Brazil profile

Demography and Health

Brazil is a populous nation with about 212 million people in 2024, ranking roughly seventh in the world by size. The demographic profile points to a transitioning economy: a birth rate of 12.3 per 1,000 people and a crude death rate of 7.08 per 1,000 suggest a growing but aging population over time, complemented by a life expectancy at birth of 75.8 years. Child mortality remains a critical area of focus, with under-5 mortality at 14.4 per 1,000 live births, reflecting ongoing improvements in child health yet signaling disparities in access and outcomes across regions. The labor market shows some resilience, with unemployment around 7.95% in 2023, indicating slack in parts of the economy but not a crisis by global standards. Digital connectivity is strong, as 84.2% of the population used the Internet in 2023, underscoring a broad platform for health information, education, and e-services. On health spending, Brazil allocated 9.14% of GDP to current health expenditure in 2022, with per-capita government health expenditure (PPP) about 762 international US dollars, and a health workforce of roughly 2.14 physicians per 1,000 people and 2.46 hospital beds per 1,000. Taken together, these indicators reflect a large, connected country with commendable health gains and substantial room to address geographic inequities, access gaps, and the financing of care as the population ages.

Economy

Brazil's economy shows a blend of sizable scale and structural constraints. GDP per capita stands at about 10,280 current US dollars (2024), with purchasing power parity-based GDP per capita reaching roughly 22,333 international US dollars, signaling higher living standards when cost of living is accounted for. The country operates with a relatively open trade posture: exports of goods and services accounted for about 18% of GDP in 2024, while imports represented about 17.5%, indicating a high but not extreme degree of openness. Inflation easing to around 4.37% in 2024 suggests policy stabilization, though inflation dynamics remain a key macro variable. Investment conditions show modest foreign direct investment as a share of GDP at about 3.26% in 2024, accompanied by a current account deficit of roughly 2.81% of GDP—both signs of ongoing external adjustment and an economy dependent on external capital flows for growth. Innovation appears measurable but uneven: residents filed about 4,666 patent applications in 2021 (ranking 14), and high-technology exports reached about 8.69 billion US dollars in 2024 (ranking 9), underscoring a developing but meaningful high-tech sector amid broader commodity-driven dynamics. Public health spending and the government’s role in health reflect a substantial fiscal footprint, while persistent governance and regulatory challenges temper the pace of investment and productivity improvements.

Trade and Investment

Brazil's external orientation is characterized by robust trade activity and evolving investment flows. Exports accounted for 18% of GDP in 2024, with imports close behind at 17.5%, illustrating a balanced but trade-sensitive economy that participates actively in global value chains. Foreign direct investment (net inflows) represented about 3.26% of GDP in 2024, signaling continued external financing and technology transfer, albeit at a moderate pace relative to some regional peers. The current account deficit of 2.81% of GDP in 2024 points to persistent external financing needs, reflecting structural trade patterns and investment cycles. On infrastructure and logistics, the Logistics Performance Index (quality of trade and transport-related infrastructure) stood at 3.2 in 2022 (on a scale where 1 is low and 5 is high), and the rank position of around 14 indicates Brazil performs mid-to-upper tier relative to peers but still has meaningful headroom for efficiency gains in transport, customs, and border processes. The country’s tech and innovation indicators—high-technology exports around 8.69 billion USD and residents’ patent activity (about 4,666 applications in 2021)—signal capability but also a need to scale innovation ecosystems to broaden export sophistication and domestic value creation beyond commodity cycles.

Governance and Institutions

Brazil faces notable governance and institutional challenges that shape its policy landscape and investment climate. The World Bank-style indicators show political stability and absence of violence/terrorism at about -0.409 in 2023 with a corresponding relatively high rank of 139, and regulatory quality at -0.296 (rank 116). The rule of law indicator sits around -0.309 (rank 115), with control of corruption at -0.504 (rank 125) and government effectiveness at -0.547 (rank 132). Taken together, these numbers suggest a pattern of governance weaknesses that can affect policy implementation, contract enforcement, and the ease of doing business. While Brazil’s large economy and diversified structure create opportunities, investors and citizens alike confront risks tied to policy volatility, regulatory bottlenecks, and corruption concerns. Improving governance—through transparent regulations, stronger rule of law, and more effective public service delivery—would likely bolster investment, reduce transaction costs, and enhance long-run growth potential.

Infrastructure and Technology

Brazil exhibits a heterogeneous but growing profile in infrastructure and technology. The country has achieved substantial digital penetration, with 84.2% of the population using the Internet in 2023, indicating broad access to online services, education, and digital markets. Economically, high-technology exports total about 8.69 billion USD in 2024, ranking Brazil high in tech exports and signaling capabilities in select sectors. Patent activity is present, with residents filing around 4,666 patent applications in 2021, pointing to ongoing R&D and inventive capacity even as the stock of intellectual property remains unevenly distributed across sectors and regions. Health infrastructure shows 2.46 hospital beds per 1,000 people and 2.14 physicians per 1,000 (2021), suggesting ahead-of-early-stage peers in some urban areas but continuing gaps in rural and underserved locales. The country also relies on a sizeable public sector footprint for health expenditure, with domestic general government health expenditure per capita (PPP) around 762 international US dollars in 2022. In energy and environment, renewable energy accounts for 46.5% of total final energy consumption (2021), underscoring a substantial green backbone amid continued reliance on fossil fuels for certain segments. The logistics performance index at 3.2 (2022) suggests moderate efficiency in trade and transport: a solid base, yet with significant opportunities to improve port, road, and multimodal connectivity to support faster and cheaper movement of goods.

Environment and Sustainability

Brazil’s environmental profile is marked by a substantial but uneven pathway toward sustainability. Renewable energy contributes 46.5% of total final energy consumption (2021), reflecting a broad and growing green energy footprint that supports decarbonization relative to many peers. Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita are about 6.16 t CO2e per person (2023), illustrating a sizable carbon intensity given the country’s energy mix, land use, and industrial structure. The freshwater context shows level of water stress at around 1.48 (2021), indicating relatively moderate withdrawal relative to available resources but with regional disparities that can intensify during droughts and agricultural cycles. On nutrition, the prevalence of undernourishment stands at 3.9% (2022), signaling ongoing, though improving, food security challenges in parts of the population. Taken together, Brazil’s environmental indicators reflect a country with a meaningful renewable energy base and climate action potential, yet exposed to biodiversity pressures, land-use change, and regional inequalities that require targeted policy measures to secure sustainable development for all communities while maintaining economic growth.