TYPE: federal republic

CAPITAL: Brasilia

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS: 26 states (estados, singular--estado), and 1 federal district** (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa*, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara, Distrito Federal**, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima*, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins; note--the territories of Amapa and Roraima became states on 5 October 1988.

INDEPENDENCE: 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

CONSTITUTION: 5 October 1988

LEGAL SYSTEM: based on Latin codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

Fixed dates: 1.1 New Year's Day, 21.4 Tiradentes Day, 1.5 Labour Day, 7.9 Independence Day, 12.10 Nossa Senhora de Aparecida, 2.11 All Souls Day,15.11 Proclamation of the Republic, 25.12 Christmas

Moveables: Carnival (February, ocasionally begining March), Easter ( note that Easter Monday is not holiday), Corpus Christi.

Local: 25.1 (in Sao Paulo), 20.1 ? (in Rio) Note: It is government policy in Brazil for certain holidays to be taken on Monday if those holidays fall during the week; however, the church wishes to continue holding festivals on the traditional days. If plans are likely to be affected by such a holiday it is advisable to check the situation with the Information Office before travelling. Please note also that as four of the traditional holidays are fixed by municipalities there may be some variation from region to region.

EXECUTIVE BRANCH: president, vice president, Cabinet

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH: bicameral National Congress (Congresso Nacional) consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara dos Deputados)

JUDICIAL BRANCH: Supreme Federal Tribunal

SUFFRAGE: voluntary at age 16; compulsory between ages 18 and 70;voluntary at age 70

FLAG: green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 23 white five-pointed stars (one for each state) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION: Ambassador Paulo Tarso Flecha de Lima ; Chancery at 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 745-2700; there are Brazilian Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami,New Orleans, and New York, and Consulates in Dallas, Houston, and San Francisco;US--Ambassador Richard MELTON; Embassy at Avenida das Nocoes, Lote 3, Brasilia, Distrto Federal (mailing address is APO Miami 34030);telephone p55o (6) 321-7272; there are US Consulates General in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, and Consulates in Porto Alere and Recife

TIME

GMT -3 (except western states including towns of Campo Grande, Corumba, Cuiaba, Manaus: GMT -4. Fernando de Noronha Islands: GMT -2. Acre: GMT -5.)

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

(Mon-Fri) 0900 - 1200; 1400 - 1800. Government departments usually 1100 - 1800. N.B. In Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo there is no siesta break; in Brasilia there is a three-hour siesta, 1200 - 1500.