U.S. Department of State
Background Notes: Brazil, July 2000
Released by the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.

Official Name:  Federative Republic of Brazil

PROFILE

Geography

Area:  8,511,965 sq. km. (3,290,000 sq. mi.); slightly smaller than the U.S.
Cities:  Capital--Brasilia (pop. 1.8 million).  Other cities--Sao
Paulo (11 million), Rio de Janeiro (6 million), Belo Horizonte
(2.3 million), Salvador (2 million), Fortaleza (1.8 million),
Recife (1.4 million), Porto Alegre (1.4 million), Curitiba (1.4
million).
Terrain:  Dense forests in northern regions including Amazon
Basin; semiarid along northeast coast; mountains, hills, and
rolling plains in the southwest including Mato Grosso; and
coastal lowland.
Climate:  Mostly tropical or semitropical with temperate zone in the south.

People

Nationality:  Noun and adjective--Brazilian(s).
Population (1996):  160 million.
Annual growth rate:  1.7%.
Ethnic groups:  Portuguese, Italian, German, Japanese, African,
indigenous people.
Religion:  Roman Catholic (80%).
Language: Portuguese.
Education:  Literacy--81% of adult population.
Health:  Infant mortality rate--44/1,000.  Life expectancy--67 yrs.
Work force (65 million):  Services--40%.  Agriculture--35%.
Industry--25%.

Government

Type:  Federative republic.
Independence:  September 7, 1822.
Constitution:  Promulgated October 5, 1988.
Branches:  Executive--president (chief of state and head of
government popularly elected to no more than two 4-year terms).
Legislative--Senate (81 members popularly elected to 8-year
terms), Chamber of Deputies (513 members popularly elected to
4-year terms).  Judicial--Supreme Federal Tribunal.
Political parties: Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB),
Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB), Liberal Front Party
(PFL), Social Democratic Party (PSD), Democratic Workers Party
(PDT), Workers Party (PT), Brazilian Labor Party (PTB), Liberal
Party (PL), Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), Communist Party of
Brazil (PC do B), Brazilian Progressive Party (PPB), Popular
Socialist Party (PPS), Green Party (PV), the Social Liberal Party
(PSL), the National Mobilization Party (PMN), National Workers
Party (PTN), Humanistic Solidarity Party (PHS)

Economy (1999)

GDP:  $555 billion.
Annual real growth rate:  0.8% (projected 4.0%, 2000).
Per capita GDP:  $3,400.
Natural resources:  Iron ore, manganese, bauxite, nickel,
uranium, gemstones, oil, wood, and aluminum.  Brazil has 12% of
the world's fresh water.
Agriculture (0.8% of GDP):  Products--coffee, soybeans,
sugarcane, cocoa, rice, beef, corn, oranges, cotton, wheat, and
tobacco.
Industry (34% of GDP):  Types--steel, commercial aircraft,
chemicals, petrochemicals, footware, machinery, motors, vehicles,
and autoparts, consumer durables, cement, lumber.
Trade:  Exports--$48 billion.  Major markets--United States 22%,
Argentina 11%, Netherlands 5%, Japan 5%, Germany 5%, Italy 4%,
France 2%.  Imports--$49 billion.  Major suppliers--United States
24%, Argentina 12%, Germany10%, Italy 5%, Japan 5%.
Official exchange rate:  Floating rate since January 1999.  About
1.70 to 1.80 Reales to the U.S.$1.

PEOPLE AND HISTORY

With an estimated 160 million inhabitants, Brazil has the largest
population in Latin America and ranks sixth in the world.  The
majority live in the south-central area, which includes the
industrial cities of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Belo
Horizonte.  Urban growth has been rapid: by 1991, 75% of the
total population were living in urban areas.  Rapid growth has
aided economic development but has also created serious social,
environmental, and political problems for major cities.

