Brazil

Did You Know?

Population
196.5
mil.
Visitors per year
5.2
mil.
Renewable energy
45.8
%

How’s Life?

Brazil has made progress in recent years in improving the quality of life of its citizens, as shown by the fact that Brazilians’ general satisfaction with their lives is higher than the OECD average despite lower than average scores in some topics on the Better Life Index.

Money, while it cannot buy happiness, is an important means to achieving higher living standards. In Brazil, the average household net-adjusted disposable income is lower than the OECD average of 23 047 USD a year.

In terms of employment, over 68% of people aged 15 to 64 in Brazil have a paid job, slightly more than the OECD employment average of 66%. Some 80% of men are in paid work, compared with 56% of women. In Brazil, 12% of employees work very long hours, higher than the OECD average of 9%, with 15% of men working very long hours compared with 9% for women.

Having a good education is an important requisite for finding a job. In Brazil, 41% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, less than the OECD average of 74%. This is truer of women than men, as 39% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 43% of women. Among younger people – a better indicator of Brazil’s future – 53% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also lower than the OECD average of 82% but showing progress. In terms of education quality, the average student scored 401 in reading literacy, maths and science in the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This score is lower than the OECD average of 497. The gender gap in Brazil is narrower than for the OECD overall, with girls scoring 403 and boys 399, compared with an average OECD difference of 9 points in favour of girls.

In terms of health, life expectancy at birth in Brazil is 74 years, 6 years lower than the OECD average of 80 years. Life expectancy for women is 77 years, compared with 70 for men. The level of atmospheric PM10 – tiny air pollutant particles small enough to enter and cause damage to the lungs –is 20 micrograms per cubic meter, close to the OECD average of 21 micrograms per cubic meter. Brazil could do better in terms of water quality, as 75% of people say they are satisfied with the quality of their water, less than the OECD average of 84%.  

Concerning the public sphere, there is a moderate sense of community and high levels of civic participation in Brazil, where 88% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need, slightly less than the OECD average 90%. Voter turnout, a measure of public trust in government and of citizens’ participation in the political process, was 79%, higher than the OECD average of 72%. There is little difference in voting levels across society; voter turnout for the top 20% of the population is 81% and for the bottom 20% it is 80%, much narrower than the OECD average gap of 12 percentage points and suggesting there is broad social inclusion in Brazil’s democratic institutions.

In general, Brazilians are more satisfied with their lives than the OECD average, with 82% of people saying they have more positive experiences in an average day (feelings of rest, pride in accomplishment, enjoyment, etc) than negative ones (pain, worry, sadness, boredom, etc). This figure is higher than the OECD average of 80%.

Topics

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Brazil in Detail

Housing

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Key Findings

Living in satisfactory housing conditions is one of the most important aspects of people’s lives. Housing is essential to meet basic needs, such as shelter, but it is not just a question of four walls and a roof. Housing should offer a place to sleep and rest where people feel safe and have privacy and personal space; somewhere they can raise a family. All of these elements help make a house a home. And of course there is the question whether people can afford adequate housing.

Housing costs take up a large share of the household budget and represent the largest single expenditure for many individuals and families, by the time you add up elements such as rent, gas, electricity, water, furniture or repairs. But in addition to housing costs it is also important to examine living conditions, such as the average number of rooms shared per person and whether households have access to basic facilities. In Brazil, 82% of people say they are satisfied with their current housing situation, less than the OECD average of 87%. This level of subjective satisfaction reflects Brazil’s mixed performance in objective housing indicators.

The number of rooms in a dwelling, divided by the number of persons living there, indicates whether residents are living in crowded conditions. Overcrowded housing may have a negative impact on physical and mental health, relations with others and the development of children. In addition, dense living conditions are often a sign of inadequate water and sewage supply. In terms of basic facilities, an estimated 93.3% of people in Brazil live in dwellings with private access to an indoor flushing toilet, less than the OECD average of 97.8%.

Indicators

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Income

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Key Findings

While money may not buy happiness, it is an important means to achieving higher living standards and thus greater well-being. Higher economic wealth may also improve access to quality education, healthcare and housing.

Household net-adjusted disposable income is the amount of money that a household earns each year after tax. It represents the money available to a household for spending on goods or services. In Brazil, the average household net-adjusted disposable income is considerably lower than the OECD average of 23 047USD.

Household financial wealth is the total value of a household’s financial worth. In Brazil, the average household net financial wealth is lower than the OECD average of 40 516 USD. While the ideal measure of household wealth should include real assets (e.g. land and dwellings), such information is currently available for only a small number of OECD countries.

Indicators

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Jobs

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Key Findings

Having a job brings many important benefits, including: providing a source of income, improving social inclusion, fulfilling one’s own aspirations, building self-esteem and developing skills and competencies. In Brazil, nearly 68% of the working-age population aged 15 to 64 has a paid job. This figure is slightly higher than the OECD employment average of 66%. Employment rates are generally higher for individuals with a higher level of education; in Brazil an estimated 86% of individuals with at least a tertiary education have a paid job, compared with an estimated 62% for those without an upper secondary education. This 24 percentage point difference is smaller than the OECD average of 37 percentage points and suggests the job market in Brazil is relatively inclusive.  

