History of Brazil in Timeline

Brazil is the largest country in South America, both by area and population (over 212 million). It's the world's fifth-largest country by area and seventh by population. A federation of 26 states and a Federal District, its capital is Brasília, while São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are its most populous cities. Brazil is notable for being the only country in the Americas with Portuguese as its official language and boasts the highest number of Portuguese speakers globally.

1902: End of the Acre War

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

1914: Brazil's Involvement in World War I

In 1914, Brazil became involved in World War I, marking its participation in the global conflict.

1915: Devastating Drought

In 1915, a similarly devastating drought occurred in Brazil.

1918: World War I

In 1918, Brazil was involved in World War I.

September 1922: Radio Broadcasting Begins

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

1922: Modern Art Week

In 1922, Brazilian Modernism was evidenced by the Modern Art Week, concerned with a nationalist avant-garde literature.

April 1923: Formalization of Radio

On 20 April 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 took power in Brazil following an economic and military crisis, ending a period of military domination in the government.

1930: Arrival of Europeans

From 1880 to 1930, 4 million Europeans arrived in Brazil, contributing to the population growth.

1930: Revolution of 1930

In 1930, Getúlio Vargas successfully led the Revolution of 1930, supported by most of the military.

1931: Limite Film Release

The film Limite was released in 1931, but poorly received at the time. It is now acclaimed as one of the finest Brazilian films.

1932: Constitutionalist Revolution

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

1933: Ganga Bruta Film Release

The film Ganga Bruta, produced by Adhemar Gonzaga, was released in 1933. It was poorly received at the time but is now acclaimed as one of the finest Brazilian films.

November 1935: Communist Uprising

In November 1935, Brazil experienced a Communist uprising, which led to a security crisis and increased power for the executive branch.

1937: Coup d'état formalizes Vargas as dictator

In 1937, a coup d'état formalized Vargas as dictator of Brazil, marking the beginning of the Estado Novo era.

May 1938: Putsch Attempt by Local Fascists

In May 1938, local fascists attempted a putsch in Brazil, contributing to the political instability of the time.

1940: Renewal of Brazilian Theater

In 1940, Paschoal Carlos Magno, the comedians group, and Italian actors renewed the Brazilian theater.

1940: Population Growth

In the 1940s, Brazil experienced an annual population growth rate of 2.4% due to a decline in the mortality rate.

1941: It's All True Film

In 1941, the unfinished film It's All True was divided into four segments, two of which were filmed in Brazil and directed by Orson Welles.

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 has been declining since 1945, when emphasis shifted to highway construction.

1945: Allied Victory

In 1945, With the Allied victory in 1945 and the end of the fascist regimes in Europe, Vargas's position became unsustainable.

September 1950: Television Begins in Brazil

Television in Brazil officially began on 18 September 1950, 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, Vargas returned to power by election in Brazil, marking a significant turn in the country's political landscape.

1950: Population Growth Rate

In the 1950s, Brazil's annual population growth rate rose to 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, Brazil hosted the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

1956: Kubitschek Becomes President

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

1960: Inauguration of Brasília

In 1960, the new capital city of Brasília was inaugurated in Brazil, marking Kubitschek's greatest achievement.

1960: High Population Growth

In the 1960s, Brazil maintained a high population growth rate of 2.9%.

1961: Quadros Resigns

In 1961, Jânio Quadros resigned less than a year after taking office as president of Brazil.

1963: São Paulo organized the IV Pan American Games in 1963

In 1963, São Paulo organized the IV Pan American Games, and Brazil won the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

April 1964: Military Coup

In April 1964, João Goulart was deposed in Brazil by a coup that resulted in a military dictatorship.

1964: Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol

In 1964, Glauber Rocha's film Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol was released and is now considered one of the greatest and most influential in Brazilian film history.

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

In 1967, Glauber Rocha's film Terra em Transe was released and is now considered one of the greatest and most influential in Brazilian film history.

1967: Total of paved roads

In 1967, the total of paved roads was 35,496 km.

1968: Promulgation of the Fifth Institutional Act

In 1968, the Fifth Institutional Act was promulgated in Brazil, transforming the regime into a full dictatorship.

1970: Continued Population Increase

Brazil's population continued to increase significantly up to 1970, with life expectancy rising.