Four major groups make up the Brazilian population: the
Portuguese, who colonized Brazil in the 16th century; Africans
brought to Brazil as slaves; various other European, Middle
Eastern, and Asian immigrant groups who have settled in Brazil
since the mid-19th century; and indigenous people of Tupi and
Guarani language stock.  Intermarriage between the Portuguese and
indigenous people or slaves was common.  Although the major
European ethnic stock of Brazil was once Portuguese, subsequent
waves of immigration have contributed to a diverse ethnic and
cultural heritage.

From 1875 until 1960, about 5 million Europeans emigrated to
Brazil, settling mainly in the four southern states of Sao Paulo,
Parana, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul. Immigrants have
come mainly from Italy, Germany, Spain, Japan, Poland, and the
Middle East. The largest Japanese community outside Japan is in
Sao Paulo.  Despite class distinctions, national identity is
strong, and racial friction is a relatively new phenomenon.
Indigenous full-blooded Indians, located mainly in the northern
and western border regions and in the upper Amazon Basin,
constitute less than 1% of the population.  Their numbers are
declining as contact with the outside world and commercial
expansion into the interior increase. Brazilian Government
programs to establish reservations and to provide other forms of
assistance have existed for years, but are controversial and
often ineffective.

Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking nation in the Americas.
About 80% of all Brazilians belong to the Roman Catholic Church;
most others are Protestant or follow practices derived from
African religions.

Brazil was claimed for Portugal in 1500 by Pedro Alvares Cabral.
It was ruled from Lisbon as a colony until 1808, when the royal
family, having fled from Napoleon's army, established the seat of
Portuguese Government in Rio de Janeiro.  Brazil became a kingdom
under Dom Joao VI, who returned to Portugal in 1821.  His son
declared Brazil's independence on September 7, 1822, and became
emperor with the title of Dom Pedro I. His son, Dom Pedro II,
ruled from 1831 to 1889, when a federal republic was established
in a coup by Deodoro da Fonseca, Marshal of the army.  Slavery
had been abolished a year earlier by the Regent Princess Isabel
while Dom Pedro II was in Europe.

From 1889 to 1930, the government was a constitutional democracy,
with the presidency alternating between the dominant states of
Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais.  This period ended with a military
coup that placed Getulio Vargas, a civilian, in the presidency;
Vargas remained as dictator until 1945.  From 1945 to 1961,
Eurico Dutra, Vargas, Juscelino Kubitschek, and Janio Quadros
were elected presidents.  When Quadros resigned in 1961, he was
succeeded by Vice President Joao Goulart.

Goulart's years in office were marked by high inflation, economic
stagnation, and the increasing influence of radical political
elements.  The armed forces, alarmed by these developments,
staged a coup on March 31, 1964.  The coup leaders chose as
president Humberto Castello Branco, followed by Arthur da Costa e
Silva (1967-69), Emilio Garrastazu Medici (1968-74), and Ernesto
Geisel (1974-79) all of whom were senior army officers.  Geisel
began a democratic opening that was continued by his successor,
Gen. Joao Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo (1979-85).  Figueiredo
not only permitted the return of politicians exiled or banned
from political activity during the 1960s and 1970s, but also
allowed them to run for state and federal offices in 1982.

At the same time, an electoral college consisting of all members
of congress and six delegates chosen from each state continued to
choose the president.  In January 1985, the electoral college
voted Tancredo Neves from the opposition Brazilian Democratic
Movement Party (PMDB) into office as President.  However, Neves
became ill in March and died a month later.  His Vice President,
former Senator Jose Sarney, became President upon Neves' death.
Brazil completed its transition to a popularly elected government
in 1989, when Fernando Collor de Mello won 53% of the vote in the
first direct presidential election in 29 years.  In 1992, a major
corruption scandal led to the impeachment and ultimate
resignation of President Collor.  Vice President Itamar Franco
took his place and governed for the remainder of Collor's term
culminating in the October 3, 1994 presidential elections, when
Fernando Henrique Cardoso was elected President with 54% of the
vote.  He took office January 1, 1995 and was re-elected in
October 1998 for a second 4-year term.  Presidential elections
will next be held in October 2002.

