History of Brazil in Timeline

Brazil is the largest country in South America and fifth-largest in the world by area, with a population exceeding 203 million. It is a federation comprising 26 states and a Federal District, with Brasília as its capital. São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are its most populous cities. Brazil stands out as the only country in the Americas with Portuguese as its official language, making it the nation with the highest number of Portuguese speakers worldwide.

1902: Acre War Ends

In 1902, the Acre War concluded, marking the end of a border dispute in Brazil.

1914: Brazil Enters World War I

In 1914, Brazil became involved in World War I, a major global conflict.

1915: Devastating Drought

In 1915, Brazil experienced a similarly devastating drought, as the 1877-78 Grande Seca (Great Drought).

1918: World War I Ends

In 1918, World War I concluded, marking the end of Brazil's involvement in the conflict.

September 1922: Beginning of radio broadcasting

Radio broadcasting in Brazil began on September 7, 1922, with a speech by President Pessoa.

1922: Modern Art Week

Brazilian Modernism was evidenced by the Modern Art Week in 1922, 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

In October 1930, civilians assumed power in Brazil, following an economic and military crisis.

1930: European immigration

From 1880 to 1930, approximately 4 million Europeans immigrated to Brazil.

1930: Revolution of 1930

In 1930, Getúlio Vargas, supported by the military, led the Revolution of 1930 after the murder of his running mate. Vargas then closed down Congress, extinguished the Constitution, ruled with emergency powers and replaced the states' governors with his own supporters.

1931: Release of Limite

The Brazilian film Limite was released in 1931.

1932: Constitutionalist Revolution

In 1932, the Constitutionalist Revolution occurred, led by São Paulo's oligarchy in an attempt to remove Vargas from power.

1933: Release of Ganga Bruta

The film Ganga Bruta, produced by Adhemar Gonzaga, was released in 1933.

November 1935: Communist Uprising

In November 1935, a Communist uprising took place, creating a security crisis and increasing the power of the executive branch.

1937: Coup D'État and Beginning of Estado Novo

In 1937, a coup d'état resulted in Vargas becoming dictator and the start of the Estado Novo era.

May 1938: Putsch Attempt by Local Fascists

In May 1938, local fascists attempted a putsch, further destabilizing the political situation.

1940: Renewal of Brazilian theater

In 1940, Paschoal Carlos Magno, along with his student's theater, the comedians group, and Italian actors Adolfo Celi, Ruggero Jacobbi, and Aldo Calvo, who founded the Teatro Brasileiro de Comédia, significantly renewed Brazilian theater.

1940: Population growth rate

In the 1940s, Brazil's annual population growth rate was 2.4%.

1941: Filming of It's All True

In 1941, Orson Welles filmed two segments of the unfinished film It's All True in Brazil, as part of the United States' Good Neighbor Policy during Getúlio Vargas' Estado Novo government.

August 1942: Brazil Enters World War II

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

1945: Decline of railway system

From 1945, Brazil's railway system began to decline as emphasis shifted towards highway construction.

1945: Vargas Overthrown

In 1945, with the Allied victory, Vargas was overthrown in a military coup, reinstating democracy.

September 1950: Beginning of television in Brazil

Television in Brazil officially began on September 18, 1950, with the founding of TV Tupi by Assis Chateaubriand.

1950: 1950 FIFA World Cup

Brazil hosted the 1950 FIFA World Cup.

1950: Vargas Returns to Power

In 1950, Vargas returned to power through election, after having been previously overthrown.

1950: Population growth rate

In the 1950s the annual population growth rate in Brazil was 3.0%.

August 1954: Vargas Commits Suicide

In August 1954, Vargas committed suicide amid a political crisis, following his return to power.

1954: FIBA Basketball World Cup

Brazil hosted the FIBA Basketball World Cups in 1954.

1956: Kubitschek Becomes President

In 1956, Juscelino Kubitschek became president, adopting a conciliatory approach to governance.

1960: Inauguration of Brasília

In 1960, the new capital city of Brasília was inaugurated, marking a significant achievement under Kubitschek's presidency.

1960: Population growth rate

In the 1960s the annual population growth rate in Brazil was 2.9%.

1961: Quadros Resigns

In 1961, Jânio Quadros resigned less than a year after assuming the presidency.

1963: Pan American Games and FIBA Basketball World Cup

São Paulo organized the IV Pan American Games in 1963, and Brazil hosted the FIBA Basketball World Cup, winning one of its two world championship titles.

April 1964: Goulart Deposed in Military Coup

In April 1964, João Goulart was deposed by a military coup, leading to a military dictatorship.

1964: 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 political landscape.

1967: Terra em Transe

Glauber Rocha's film Terra em Transe was released in 1967.

1968: Promulgation of the Fifth Institutional Act

In 1968, the Fifth Institutional Act was promulgated, solidifying the military regime's full dictatorship in Brazil.

1970: Population growth rate

Between 1960 and 1970, Brazil's annual population growth rate remained at 2.9% as life expectancy rose.

