Following
three centuries under the rule of
Portugal,
Brazil
became
an
independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. By far the largest
and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than
half a century of military intervention in the governance of the
country when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to
civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural
growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural
resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's leading
economic power and a regional leader. The official language is
Portuguese,
but
Spanish,
English, and
French are also
spoken.