Brazil is an attractive location for companies looking
to invest in South America as it contains roughly half of the
region's wealth. However, the complex business environment and
high costs can make doing business in Brazil a challenge. The key
to successful expansion is a thorough understanding of the economic
system and the regulations that companies will need to
follow.
Brazil, officially called the Federative Republic of Brazil, is
the fifth largest country in the world by size and the largest in
South America, with a territory of around 8.5 million square
kilometres.
The country is comprised of 26 states (estados) and one federal
district (distrito federal), which is the seat of the government
and the nation's federal capital, Brasilia. Brazil has the
tenth largest gross domestic product (GDP) and the eighth largest
purchasing power parity in the world. It has an estimated US$21.8
trillion of natural resources including gold, uranium, iron and
timber.