1970: Total railway track length

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

1970: Deforestation Threatens Amazon Rainforest

Since the 1970s, the Amazon rainforest has faced direct threats from deforestation due to rapid economic and demographic expansion.

1972: Immigration to Brazil

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

September 1974: São Paulo Metro began operating

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

1978: First car with an ethanol engine

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

1979: Enactment of the Amnesty Law

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

1985: Sarney Assumes Presidency

In 1985, José Sarney assumed the presidency in Brazil, marking the return of civilians to power.

1985: Civilian Governance Resumes

In 1985, civilian governance resumed in Brazil, signaling the end of the authoritarian military dictatorship that had been in place.

October 1988: Promulgation of the Federal Constitution

In October 1988, the Federal Constitution was promulgated, becoming the fundamental law of Brazil.

1988: Abolishment of federal territories

In 1988, Brazil's Constitution abolished the last three federal territories: Amapá, Roraima and Fernando de Noronha.

1988: Enactment of Current Constitution

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

1988: Creation of the universal health care system

Since the creation of the universal health care system in Brazil in 1988, progress has been made, but public health problems remain.

1989: Election of Collor

In 1989, Fernando Collor, was elected president.

1990: Forest Cover

In 1990, Brazil's forest cover was 588,898,000 hectares (ha).

1992: Collor Impeached

In 1992, Collor was impeached by the National Congress.

1994: Cardoso's Plano Real and Election

In 1994, Fernando Henrique Cardoso produced the Plano Real, stabilizing the economy, and won the election.

1995: O Quatrilho released

The film O Quatrilho, directed by Fábio Barreto, was released in 1995 and later nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

1997: O Que É Isso, Companheiro? released

The film O Que É Isso, Companheiro?, directed by Bruno Barreto, was released in 1997 and later nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

1998: Cardoso Wins Re-election

In 1998, Cardoso won the election again.

1998: Central do Brasil released

The film Central do Brasil, directed by Walter Salles, was released in 1998 and nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actress.

2000: Brazilian health system ranking

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

2002: Sign language law

In 2002, Brazil's sign language law required government authorities and public agencies to accept and provide information in Língua Brasileira dos Sinais or "LIBRAS", the Brazilian Sign Language.

2002: Lula Elected President

In 2002, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was elected president, marking a peaceful transition of power.

2002: City of God released

The crime film City of God, directed by Fernando Meirelles, was released in 2002 and was critically acclaimed.

2004: City of God Academy Award nominations

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

2005: Baseline for Emission Reduction

Brazil uses 2005 as the baseline year to determine the goal to cut greenhouse emissions by 59% to 67% compared to 2005 levels by 2035.

2005: Domestic tourism dominates international

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

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

2005: Uncontacted tribes

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

2005: First airplane engine running on ethanol

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 reduction in its dependence on imported oil.

2006: Lula Re-elected

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

2006: Public health problems

In 2006, the main public health problems in Brazil included high infant (2.51%) and maternal mortality rates (73.1 deaths per 1000 births).

2007: Life expectancy

By 2007, life expectancy in Brazil had risen to 72.6 years.

2007: Brazil became self-sufficient in oil

In 2007, Brazil achieved self-sufficiency in oil production, marking a significant reduction in its dependence on imported oil.

2007: Privatization of Federal Railroad Network Corporation (RFFSA)

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

2007: Uncontacted tribes

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

2007: XV Pan American Games

Rio de Janeiro hosted the XV Pan American Games in 2007.

2008: Illiteracy rate

In 2008, Brazil's illiteracy rate was 11.48%.

2008: Population growth rate

In 2008, Brazil's population growth rate was 1.05% per year.

October 2009: Agreement with the Vatican approved

In October 2009, the Brazilian Senate approved an agreement with the Vatican.

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 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 use

By 2009, the combined use of mobile phones and the Internet in Brazil had reached the fifth-largest globally.

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.

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2010: Irreligious population

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 and 22.2% followed Protestantism.

2010: Protestant community

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

2010: Rousseff Elected

In 2010, Dilma Rousseff was elected president after succeeding Lula.

2010: US$6 billion revenue from international tourists

In 2010, revenues from international tourists in Brazil reached US$6 billion.

2011: Historical records of 5.4 million visitors and US$6.8 billion receipts

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

2012: Healthcare statistics

In 2012, Brazil had 1.85 doctors and 2.3 hospital beds for every 1,000 inhabitants.

2012: WHO estimates 32 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants

In 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated the number of 32 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants due to violent crime in Brazil.

May 2013: Nationwide marriage rights for same-sex couples

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

2013: Brazil's Textile industry

In 2013, Brazil's Textile industry was among the five largest world producers.

2013: Homicide rate in São Paulo and Alagoas

In 2013, the homicide rate registered in São Paulo was 10.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, while in Alagoas it was 64.7 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.