Women are still less likely than men to participate in the labour market. In Brazil, 56% of women have jobs. This is less than the OECD average of 60% and much less than the 80% employment rate of men in Brazil. This 24 percentage point gender difference is much higher than the OECD average of 12 percentage points and suggests employment opportunities for women could be improved in Brazil.

Another essential factor of employment quality is job security. Employees working on temporary contracts are more vulnerable than workers with an open-ended contract. In Brazil, around 14% of total employees have a contract of 6 months or less, higher than the average of 10% for 30 OECD countries. This figure suggests that greater stabilisation of working contracts could be encouraged for Brazilian employees. 

Indicators

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Community

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. In Brazil, around 44% of people reported having helped a stranger in the last month, less than the OECD average of 48%.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Brazil, 88% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, less than the OECD average of 90%. There is a 3 percentage point difference between men and women, as 90% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 87% of women. There is also a slight difference in the availability of social support depending on people’s education level. In Brazil, around 88% of people who have completed only primary education report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 91% for people who attained tertiary education.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. 

Indicators

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Education

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy.  Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Brazil, 41% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, much less than the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from the same age group. In Brazil, however, 43% of women have successfully completed high-school compared with 39% of men. Among younger people – a better indicator of Brazil’s future – 53% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also less than the OECD average of 82% but showing progress.

Brazilians can expect to go through 16.3 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, close to the OECD average of 16.5 years. This level of education expectancy could influence Brazil’s future performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Brazil scored 401 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, lower than the OECD average of 497. On average in Brazil, girls outperformed boys by 3 points, less than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Brazil, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 91 points, lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Brazil provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Indicators

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Environment

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Key Findings

The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of peoples’ lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.

PM10 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Brazil, PM10 levels are 19.5 micrograms per cubic meter, lower than the OECD average of 20.9 micrograms per cubic meter and lower than the annual guideline limit of 20 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization. 

Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Brazil, 75% of people say they are satisfied with water quality. This figure is lower than the OECD average of 84% 

Indicators

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Civic engagement

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Key Findings

A cohesive society is one where citizens have a high degree of confidence in their governmental institutions and public administration. In Brazil, 44% of people say they trust their political institutions, less than the OECD average of 56%. High voter turnout is another measure of public trust in government and of citizens’ participation in the political process. In the most recent elections for which data is available, voter turnout in Brazil was 78% of those registered. This figure is higher than the OECD average of 72%.

Even if the right to vote is universal in all OECD countries, not everyone exercises this right. There is little difference in the voting rates of men and women in most OECD countries. This is the case in Brazil, where the voter turnout of men and women is nearly the same. While on average there are few differences between men and women concerning participation in elections, income can have a strong influence on voter turnout. In Brazil, voter turnout for the top 20% of the population is an estimated 81%, whereas the participation rate of the bottom 20% is an estimated 80%. This 1 percentage point difference is much lower than the OECD average difference of 12 percentage points, and suggests there is broad social inclusion in Brazil’s democratic institutions. 

Better Policies for Better Lives

Mobilising citizens, businesses and civil society 

The Brazilian government believes that by involving citizens in decision-making they become co-responsible for policy development. This allows for much-needed social debate about public policies and public service delivery. Between 2003 and 2009, the Brazilian federal government organised 60 national and international conferences on a wide range of public policy areas, gathering 4 million people from the public sector, voluntary sector and citizens, and bringing society closer to the production of public services.

The Economic and Social Development Council is another good example of government efforts to engage citizens in discussing public policies. The Council was created in 2003 to discuss development issues between the government and society and includes workers, businesses, social movements and specialists in particular areas of knowledge.

Furthermore, a national network for improving public management and cutting red tape has been very active in discussing reforms. The network involves civil servants, businesses, NGOs, academia, students and citizens in general.

Indicators

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Health

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Key Findings

Most OECD countries have enjoyed large gains in life expectancy over the past decades, thanks to improvements in living conditions, public health interventions and progress in medical care. Life expectancy at birth in Brazil stands at almost 74 years, 6 years below the OECD average of 80 years. Life expectancy for women is 77 years, compared with 70 for men, close to the average OECD gender gap of six years, with a life expectancy for women of 83 years and 77 years for men.  

Higher life expectancy is generally associated with higher healthcare spending per person, although many other factors have an impact on life expectancy (such as living standards, lifestyles, education and environmental factors). Health spending accounts for 9.0% of Brazilian GDP, about half a percentage point lower than the OECD average of 9.5%. Brazil also ranks below the OECD average in terms of total health spending per person, at 1028 USD in 2010, compared with an OECD average of 3268 USD.

Throughout the OECD, tobacco consumption and excessive weight gain remain two important risk factors for many chronic diseases. In Brazil, the proportion of adults who smoke daily is 15.1%, lower than the current OECD average of 21.1%. In many OECD countries, large proportions of the population are overweight or obese. In Brazil, the obesity rate among adults based on self-reported height and weight is 15.0%, lower than the OECD average of 17.8%. Obesity’s growing prevalence foreshadows increases in the occurrence of health problems (such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and asthma), and higher health care costs in the future.

