Brazil vs Russia
Brazil leads on 2 of 6 metrics, Russia on 4. Here's the full side-by-side breakdown.
Brazil vs Russia: the verdict
Brazil is the more populous of the two, home to 212.81 million people — about 1.5× the population of Russia (143.51 million).
On the economy, Russia has the larger nominal GDP at $2.56T. But measured per person, Russia comes out ahead on GDP per capita ($17,847), a better proxy for average living standards.
Geographically, Russia is the larger country, spanning 17,098,242 km².
Russia records the higher Human Development Index (0.832), reflecting stronger combined outcomes in health, education and income (source: UNDP).
Overall, Russia leads on more headline metrics in this comparison, though "which country is better" depends entirely on which measures matter to you.
Full breakdown
Brazil
BrazilBrazilGovernment & politics
BrazilBrazil
Brazil is a federal presidential republic modelled partly on the United States. The President is both head of state and head of government, directly elected and serving as commander of the armed forces. Power is divided among the executive, a bicameral National Congress and an independent judiciary led by the Supreme Federal Court. Brazil's many political parties mean presidents must build broad coalitions in Congress to govern.
Russia
On paper Russia is a federal semi-presidential republic, but in practice power is heavily concentrated in the presidency. The President controls the security services, the military and foreign policy, and dominates a Prime Minister who chiefly manages the economy. The State Duma and the courts exercise limited independent check on executive power. Constitutional changes in 2020 further strengthened and extended the presidency.
Travel & practical
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Frequently asked questions
Which country has a higher GDP, Brazil or Russia?
Russia has the higher nominal GDP at $2.56T, compared with $2.28T for Brazil (World Bank).
Which country has a larger population, Brazil or Russia?
Brazil has the larger population with 212,812,405 people, versus 143,513,328 for Russia.
Which is larger in area, Brazil or Russia?
Russia is larger, covering 17,098,242 km² compared with 8,515,767 km² for Brazil.