June 2014: Brazil has the third largest prison population

As of June 2014, Brazil had the third largest prison population in the world with approximately 700,000 prisoners.

2014: 2014 FIFA World Cup

Brazil hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

2014: Rousseff Re-elected

In 2014, Dilma Rousseff was re-elected by narrow margins.

2014: Brazil enters a recession

In 2014, after rapid growth in preceding decades, Brazil entered an ongoing recession amid a political corruption scandal and nationwide protests.

2015: Forest Ownership

In 2015, 56% of Brazil's forest area was under public ownership, and 44% was under private ownership.

2015: 6.36 million visitors

In 2015, Brazil had 6.36 million visitors, ranking as the main destination in South America and second in Latin America after Mexico.

2015: Brazil ranked 28th in tourism competitiveness

In 2015, Brazil ranked 28th at the world's level in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI).

2015: Total railway track length

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

2016: Camões Prize

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

2016: Second-largest producer of pulp

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

2016: Rousseff Impeached

In 2016, Dilma Rousseff was impeached by the Brazilian Congress, and Vice-president Michel Temer replaced her.

2016: 2016 Olympic Games and 2016 Paralympic Games

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

2017: Native vegetation occupies 61% of Brazilian territory

In 2017, preserved native vegetation occupied 61% of the Brazilian territory, while agriculture occupied 8% and pastures 19.7%.

2017: Freedom House report on Brazil

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: Supreme Court Requests Investigation of Lawmakers

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: Corruption Perceived as Biggest Problem

According to a 2018 poll, 62% of the population said that corruption was Brazil's biggest problem.

2018: Paved roads

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

2018: Record 63,880 murders in Brazil

In 2018, Brazil had a record 63,880 murders.

2018: Brazil ranks 48th in tourism

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: Eighth-largest chemical industry

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

2018: Tertiary sector represents 75.8% of GDP

In 2018, the tertiary sector (trade and services) represented 75.8% of Brazil's GDP.

2018: Bolsonaro Elected President

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

2019: 2019 Copa América

Brazil hosted the 2019 Copa América.

2019: Renewable electric energy in Brazil vs the world

In 2019, Brazil had 83% renewable electric energy, while the world only had 25%.

2019: Brazil ranked 66th in the Global Innovation Index

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

2019: Second-largest exporter of processed foods

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

2019: Constitutional Amendment No. 104

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

2019: European Forest Comparison

In 2019, although 43% of the entire European continent has forests, only 3% of the total forest area in Europe is of native forest compared to Brazil.

2019: Religion

In 2019, it was estimated that 50% of Brazilians were Roman Catholic, 31% Protestant, and 11% irreligious.

2019: Renewable energy in Brazil's matrix

In 2019, renewable energy made up 45% of Brazil's energy matrix, compared to only 14% worldwide.

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.

2020: Religion study

According to a 2020 study by the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), Christians made up 90.77% of the Brazilian population.

2020: Forest Cover

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

May 2021: Lula Announces Candidacy

In May 2021, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced he would run for president in the 2022 election.

2021: High unemployment rate of 14.4%

As of 2021, Brazil has a labor force of roughly 100 million, albeit with a high unemployment rate of 14.4%.

2021: Brazil's trade position

As of 2021, Brazil is the world's 24th-largest exporter and 26th-largest importer.

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).

2021: Brazil's electricity capacity

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

2021: 2021 Copa América

Brazil hosted the 2021 Copa América.

2021: Brazil as the 7th oil producer in the world

In 2021, Brazil became the 7th largest oil producer globally, exporting approximately three million barrels per day.

2021: Brazil ranked as the 9th largest military power

In 2021, Brazil was considered the 9th largest military power on the planet.

2021: Brazil categorized as a "flawed democracy"

In 2021, The Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index categorized Brazil as a "flawed democracy", ranking 46th in the report, 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, adjusted from the initial figure reported by the 2022 census.

July 2022: 124 Amendments to the Federal Constitution

As of July 2022, there have been 124 amendments made to the Federal Constitution of Brazil.

October 2022: Lula Wins Election

In October 2022, Lula won the Brazilian general election.

2022: Brazilian census

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

2022: Brazil operates a helicopter carrier

As of 2022, Brazil is the only navy in Latin America that operates a helicopter carrier, NAM Atlântico.

2022: Evangelical Protestant influence

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

2022: Annual Losses Due to Extreme Weather

In 2022, extreme weather events in Brazil, such as droughts and flash floods, caused annual losses of around R$13 billion (US$2.6 billion).

January 2023: Attack on Federal Government Buildings

On 8 January 2023, supporters of Bolsonaro attacked Brazil's federal government buildings in Brasília.

2023: Main destination states

In 2023, the main destination states in Brazil were São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Rio Grande do Sul.

2024: Strongest Drought in Brazil

In 2024, Brazil faced the strongest drought since measurements began in the 1950s, affecting nearly 60% of the country, linked to deforestation and climate change.

2024: Brazil Revises Emission Reduction Target

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.