President Cardoso has sought to establish the basis for long-term
stability and growth and to reduce Brazil's extreme socioeconomic
imbalances.  His proposals to Congress include constitutional
amendments to open the Brazilian economy to greater foreign
participation and to implement sweeping reforms -- including
social security, government administration, and taxation -- to
reduce excessive public sector spending and improve government
efficiency.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Brazil is a federal republic with 26 states and a federal
district.  The 1988 constitution grants broad powers to the
federal government, made up of executive, legislative, and
judicial branches.  The president holds office for 4 years, with
the right to re-election for an additional 4-year term, and
appoints his own cabinet.  There are 81 senators, three for each
state and the Federal District, and 513 deputies.  Senate terms
are for 8 years, with election staggered so that two-thirds of
the upper house is up for election at one time and one-third 4
years later.  Chamber terms are for 4 years, with elections based
on a complex system of proportional representation by states.
Each state is eligible for a minimum of 8 seats; the largest
state delegation (Sao Paulo's) is capped at 70 seats. The result
is a system weighted in favor of geographically large but
sparsely populated states.

Fifteen political parties are represented in Congress.  Since it
is common for politicians to switch parties, the proportion of
congressional seats held by particular parties changes regularly.
 The following are the major political parties:

PFL--Liberal Front Party (center-right)
PMDB--Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (center)
PSDB--Brazilian Social Democratic Party (center-left)
PPB--Brazilian Progressive Party (center-right)
PT--Workers Party (left)
PDT--Democratic Labor Party (left)
PTB--Brazilian Labor Party (center-right)
PSB--Brazilian Socialist Party (left)
PCdoB--Communist Party of Brazil (left)
PL--Liberal Party (center-right)

President Cardoso was elected with the support of a heterodox
alliance of his own center-left Social Democratic Party, the
PSDB, and two center-right parties, the Liberal Front Party (PFL)
and the Brazilian Labor Party (PTB).  Brazil's largest party, the
centrist Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), joined
Cardoso's governing coalition after the election, as did the
center-right PPB, the Brazilian Progressive Party, in 1996.
Party loyalty is weak, and deputies and senators who belong to
the parties comprising the government coalition do not always
vote with the government.  As a result, President Cardoso has had
difficulty, at times, gaining sufficient support for some of his
legislative priorities, despite the fact that his coalition
parties hold an overwhelming majority of congressional seats.
Nevertheless, the Cardoso administration has accomplished many of
its legislative and reform objectives.

States are organized like the federal government, with three
government branches.  Because of the mandatory revenue allocation
to states and municipalities provided for in the 1988
constitution, Brazilian governors and mayors have exercised
considerable power since 1989.

Presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial elections last
took place in October 1998.  Fernando Henrique Cardoso won the
presidential election with approximately 53% of the vote, while
his closest challenger, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT), had about
32%.  The next national elections will be held in October 2002.

Principal Government Officials

President--Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Vice-President--Marco Maciel
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Luiz Felipe Lampreia
Ambassador to the U.S.--Rubens Barbosa
Ambassador to the UN--Gelson Fonseca, Jr.
Ambassador to the OAS--Valter Pecly Moreia

Brazil maintains an embassy in the United States at 3006
Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel.
202-238-2700). Brazil maintains consulates general in New York,
Chicago, and Los Angeles; and consulates in Miami, Houston,
Boston, San Francisco, and Orlando.

ECONOMY

Brazil is the tenth-largest economy in the world, with 1999 GDP
of $555 billion.  It is a highly diversified economy with wide
variations in levels of development.  Most large industry is
concentrated in the south and southeast.  The northeast is
traditionally the poorest part of Brazil, but it is beginning to
attract new investment.  Brazil embarked on a successful economic
stabilization program, the Plano Real (named for the new
currency, the real; plural: reais) in July 1994.  Inflation --
which had reached an annual level of nearly 5000% at the end of
1993 -- fell sharply, reaching a low of 2.5% in 1998, before
climbing to 9% in 1999.  Brazil successfully shifted from an
essentially, fixed exchange rate regime to a floating regime in
January 1999.

