About Brazil

The República Federativa do Brazil is a federation of 26 constituent states and the federal District comprising Brasília, the federal capital.

As concerns the locations of sovereignty, the actual distribution of powers and functions as set out in the Constitution of 1988 definitely favours the Union. Articles 21 and 22 enumerate a long list of exclusive powers of the Union. They include the ones which are usually reserved to the federation, e.g. foreign affairs, defence, citizenship, international and interstate commerce, customs, finance, banking, currency, coinage, and nationwide public services like postal services, telecommunications, railways, shipping, air transport, and interstate highways. In addition, the Union is given competence for formulating and implementing plans for economic and social development and for legislating on criminal, civil, commercial, agrarian, labour, and procedural law. It may operate either directly or through authorization, concession or permission radio and television services as well as electrical power supply and nuclear energy. It organizes the national employment system and is responsible for social security. Even the guidelines for the national education system fall within the authority of the Union.

The concurrent list (Articles 23 and 24) includes public health and social welfare, housing, environment protection, the exploitation of water and mineral resources, forestry, hunting, fishing, tourism, education, culture, and taxation. In the event of conflict Federal law will prevail.

The residue of powers is left to the states. Each state has a constitution and an elected, single-chamber legislature and governor. Basic provisions for these are contained in Articles 27 and 28 of the Federal Constitution.