Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva began his third term as President of Brazil on January 1, 2023, following a narrow victory over incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in the October 2022 election. The Federative Republic of Brazil, as the country is officially known, operates under a federal presidential republic system established by its 1988 constitution.
The current Vice President is Geraldo Alckmin. Hugo Motta serves as President of the Chamber of Deputies, and Davi Alcolumbre holds the position of President of the Federal Senate. Edson Fachin leads the Supreme Federal Court.
Brazil’s government is structured around three independent branches: executive, legislative, and judicial, as defined in the 1988 constitution. The president and vice-president are elected together through popular vote. The National Congress, Brazil’s legislature, is bicameral, comprising the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.
The country’s judicial system is complex, featuring state and federal courts, with the Superior Justice Tribunal and the Supreme Federal Tribunal serving as high courts responsible for reviewing decisions from lower bodies. The constitution, adopted in 1988, superseded six previous versions and abolished the monarchy, establishing separate state powers and reinforcing the legislature’s authority, including provisions for environmental protection.
According to the most recent census in 2022, Brazil’s population was 203,080,756. Estimates for 2025 project a population of 213,421,037, making it the world’s seventh-largest country by population. The country’s land area is 8,515,767 square kilometers, ranking it fifth globally. Ethnically, the population is diverse, with 45.3% identifying as Pardo, 43.5% as White, 10.2% as Black, 0.6% as Indigenous, and 0.4% as East Asian, according to 2022 data.
The majority religion in Brazil is Christianity, with 83.60% of the population identifying as Christian in 2022. Within Christianity, 56.75% are Catholic, and 26.85% are Protestant. Other religious groups include Spiritism (1.84%), Afro-Brazilian religions (1.05%), and those with no religion (9.28%). A slight percentage (4.07%) identify with other religions, while 0.17% did not state their religious affiliation.
The official language of Brazil is Portuguese. The country’s motto is “Ordem e Progresso” (“Order and Progress”).