The Cardoso administration has introduced to Congress a series of
constitutional reform proposals to replace a state-dominated
economy with a market-oriented one and to restructure all levels
of government on a sound fiscal sound basis.  Congress has
approved several amendments to open the economy to greater
private sector participation, including foreign investors.  By
the end of last year, Brazil's privatization program, which
included the sale of steel and telecommunications firms, had
generated proceeds of over $90 billion.  Passage of the Fiscal
Responsibility Law in mid-2000 will improve fiscal discipline at
all three levels (federal, state, and municipal) and all three
branches of government.  Some measures have been adopted to
address large deficits in Brazil's pension programs, but more
remains to be done.  Tax reform (simplification) has been under
debate for over 2 years, but there has not yet been sufficient
closure for final legislative action.  Despite fiscal austerity,
the administration has acknowledged the need to invest more in
education and health to redress social inequity.

Market opening and economic stabilization have significantly
enhanced Brazil's growth prospects.  Brazil's trade has almost
doubled since 1990.  U.S. direct foreign investment has increased
from less than $19 billion in 1994 to an estimated $38 billion
through 1999.  The United States is the largest foreign investor
in Brazil.  Upcoming privatizations in the power and banking
sectors will likely elicit strong interest from U.S. firms.

Brazil is endowed with vast agricultural resources.  There are
basically two distinct agricultural areas.  The first, comprised
of the southern one-half to two-thirds of the country, has a
semi-temperate climate and higher rainfall, the better soils,
higher technology and input use, adequate infrastructure, and
more experienced farmers.  It produces most of Brazil's grains
and oilseeds and export crops.  The other, located in the
drought-ridden northeast region and in the Amazon basin, lacks
well-distributed rainfall, good soil, adequate infrastructure,
and sufficient development capital.  Although producing mostly
for self-sufficiency, the latter regions are increasingly
important as exporters of forest products, cocoa, and tropical
fruits.  Central Brazil contains substantial areas of grassland
with only scattered trees.  The Brazilian grasslands are less
fertile than those of North America and are generally more suited
for grazing.

Brazilian agriculture is well diversified, and the country is
largely self-sufficient in food. Agriculture accounts for 8% of
the country's GDP, and employs about one-quarter of the labor
force in more than 6 million agricultural enterprises.  Brazil is
the world's largest producer of sugarcane and coffee, and a net
exporter of cocoa, soybeans, orange juice, tobacco, forest
products, and other tropical fruits and nuts.  Livestock
production is important in many sections of the country, with
rapid growth in the poultry, pork, and milk industries reflecting
changes in consumers tastes.  On a value basis, production is 60%
field crop and 40% livestock.  Brazil is a net exporter of
agricultural and food products, which account for about 35% of
the country's exports.

Half of Brazil is covered by forests, with the largest rain
forest in the world located in the Amazon Basin.  Recent
migrations into the Amazon and large-scale burning of forest
areas have placed the international spotlight on Brazil.  The
government has reduced incentives for such activity and is
beginning to implement an ambitious environmental plan, and has
just adopted an Environmental Crimes Law that requires serious
penalties for infractions.

Brazil has one of the most advanced industrial sectors in Latin
America.  Accounting for one-third of GDP, Brazil's diverse
industries range from automobiles, steel, and petrochemicals, to
computers, aircraft, and consumer durables.  With the increased
economic stability provided by the Plano Real, Brazilian firms
and multinationals have invested heavily in new equipment and
technology, a large share of which has been purchased from U.S.
firms.