1970: Total railway track length

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

1970: Threat of Deforestation

Since the 1970s, the Amazon rainforest has been under direct threat of deforestation in Brazil because of rapid economic and demographic expansion.

1972: Immigration to Brazil

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

September 1974: São Paulo Metro begins operating

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

1978: First car with an ethanol engine produced

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: Civilian Governance Resumes

In 1985, after a period of military rule, civilian governance resumed in Brazil, signaling a transition towards democracy.

1985: Civilians Return to Power

In 1985, civilians returned to power in Brazil when José Sarney assumed the presidency.

October 1988: Promulgation of the Federal Constitution

On 5 October 1988, the Federal Constitution was promulgated, and is the fundamental law of Brazil.

1988: 1988 Constitution abolishes federal territories

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

1988: Enactment of the Current Constitution

In 1988, Brazil's current constitution was enacted, defining the country as a democratic federal republic and establishing the framework for its governance.

1988: Creation of Universal Healthcare System

The creation of the universal health care system in 1988, Brazil still faces several public health challenges.

1989: Election of Fernando Collor

In 1989, Fernando Collor was elected president of Brazil.

1990: Brazil's Forest Cover in 1990

In 1990, the forest cover in Brazil was 588,898,000 hectares (ha).

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 and won the election in Brazil.

1995: O Quatrilho Film

In 1995, the film O Quatrilho was released.

1997: O Que É Isso, Companheiro? Film

In 1997, the film O Que É Isso, Companheiro? was released.

1998: Cardoso Wins Re-election

In 1998, Cardoso won the election again.

1998: Central do Brasil Film

In 1998, the film Central do Brasil was released.

2000: WHO Ranking of Health System

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

2002: Election of Lula da Silva

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

2002: City of God Film

In 2002, the crime film City of God, directed by Fernando Meirelles, was released.

2002: Sign Language Law

The 2002 sign language law in Brazil requires government authorities and public agencies to accept and provide information in LIBRAS (Brazilian Sign Language).

2004: Academy Award Nominations

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

2005: Domestic tourism is a key market segment

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

2005: Presidential Edict for LIBRAS

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

2005: Estimate of Uncontacted Tribes

In 2005, the National Indian Foundation estimated there were 40 uncontacted tribes in Brazil.

2005: First airplane engine running on ethanol produced

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

2006: Lula da Silva Re-elected

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

2006: Public Health Challenges

In 2006, high infant and maternal mortality rates were among the main public health problems in Brazil.

2006: Brazil aims for self-sufficiency in oil

In 2006, the Brazilian government aimed to reduce dependence on imported oil, which previously accounted for more than 70% of the country's oil needs.

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

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

2007: Life Expectancy

In 2007, life expectancy in Brazil reached 72.6 years.

2007: Brazil aims for self-sufficiency in oil

In 2007, the Brazilian government aimed to reduce dependence on imported oil, which previously accounted for more than 70% of the country's oil needs.

2007: Privatization of Federal Railroad Network Corporation

In 2007, the Federal Railroad Network Corporation (RFFSA) was privatized.

2007: Uncontacted Tribes

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

2008: Population Growth Decline

In 2008, Brazil's population growth rate had fallen to 1.05% per year.

2008: Illiteracy Rate

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

2008: Brazil population recorded

In 2008, the population of Brazil was approximately 190 million.

October 2009: Rio de Janeiro selected to host the 2016 Olympic Games

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

October 2009: Senate Approval of Vatican Agreement

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

2009: Brazil's IT development 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 mobile phone and Internet use in Brazil was the fifth largest in the world.

February 2010: Enactment of Vatican Agreement

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.

2010: Irreligious Population

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

2010: Growth of Protestantism

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

2010: Election of Dilma Rousseff

In 2010, Dilma Rousseff was elected as president of Brazil, succeeding Lula.

2010: Revenues from international tourists recovered in Brazil

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

2011: Historical records reached for visitors and receipts

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

2012: Healthcare Statistics

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

2012: WHO estimates high homicide rate in Brazil

In 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated Brazil's homicide rate to be 32 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, one of the highest rates in the world.

May 2013: Same-sex couples hold nationwide marriage rights

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, but it is not well-integrated into world trade.

2013: Homicide rate differences between states

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.

June 2014: Brazil has third largest prison population

As of June 2014, Brazil had the third-largest prison population in the world with approximately 700,000 prisoners, leading to overcrowding and a shortfall in accommodations.

