Brazil

Brazil became an independent nation in 1822. Brazil has overcome more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of the interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, Brazil became Latin America's leading economic power by the 1970s.

The culture of modern Brazil formed from a rich background of ethnic traditions. The early Portuguese settlers used many customs and words from the original Native American population. During the colonial period millions of black African slaves who were brought into Brazil added an African element to Brazilian cultural life; their religious rites merged with Roman Catholicism to form unique Afro-Brazilian cults, noted for their exotic ceremonies. The most influential of these cults is Candomble.

Brazil is mainly a European-formed society, settled largely by the Portuguese, Italians, Germans, and Spaniards. These European origins base the Brazilian family life, which is a rigid and patriarchal structure in Brazilian life.

World Factbook 2002
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