Brazil has a diverse and sophisticated services industry as well.
 During the early 1990s, the banking sector accounted for as much
as 16% of GDP.  Although undergoing a major overhaul, Brazil's
financial services industry provides local firms a wide range of
products and is attracting numerous new entrants, including U.S.
financial firms. The Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro stock exchanges
are undergoing a consolidation and the reinsurance sector is
about to be privatized.

The Brazilian Government has undertaken an ambitious program to
reduce dependence on imported oil.  Imports previously accounted
for more than 70% of the country's oil needs but now account for
about 33%.  Brazil is one of the world's leading producers of
hydroelectric power, with a current capacity of about 58,000
megawatts.  Existing hydroelectric power provides 92% of the
nation's electricity.  Two large hydroelectrical projects, the
12,600 megawatt Itaipu Dam on the Parana River -- the world's
largest dam -- and the Tucurui Dam in Para in northern Brazil,
are in operation.  Brazil's first commercial nuclear reactor,
Angra I, located near Rio de Janeiro, has been in operation for
more than 10 years.  Angra II is under construction and, after
years of delays, is about to come on line.  An Angra III is
planned.  The three reactors would have combined capacity of
3,000 megawatts when completed.

Proven mineral resources are extensive.  Large iron and manganese
reserves are important sources of industrial raw materials and
export earnings.  Deposits of nickel, tin, chromite, bauxite,
beryllium, copper, lead, tungsten, zinc, gold, and other minerals
are exploited.  High-quality coking-grade coal required in the
steel industry is in short supply.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Traditionally, Brazil has been a leader in the inter-American
community and has played an important role in collective security
efforts, as well as in economic cooperation in the Western
Hemisphere.  Brazil supported the Allies in both World Wars.
During World War II, its expeditionary force in Italy played a
key role in the allied victory at Monte Castello.  It is a party
to the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (Rio
Treaty) and a member of the Organization of American States
(OAS).  Recently, Brazil has given high priority to expanding
relations with its South American neighbors and is a founding
member of the Amazon Pact, the Latin American Integration
Association (ALADI), and Mercosul (Mercosur in Spanish), an
imperfect customs union including Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay,
and Brazil.  Along with Argentina, Chile, and the United States,
Brazil is one of the guarantors of the Peru-Ecuador peace
process.  Brazil is a charter member of the United Nations and
participates in many of its specialized agencies.  It has
contributed troops to UN peacekeeping efforts in the Middle East,
the former Belgian Congo, Cyprus, Mozambique, and most
significantly, Angola. Brazil has been a member of the UN
Security Council four times, most recently 1998-2000.

As Brazil's domestic economy has grown and diversified, the
country has become increasingly involved in international
politics and economics.  The United States, Western Europe, and
Japan are primary markets for Brazilian exports and sources of
foreign lending and investment.  Brazil has also bolstered its
commitment to non-proliferation through ratification of the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), signing a full-scale
nuclear safeguard agreement with the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA), acceeding to the Treaty of Tlatelolco, and
becoming a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)
and the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

U.S.-BRAZILIAN RELATIONS

The United States was the first country to recognize Brazil's
independence in 1822.  The two countries have traditionally
enjoyed friendly, active relations encompassing a broad political
and economic agenda.

With the inauguration of Brazil's internationally oriented,
reformist President Fernando Henrique Cardoso on January 1, 1995,
U.S.-Brazil engagement and cooperation have intensified.  This is
reflected in the unprecedented number of high-level contacts
between the two governments, including President Cardoso's state
visit to Washington in April 1995, visits to Brazil by President
Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretaries of
State Madeleine Albright and Warren Christopher, Secretaries of
Commerce Ronald Brown and William Daley, Secretary of Defense
William S. Cohen, and many other exchanges between U.S. and
Brazilian cabinet and sub-cabinet officials.  Important topics of
discussion and cooperation have included trade and finance,
hemispheric economic integration, United Nations reform and
peacekeeping efforts, non-proliferation and arms control,
follow-up to the 1994 Miami Summit of the Americas, common
efforts to help resolve the Peru-Ecuador border conflict, and
support for Paraguay's democratic development, human rights,
counternarcotics, and environmental issues.