2014: Brazil enters recession

In 2014, Brazil entered an ongoing 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

In 2014, Dilma Rousseff was re-elected as president of Brazil by narrow margins.

2015: Brazil ranks as main tourist destination in South America

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

2015: Brazil ranked 28th in Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index

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

2015: Total railway track length

In 2015, Brazil's total railway track length was 30,576 km.

2015: Forest Ownership in 2015

In 2015, it was reported that 56% of the forest area in Brazil was under public ownership and 44% was under private ownership.

2016: Camões Prize

As of 2016, Brazil has eleven recipients of the Camões Prize, its most significant literary award shared with the Portuguese-speaking world.

2016: Brazil ranks as second-largest producer of pulp

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

2016: Rousseff Impeached

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

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 only 8%.

2017: Freedom House scores 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: Investigation of Lawmakers and Ministers

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 as Brazil's Biggest Problem

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

2018: Brazil records highest number of murders

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

2018: Brazil ranks as 48th most visited country

In 2018, Brazil was the 48th most visited country, 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 in the second round against Fernando Haddad.

2018: Brazil's chemical industry

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

2018: Tertiary sector represents the majority of Brazil's GDP

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

2018: Total of paved roads

In 2018, the total of paved roads was 215,000 km.

2019: Literacy Rate

According to the IBGE, in 2019, the literacy rate of the Brazilian population was 93.4%, with 6.6% still illiterate.

2019: Renewable electric energy in Brazil

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

2019: 2019 Copa América

In 2019, Brazil hosted the Copa América.

2019: Brazil's Global Innovation Index ranking

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

2019: Brazil ranks as second-largest exporter of processed foods

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

2019: Brazilian energy matrix

In 2019, Brazil's energy matrix was much more renewable (45%) than the world average (14%).

2019: Constitutional Amendment includes Penal Police

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

2019: Forest Cover in Europe

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

2019: Religious Estimates

In 2019, it was estimated that 50% of Brazilians were Roman Catholic, 31% Protestant, 11% irreligious, 3% Spiritist, 2% practitioners of Afro-Brazilian faiths, and 0.3% Jewish.

2019: Brazilian road system total length

In 2019, the Brazilian road system totaled 1,720,000 km.

2020: Forest Cover in 2020

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

2020: Pledge to Reduce Emissions

In 2020, the government of Brazil pledged to reduce its annual greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by 2030.

2020: Religion Data

In a 2020 study by the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), Christians made up 90.77% of the population and Kardecist spiritism was the second-largest religion practiced in Brazil.

May 2021: Lula da Silva 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 against Bolsonaro.

2021: Brazil's unemployment rate

As of 2021, Brazil had a high unemployment rate of 14.4%.

2021: Brazil's trade ranking

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

2021: Brazil's renewable energy ranking

At the end of 2021, Brazil was highly ranked globally in hydroelectric power, biomass, wind power, and solar power.

2021: Brazil's electricity sector capacity

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

2021: Brazil closes year as oil producer

In 2021, Brazil closed the year as the 7th oil producer in the world, with an average close to three million barrels per day, becoming an exporter of the product.

2021: 2021 Copa América

In 2021, Brazil hosted the Copa América.

2021: Brazil ranked as 9th largest military power

In 2021, Brazil was considered the 9th largest military power on the planet, possessing the largest armed forces in Latin America based on active personnel and military equipment.

2021: Democracy Index and Freedom Classification

In 2021, the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index categorized Brazil as a "flawed democracy", and Freedom House classified it as a free country.

July 1, 2022: Brazil population projection

On July 1, 2022, it was estimated that Brazil’s population was 210,862,983.

July 2022: Amendments to the Federal Constitution

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

October 2022: Lula Wins 2022 Election

In October 2022, Lula won the first round, with 48.43% of the support from the electorate, and received 50.90% of the votes in the second round.

2022: Brazilian Census

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

2022: Brazilian Navy operates helicopter carrier

As of 2022, the Brazilian Navy is the only navy in Latin America that operates a helicopter carrier, NAM Atlântico, and is one of only twelve navies worldwide to operate or have one under construction.

2022: Evangelical Protestant Influence

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

2022: Race and ethnicity in Brazil

Race and ethnicity in Brazil 2022

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 the capital, Brasília.