History and IntroductionPortuguese navigator Pedro Alvares Cabral arrived at present-day Pôrto Seguro (Safe Harbor) in the state of Bahia on the Brazilian coast in April 1500 and named the new territory Ilha de Vera Cruz, Island of the True Cross, believing itself to be on an island. A year later, Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci sailed to Brazil on a voyage commissioned by the Portuguese crown and returned home with a cargo of hard, reddish wood. The wood was similar to an East Indian variety called pau brasil, which was then popular in Europe for making cabinets and violin bows. Pau brasil (Brazil wood), the first product exploited by the Portuguese in this new territory, is the origin of the country's name, Brazil (Ramaworldtours.com, 2014). Brazil is characterized by a diverse culture and geography, and historically it has been a source of important natural resources throughout its 510-year history. It is the largest country in South America in terms of population (approximately 199.321 million - "World Population Statistics") and area (8.5 million square kilometers) and the 5th largest country in the world. Brazil has several regional variations, and while they are mostly unified by a single language, some regions are so different from each other that they could have become completely different countries. Brazil is made up of a multicultural mix: Africans, Europeans and Native Americans made up the bulk of Brazilian culture. This fact influences the arts, literature, music or gastronomy, creating a heterogeneous mix of habits and models in society. (Noble J., Chandler G. and Clark G., 2008) Bossa nova, carnival and samba are among the most popular representatives of this rich and heterogeneous culture. Brazil was colonized by Por...... middle of paper ......regional representation, in office for a four-year term)-Chamber of Deputies (513 members, directly elected for a term of eight years These have districts allocated in proportion to population.) Each state in Brazil is assigned a governor and an elected legislature. Judicial power: The Supreme Federal Court exercises ultimate judicial power. Each of its judges is elected by the members of the court and their mandate is for life. The judicial system is responsible for challenging and supporting any decision made by the government that will affect the rights of individual residents of Brazil. This gives the judiciary enormous power within Brazil's legal system. (Brazil.org.za. 2014) Privatization is one of the initiatives taken to eliminate monopolies. More than 60% of government revenue comes from paying taxes..