Understanding Business and Personal LawChapter 19: Agency Relationships and Their TerminationA Global PerspectiveBrazil Brazil, or as it is officially known, the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest and most populous country in South America. It occupies almost half of the continent. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Brazil is the only Latin American country settled by the Portuguese. Portuguese is the official language. Brazil is slightly smaller than the United States and 83.3 percent of the population is literate. The government is a federative republic. The president is both the chief of state and the head of government and is elected by popular vote for four-year terms. The president appoints the cabinet. The National Congress consists of the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The Federal Senate is made up of 81 seats—three members from each state or federal district elected by majority to serve eight-year terms. The Chamber of Deputies is made up of 513 seats—its members elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms. The legal system in Brazil is based on Roman codes. The court system is made up of the Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate), a Higher Tribunal of Justice, and Regional Federal Tribunals with judges who are appointed for life. |  |
