Brazil

Welcome to Brazil

Brazil occupies half of South America’s landmass – this vast country contains 7,400 km of coastline and a wide diversity of biomes, including the Amazon basin. It is known for its rich, colourful culture, a unique melding of Portuguese, native Indian, and African influences.

HSBC was established in Brazil in 1997. With a dedicated team of experienced professionals on the ground, HSBC aims to provide support to large local corporates, multinationals and foreign institutional investors. Our wholesale bank proposition serves as an ideal hub for international businesses.

I look forward to welcoming you to Brazil and providing you with solutions that will help your business grow!

Alexandre Guiao Chief Executive Officer, HSBC Brazil

Av. Juscelino Kubitschek, 1909 - 19 andar - Torre Norte - Vila Olímpia
São Paulo, SP - Brasil - 04551-903
business.hsbc.com.br

Brazil: Latin America’s emerging powerhouse

• Rich in resources

  Brazil has an abundance of natural resources, including gold, iron ore, nickel, niobium, tin and rare earth elements. It’s home to one of the largest mining industries in the world.

• Expanding middle class

  15% of Brazil’s population was in the middle class in the 1980s – today nearly a third of the population has achieved middle class status.

• BRIC by brick

  As a member of the BRIC economies – Brazil, Russia, India and China – Brazil is one of the nations economists expect will be a dominant supplier of raw materials by 2050.

• Major market potential

  Brazil’s economy is a force to be reckoned with – it’s the eighth largest in the world and the biggest economy in South America.

• Dynamic and diversified

  The country has a huge service sector – accounting for nearly 65% of GDP – a well-developed industrial sector and is one of the largest exporters of agricultural products in the world.

Country profile

Dominating the eastern half of South America, Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world by land mass and home to one-third of Latin America’s population.

The country boasts a rich natural and cultural heritage, unique in the world – from white sand beaches, to the largest virgin rainforest in the world, to the heady, exuberance of Carnival, and the dramatic cityscape of Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil is a melting pot of many different cultures, including Portuguese, African and indigenous people. Though Brazil gained independence from Portugal in 1822, the Portuguese influence is still felt strongly throughout the country in its language, food, and traditions.

This vast country is broken into 26 states, plus a federal district encompassing the capital city of Brasília. While the country has experienced periods of political turbulence in recent years, it is striving for stability and modernisation.

Brazil has one of the largest mining industries in the world and is known as a leading producer of iron ore, tin, manganese, gold and quartz, among others. It is also known for its large agricultural sector, and large and growing service sector.

Brazil is the world’s top producer of coffee – and has been for the last 150 years.

In 2014, Brazil hosted the FIFA World Cup, and in 2016 it hosted the Summer Olympic Games, indications of the country’s rising status in the world.

Read on to discover more about the dos and don’ts of doing business in Brazil. Also, find out how trading in or with the country could help boost the future growth of your enterprise.

5 key challenges²

1. 1

   Large size

   While Brazil’s vast size can be an asset, it also has its drawbacks. Brazil is not homogenous and regional variations in culture and laws can take time to understand and adapt to.

2. 2

   Paying taxes

   Brazil is ranked 184 out of 190 countries for paying taxes by the World Bank’s 2020 Doing Business report. PwC estimates that it takes businesses 1,501 hours to comply with Brazilian tax regulations.

3. 3

   Custo Brazil

   The term Custo Brazil refers to the additional costs of doing business in Brazil – from government inefficiency to bureaucratic difficulties – these things can complicate doing business in the country and often have a real cost associated with them.

4. 4

   Economic variability

   Over the last 20 years, Brazil’s economy has grown in fits and starts. It experienced strong economic growth between 2002 and 2012, but entered a recession in 2014, from which it has since made a modest recovery.

5. 5

   Ageing and outdated infrastructure

   Brazil’s infrastructure is greatly in need of modernisation and expansion. A 2019 study from Ipsos found 52% of Brazilians were either very or fairly dissatisfied with their country’s infrastructure. The good news is that a government plan of public-private partnerships, leases and privatisation is aiming to fix these issues.