Brazil is divided into 26 estados (states, singular: estado) and one district, the Distrito Federal (Brazilian Federal District) which contains the capital city, Brasília.

States are based on historical, conventional borders and have developed throughout the centuries; though some boundaries are arbitrary. The federal district is not a state on its right, but shares some characteristics of a state and some of a municipality.

The Federal District is encompassed by the state of Goiás. The codes given below are defined in BR.

Formation

The following presents a brief description of the formation of the states from colonial Brazil to the present day.

1534: Capitanias Hereditárias

1573: Two States

1709: Height of the Province São Paulo

1789: Inconfidência Mineira

1823: Imperial Provinces

1889: States of the Brazilian Republic

The southern portion of the Province of São Paulo was detatched to form the state of Paraná in 1853 as punishment for participation in an Anti-Imperial revolt in 1842

1943: Border territories

In 1943, with the entrance of Brazil in the Second World War, the Vargas regime detached seven strategic territories from the border of the country in order to administrate them directly. These regions were: Amapá, Rio Branco, Acre, Guaporé, Ponta Porã, Iguaçu and the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha. The first four states were maintained as territories after the war. Rio Branco was renamed Roraima and Guaporé, Rondônia. Ponta Porã e Iguaçu returned to their original condition, and Fernando de Noronha became incorporated into the state of Pernambuco in 1988

1990: Current administrative divisions

In 1960, a square-shaped territory was removed from the state of Goiás in order to house the new capital, Brasília, in the Distrito Federal. Meanwhiole, the old federal district of was turned into Guanabara, which now corresponds to the area of Rio de Janeiro and surrounding areas.

In 1988, the northern portion of Goiás became the state of Tocantins, with Palmas established as its new capital.

See also

• Brazil
• Regions of Brazil
• Flags of Brazilian states
• List of subnational entities
• List of capitals of subnational entities

External links

• Map of Brazil
• Portal of Brazilian municipalities (in Portuguese)

Lists of subnational entities | Subdivisions of Brazil | States of Brazil

Административно деление на Федеративна Република Бразилия | Negara bagian Brazil | Brasiliens delstater | Estados de Brasil | États du Brésil | Stati di Brazil | מדינות ברזיל | ブラジルの地方行政区分 | Brazilijos regionai ir valstijos | Delstater i Brasil | Estats del Brasil | Estados do Brasil | Brasiliens delstater | Државе Бразила | Brasiliens delstater | 巴西行政区划