In 2000, it had a population of 169,79.9 million, ranking first in Latin America and fifth in the world. Males accounted for 49.22% and females 50.78%. The urban population accounts for 81.25%, the rural population for 18.75%, the average life expectancy is 68.8 years, and the population density is 19.92 people per square kilometer (2000). White people account for 54.38%, mulatto people 39.88%, black people 5.21%, yellow people 0.39%, Indian people about 0.14%. Indians are the indigenous people of Brazil. There are 350,000 people in 227 ethnic groups and they speak 175 different languages. They live in 561 Indian reserves set up by the state of Amazonas, where 25% of the indians live (1999).


In history, There have been several large waves of immigrants in Brazil. Between 1884 and 1962, more than 4.97 million people moved to Brazil, mainly from Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Poland and Arab countries. The yellow RACES are mostly from Japan, Korea and China. Brazil has 1.3 million Japanese and 250,000 Chinese, mostly concentrated in Sao Paulo and Rio DE Janeiro.



Brazil is the world's most Catholic country, with 83 percent of its residents Catholic and a minority protestant and Jewish.