The official language of Brazil is Portuguese. It is spoken by about 99% of the population, making it one of the strongest elements of national identity.
The first European to explore Brazil was Pedro Álvares Cabral in the year of 1500 under the sponsorship of Portugal. From the 16th to the 19th centurie, Brazil was a colony of Portugal. In 1822, the country declared its independence from Portugal and became a constitutional monarchy.
A military coup in 1889 established a republican government.
The country has seen a dictatorship for many years and the worst was the period of the military rule from 1964 to 1985.
Tancredo Neves was elected president in an indirect election in 1985 as the nation returned to civilian rule. He died before being sworn in, and the elected vice president, José Sarney, was sworn in as president in his place.
Fernando Collor de Mello was the first elected president by popular vote after the military regime in 1989. Later, in the early hours of December 30, 1992, by the required two-thirds majority, the Senate found the former President guilty of the charges of impeachment for corruption.
In the 2010 Brazil elected the first woman President, Dilma Rousseff.
The culture of Brazil presents a very diverse nature showing that an ethnic and cultural mixing occurred in the colonial period involving mostly Native Americans, Portuguese and Africans. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries Italian,German, Spanish, Ukrainians, Polish, Arab and Japanese immigrants settled in Brazil and played an important role in its culture, creating a multicultural and multiethnic society.
Brazilian cuisine varies greatly by region. This diversity reflects the country's mix of natives and immigrants. This has created a national cooking style,