Brazil was discovered by Portuguese explorers in 1500 and remained a colony of Portugal until 1822. It was a monarchy until 1889, when it became the Federated Republic of Brazil.
From 1889 until 1964, Brazil saw a series of both democratic and dictatorial rulers. In March 1964, power was seized by the military. which ruled the country until 1985.
The period from 1985 to the present has been mixed. While democracy has flourished, economic troubles continue to plague the nation.
