Brazil was inhabited by numerous tribal nations prior to the landing of explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500, who claimed the area for Portugal. Brazil remained a Portuguese colony until 1808, when the capital of the empire was transferred from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro after French forces led by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Portugal. In 1815, it was elevated to the rank of kingdom upon the formation of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves. Its independence was achieved in 1822 with the creation of the Empire of Brazil, a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system. The Brazilian economy is the world's seventh largest by nominal GDP and the seventh largest by purchasing power parity, as of 2012. Brazil is one of 17 mega diverse countries, home to a variety of wildlife, natural environments, and extensive natural resources in a variety of protected habitats. Brazil is a regional power in Latin America and a middle power in international affairs, with some analysts identifying it as an emerging global power. Brazil has been the world's largest producer of coffee for the last 150 years.

Why Business in Brazil?

• Brazil borders almost all the South America countries, except Chile and Ecuador. The Brazilian economy presents a sustainable and strong growth. The Brazilian GDP growth rate reached 5.3 per cent in 2007, with an inflation rate of 3.7 per cent.
• Since 2003, the Brazilian exports have shown a growth rate bigger than that of the world imports, resulting in a higher Brazilian participation on the world trade.
• Brazil has the biggest and most diversified science, technology and innovation system of Latin America.
• It has a competitive differential within the sectors of aircraft building, oil exploration in depth water and software development.
• In the last years the Brazilian return on investment overcame the 26% annual mean.
• There has been an increased growth in the Brazilian work productivity, in the latest years.