On July 1 this year, the Brazilian population totaled 193,946,886, according to an estimate by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), published on August 31 in the Official Federal Gazette

According to the estimate, the population grew 1.57 million (0.81%) compared to July 2011. The projection indicates that the state of São Paulo is the most populous, with 41.9 million people (21.6% of the total population of the country).

After São Paulo, Minas Gerais is the next most populous state in Brazil (19.8 million), followed by the states of Rio de Janeiro (16.2 million), Bahia (14.1 million), Rio Grande do Sul (10.7 million), Paraná (10.5 million), Pernambuco (8.9 million) and Pará (7.7 million). São Paulo remains the most populous city in Brazil with approximately 11.4 million people (27% of state residents and 5.86% of the total population).

The dissemination of population estimates is prescribed by law and the associated statistical data is used in the calculation of federal government economic and sociodemographic indicators, while also serving as a parameter for the allocation of public policy resources and for the distribution of the States' and Municipalities' Participation Funds.

According to an IBGE resolution, the method used to estimate the size of the population will change next year. “New information related to local demographic dynamics should be incorporated and alternative methodological procedures should be included, such as those making use of economic, social and demographic variables at the municipal level,” says the text.

04 September 2012