Boundaries of Brazil

BOUNDARIES OF BRAZIL

( version in Spanish ) , ( version in Portuguese )

Brazil has an area of more than 8,500,000 kms². Before it became an independent nation,its territory was delimited by the Treaties of Madrid (1750) and Santo Ildefonso (1777),wich separated the colonial rights of Portugal and Spain in South America.

By arbitration or by direct agreement, without a single drop of blood, braziliandiplomats established the boundaries of Brazil based on cartographic and historical documentsand according to the principle of "uti possidetis", or the right of possession,stated in the Traty of Madrid.

The work of delimitation was concluded in century XIX by the braziliandiplomacy, especially by Duarte da Ponte Ribeiro, Paulino José Soaresde Souza, Joaquim Caetano da Silvaand the Viscond of Rio Branco. In the beginning of the century XX, thestill pending bigger boundary problems, were solved by the directaction of the Baron of Rio Branco.

With a coast of 7,367 kilometers, Brazil has terrestrial boundaries with nine countries of South America:Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname, and with the French Department of Guiana,with an extention of over 16.886 kilometers.

In order to deal with international boundaries, the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has, in the Secretaryof State (in Brasilia) a Frontier Division ( DF ), that coordenates the activities of two Technical Commissions:

__ The First Brazilian Delimiting Commission ( PCDL), , in Belem (Pará),in charge of activities on the boundaries of Brazil with Perú, Colômbia, Venezuela, Guiana, Suriname y Dep.Francesa

__ The Second Brazilian Delimiting Comission ( SCDL ), in Rio de Janeiro,in charge of activities on the boundaries of Brazil with Uruguay, Argentine, Paraguay and Bolivia.

- Click in the boundary that you want more information

Bolivia |Paraguay |Argentina |Uruguay

Boundaries on the Sea

- See boundaries of Peru, Colômbia, Venezuela, Guiana, Suriname e Dep.Francesa donne by PCDL.

Resumé of Boundaries

Concepts on "Frontiers and Boundaries"
in Spanhish | in Portuguese | in English| in French

Historical-geographic discusion from Retis Grup (UFRJ) "

"Principios de Derecho Internacional"

The Brasilian Demarcation Comissions - Brief Historical Notice
in Portuguese | in English

Interesting Sites in Internet on International Boundaries.

Comments will be accepted!

Send them by e-mail for: (wrmkkk@lncc.br )