Indicators

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Life Satisfaction

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Key Findings

Happiness or subjective well-being can be measured in terms of life satisfaction, the presence of positive experiences and feelings, and the absence of negative experiences and feelings. Such measures, while subjective, are a useful complement to objective data to compare the quality of life across countries.

Life satisfaction measures how people evaluate their life as a whole rather than their current feelings. It captures a reflective assessment of which life circumstances and conditions are important for subjective well-being. When asked to rate their general satisfaction with life on a scale from 0 to 10, Brazilians gave it a 6.7 grade, slightly higher than the OECD average of 6.6.

There is little difference in life satisfaction levels between men and women across OECD countries. This is true in Brazil, where men gave their life a 6.6 grade and women 6.7. Education levels do, however, strongly influence subjective well-being. Whereas people who have only completed primary education in Brazil have a life satisfaction level of 6.3, this score reaches 7.1 for people with tertiary education.

Happiness, or subjective well-being, is also measured by the presence of positive experiences and feelings, and/or the absence of negative experiences and feelings. In Brazil, 82% of people reported having more positive experiences in an average day (feelings of rest, pride in accomplishment, enjoyment, etc) than negative ones (pain, worry, sadness, boredom, etc). This figure is higher than the OECD average of 80%.

Better Policies for Better Lives

Improving living conditions for the poorest

The fight against extreme poverty has long been a priority for the Brazilian government. The Bolsa Família cash-transfer programme has proven very successful in this fight by using benefits to encourage the poorest to take up their rights to free education and healthcare. It links four key elements: school attendance, maternal nutrition, child labour and cooking gas subsidies. By addressing issues linked to health, income, education and social conditions, this programme directly contributes to improving life satisfaction for the poorest in Brazil. Reception of the monthly child benefit is conditional on children enrolling in school, health visit requirements and pregnant women undergoing medical check-ups.

Overall, the programme is generally considered to have successfully reduced poverty and raised poor children’s attendance at school. Evidence also suggests that Bolsa Família shifts the allocation of expenditure in poor households towards food, educational materials and children’s clothing.

By targeting the very poor and poor, this programme has managed to relieve poverty at a relatively low fiscal cost. The OECD thus recommends the extension in scale and scope of the Bolsa Família.

 

Indicators

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Safety

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Key Findings

Personal security is a core element for the well-being of individuals, and largely reflects the risks of people being physically assaulted or falling victim to other types of crime. Across the OECD, assault rates have generally declined in the past five years. In Brazil, 7.9% of people reported falling victim to assault over the previous 12 months, nearly twice the OECD average of 4.0%. There is little difference between men and women in assault rates, at 7.5% for men and 8.2% for women.

The homicide rate (the number of murders per 100,000 inhabitants) is a more reliable measure of a country’s safety level because, unlike other crimes, murders are usually always reported to the police. According to the latest OECD data, Brazil’s homicide rate is 21.0, almost ten times the OECD average of 2.2. In Brazil, the homicide rate for men is 39.0 compared with 3.8 for women.

Fear of crime is another important indicator as it can constrain behaviour, restrict freedom and threaten the foundation of communities. Despite a general reduction in assault rates in the past five years, in many OECD countries feelings of security have declined. In Brazil, 40% of people feel safe walking alone at night, lower than the OECD average of 67%. While men are at a greater risk of being victims of assaults and violent crimes, women report lower feelings of security than men. This has been explained by a greater fear of sexual attacks, the feeling they must also protect their children and their concern that they may be seen as partially responsible.

Better Policies for Better Lives

Preventing youth violence

Although it has decreased in recent years, Brazil’s homicide rate is still one of the highest in the world at 25 per 100 000. Violence is concentrated among young people and over the past decade and a half violence – including armed violence – has become a social problem in the country.

The government, private and civil society sectors have all launched initiatives to reduce armed violence in major cities, targeting specific “at-risk” groups. For example, the PRONASCI programme contributes to both stability and social welfare through innovative processes, such as encouraging citizens to report crime. As part of the programme, special police units (UPP) are sent to “hot” zones, to reclaim shanty-town neighbourhoods controlled by narco-traffickers and private militias. The UPP then deploys community police to improve services provided by the police and also public perception of the police. As a result, violent crime has dropped dramatically and property values have increased.

Despite these encouraging results, it is important to closely monitor and evaluate such interventions in their entirety.

Indicators

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Work-Life Balance

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Key Findings

Finding a suitable balance between work and life is a challenge for all workers, especially working parents. Some couples would like to have (more) children, but do not see how they could afford to stop working. Other parents are happy with the number of children in their family, but would like to work more. This is a challenge to governments because if parents cannot achieve their desired work/life balance, not only is their welfare lowered but so is development in the country.

An important aspect of work-life balance is the amount of time a person spends at work. The share of employees working more than 50 hours per week is not very large across OECD countries. In Brazil, 13% of employees work very long hours, more than the OECD average of 9%. Overall, men spend more hours in paid work: in Brazil 15% of men work very long hours, compared with 9% for women.

 

Indicators

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