During President Clinton's October 1997 visit to Brazil, several
agreements were signed, including: an Education Partnership
Agreement, which enhances and expands cooperative initiatives in
such areas as standards-based education reform, use of
technology, and professional development of teachers; a Mutual
Legal Assistance treaty; and agreements on cooperation in energy,
the international space station, national parks, and government
reform.  In April 2000 the United States and Brazil signed a
Technical Safeguards Agreement to permit U.S. commercial firms to
participate in the development of the Alcantara spaceport.
During a visit of then-Under Secretary of State Timothy Wirth to
Brazil in October 1995, the two countries signed a Common Agenda
on the Environment, laying the foundation for cooperative efforts
in environmental protection.  Brazil is a key player in
hemispheric efforts to negotiate an FTAA by 2005, and hosted the
May 1997 FTAA Trade Ministerial in Belo Horizonte.

President Cardoso has been willing to discuss race relations
frankly.  He instituted an Inter-Ministerial Task Force on Race
in 1995 and strengthened the mandate of the government-funded
Palmares Foundation, dedicated to the promotion of Afro-Brazilian
heritage.  U.S. embassy public diplomacy programs seek to support
these efforts, which mirror President Clinton's National Dialogue
on Race.

Relations are advancing well in various aspects of scientific and
technical work.  During his 1996 visit, then-Secretary of State
Christopher signed a Space Cooperation agreement and initialed an
agreement on Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.

Principal U.S. Embassy Officials

Ambassador--Anthony S. Harrington
Deputy Chief of Mission--Cristobal Orozco
Defense Attache--Col. Richard Shaw, U.S. Army
Economic Counselor--Brian Stickney
Commercial Counselor--Richard Lenehan (resident in Sao Paulo)
Political Counselor--William R. Barr
Science Counselor--Darrell Jenks
Public Affairs Counselor--Mary Kruger
Consul General in Sao Paulo--Carmen Martinez
Consul General in Rio de Janeiro--Adrienne O'Neal
Consul in Recife--Francisco Fernandez

The U.S. embassy in Brasilia is located at SES Avenida das
Nacoes, quadra 801, lote 3, Brasilia, DF, CEP: 70.403-900 (tel.
55-61-321-7272), (fax 55-61-321-2833). Internet:
http://www.embaixada-americana.org.br/

There are U.S. consulates general in Rio de Janeiro and Sao
Paulo, and a consulate in Recife. Consular agents are located in
Manaus, Belem, Salvador, Fortaleza, and Porto Alegre. Branch
offices of the U.S. Information Service (USIS) are located in
Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, and Sao Paulo. Branch offices of the
U.S. Foreign Commercial Services are located in Brasilia, Sao
Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Belo Horizonte.

U.S. Embassy and Consulate Functions

In addition to working closely with Brazilian Government
officials to strengthen the bilateral relationship, the U.S.
embassy and consulates in Brazil provide a wide range of services
to U.S. citizens and business.  Political, economic, and science
officers deal directly with the Brazilian Government in advancing
U.S. interests, but are also available to brief U.S. citizens on
general conditions in the country.  Attaches from the U.S.
Commercial Service and Foreign Agriculture Service work closely
with hundreds of U.S. companies that maintain offices in Brazil.
These officers provide information on Brazilian trade and
industry regulations, and administer several programs to aid U.S.
companies starting or maintaining business ventures in Brazil.
The number of trade events and U.S. companies traveling to Brazil
to participate in U.S. Commercial Service and Foreign Agriculture
Service programs over the last 3 years has tripled.

The consular section of the embassy provides vital services to
the estimated 50,000 U.S. citizens residing in Brazil.  Among
other services, the consular section assists Americans who wish
to participate in U.S. elections while abroad and provides U.S.
tax information.  Besides the U.S. residents living in Brazil,
some 150,000 U.S. citizens visit annually. The consular section
offers passport and emergency services to U.S. tourists as needed
during their stay in Brazil.

