilian general election

In October 2022, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the Brazilian general election.

2022: Brazilian Census

According to the 2022 Brazilian census, 45.3% of the population described themselves as Pardo (brown or multiracial), 43.5% as White, 10.2% as Black, 0.6% as Indigenous, and 0.4% as East Asian.

2022: Religious Affiliations in Brazil

According to the 2022 demographic census, 56.75% of the population followed Catholicism, 26.85% Protestantism, 1.84% Kardecist spiritism, 5.06% other religions, and 9.28% had no religion.

2022: Evangelical Protestant influence in the 2022 Brazilian coup plot

In 2022, Evangelical Protestant influence has been implicated in the 2022 Brazilian coup plot.

2022: Annual losses due to extreme weather events

In 2022, extreme weather events like droughts and flash floods are causing annual losses of around R$13 billion (US$2.6 billion), equivalent to 0.1% of the country's 2022 GDP.

2022: UNODC Homicide Rate Estimate

In 2022, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimated Brazil's intentional homicide rate at 21.1 per 100,000 inhabitants.

2022: Illiteracy Rate in Brazil

In 2022, the illiteracy rate in Brazil was approximately 7%, a significant decline from previous years.

2022: Brazil's Population

The 2022 census reported Brazil's population as 203 million.

January 2023: Bolsonaro's supporters attack Brazil's 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 the capital, Brasília.

2023: Health Issues in Brazil

In 2023, infant (2.51%) and maternal mortality rates (197.3 deaths per 100,000 births) were still high in Brazil.

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: Regimes of the World Classification

According to the Regimes of the World classification, Brazil was an electoral democracy in 2024.

2024: Wind and Solar Energy

At the end of 2024, Brazil was the 4th largest producer of wind energy in the world and the 5th largest producer of solar energy in the world.

2024: Prison Population

In 2024, Brazil had approximately 909,067 prisoners, making it the third-largest prison population in the world.

2024: Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index

In 2024, Brazil ranked 26th worldwide in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI).

2024: Recorded Homicides

In 2024, Brazil recorded 38,374 homicides.

2024: Strongest drought in Brazil

In 2024, a drought has covered all the way from the North to the country's Southeast". It is the strongest drought in Brazil since the beginning of measurement in the 1950s, covering almost 60% of the country's territory.

2024: Significant Economic Growth

In 2024, the economy of Brazil began showing consistent significant growth.

May 2025: The Secret Agent Premiere at Cannes Film Festival

On May 18, 2025, The Secret Agent had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Best Actor prize for Wagner Moura, the Best Director prize for Mendonça and the FIPRESCI Prize.

July 2025: Estimated Population of Brazil

As of July 1, 2025, Brazil's estimated population was projected to be 213,421,037.

2025: Influence of Evangelical Denominations in Politics

As of 2025, several Evangelical denominations have continued considering its influence in politics.

2025: Internet Penetration in Brazil

As of early 2025, internet penetration in Brazil stood at 86.2% of the total population (183 million individuals), and the ratio of cellular mobile connections to the total population was 102% (217 million active connections).

2025: Brazil hosts the United Nations Climate Change Conference

In 2025 Brazil hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference, in which it launched the Global carbon market coalition immediately joined by 11 countries including Brazil, China, the European Union, United Kingdom.

2025: Recorded Homicides

In 2025, Brazil recorded 34,086 homicides, which was down from 38,374 in 2024.

2025: Global Innovation Index Ranking

In 2025, Brazil was ranked 52nd in the Global Innovation Index, up from 66th in 2019.

2026: Launch of National Climate Change Plan

In 2026 the Brazilian government will launch a National Climate Change Plan which should cut greenhouse gas emissions by 59% - 67% by 2035, and make the country carbon neutral by 2050.