Capital of Brazil: Brasília
The capital of Brazil is Brasília. Brazil sits in South America, has a population of 215,313,498, and uses the BRL. Official languages include Portuguese.
Quick facts
- Capital: Brasília
- Continent: South America
- Population: ~215,313,498
- Area: 8,515,767 km²
- Population density: 25.3 people per km²
- Official language: Portuguese
- Currency: BRL
- ISO code: BR
How big is Brazil?
By population, Brazil ranks 7th in the world, holding roughly 2.71% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 5th.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Brazil has 25.3 people per square kilometre, which is about 2.3 times below the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.
Within South America, Brazil is the most populous country of 12.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Brazil in population are Nigeria (218,541,212) and Pakistan (235,824,862).
By land area, its closest counterparts are Australia (7,692,024 km²) and China (9,596,961 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
Portuguese is spoken officially in 9 countries in this dataset, including Angola, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique, and 3 others.
Brazil uses the BRL, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.
Brazil in South America
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Colombia, Argentina, Peru and Venezuela.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — South America is the block Brazil belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Brazil and a page on the flag of Brazil.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Brazil?
The capital of Brazil is Brasília.
What is the population of Brazil?
About 215,313,498, making it the 7th most populous country in the world.
How big is Brazil?
8,515,767 square kilometres, ranking 5th by land area, at a density of 25.3 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Brazil use?
The BRL, which no other country uses.