OTHER BUSINESS CONTACTS

U.S. Department of Commerce
Office of Latin America and the Caribbean
International Trade Administration
14th and Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20230
Tel: 202-482-0428
1-800-U.S.A-TRADE
Fax: 202-482-4157
Automated fax service for trade-related info: 202-482-4464
Internet:http://www.ita.doc.gov

American Chamber of Commerce of Sao Paulo
Rua da Paz, no. 1431
04713-001 - Chacara Santo Antonio
Sao Paulo - SP, Brazil
Tel: 55-11-51-803-804
Fax: 55-11-51-803-777
E-mail: [email protected]
Home Page: http://www.amcham.com.br

American Chamber of Commerce of Rio de Janeiro
Praca Pio X-15, 5th Floor
Caixa Postal 916
20040 Rio de Janeiro--RJ-Brazil
Tel: 55-21-203-2477
Fax: 55-21-263-4477
E-mail:[email protected]
Home Page: http://amchamrio.com.br
Branch also in Salvador

TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION

The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program
provides Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings, and Public
Announcements.  Consular Information Sheets exist for all
countries and include information on entry requirements, currency
regulations, health conditions, areas of instability, crime and
security, political disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S.
posts in the country.  Travel Warnings are issued when the State
Department recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain
country.  Public Announcements are issued as a means to
disseminate information quickly about terrorist threats and other
relatively short-term conditions overseas which pose significant
risks to the security of American travelers.  Free copies of this
information are available by calling the Bureau of Consular
Affairs at 202-647-5225 or via the fax-on-demand system:
202-647-3000.  Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings
also are available on the Consular Affairs Internet home page
http://travel.state.gov.  Consular Affairs Tips for Travelers
publication series, which contain information on obtaining
passports and planning a safe trip abroad are on the internet and
hard copies can be purchased from the Superintendent of
Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, telephone:
202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250.

Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may
be obtained from the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at
(202) 647-5225.  For after-hours emergencies, Sundays and
holidays, call 202-647-4000.

Passport information can be obtained by calling the National
Passport Information Center's automated system ($.35 per minute)
or live operators 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (EST) Monday-Friday ($1.05 per
minute).  The number is 1-900-225-5674 (TDD: 1-900-225-7778).
Major credit card users (for a flat rate of $4.95) may call
1-888-362-8668 (TDD: 1-888-498-3648).  It also is available on
the internet.

Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia.
A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP (877-394-8747) and a web site at
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm give the most recent health
advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements, and
advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and
countries.  A booklet entitled Health Information for
International Travel (HHS publication number CDC-95-8280) is
available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington,
DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.

Information on travel conditions, visa requirements, currency and
customs regulations, legal holidays, and other items of interest
to travelers also may be obtained before your departure from a
country's embassy and/or consulates in the U.S. (for this
country, see "Principal Government Officials" listing in this
publication).

U.S. citizens who are long-term visitors or traveling in
dangerous areas are encouraged to register at the U.S. embassy
upon arrival in a country (see :Principal U.S. Embassy Officials"
listing in this publication).  This may help family members
contact you in case of an emergency.

Further Electronic Information

Department of State Foreign Affairs Network.  Available on the
Internet, DOSFAN provides timely, global access to official U.S.
foreign policy information.  Updated daily, DOSFAN includes
Background Notes; daily press briefings; Country Commercial
Guides; directories of key officers of Foreign Service posts;
etc.  DOSFAN's World Wide Web site is at http://www.state.gov.

National Trade Data Bank (NTDB).  Operated by the U.S. Department
of Commerce, the NTDB contains a wealth of trade-related
information.  It is available on the Internet
http://www.stat-usa.gov and on CD-ROM.  Call the NTDB Help-Line
at (202) 482-1986 for more information.


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