CHAPTER 1 — THE BRAZILIAN STATE AND NATIONAL DEFENSE Population Growth The first official census carried out in the country, in 1872, registered approximately 10 million inhabitants. In the 2010 census, according to the Brazilian National Geographic and Statistics Institute (IBGE), almost 191 million people were counted. The Brazilian population has practically multiplied ten times during the 20th century, demonstrating intense growth, which has transformed the country into the world’s fifth most populated. During the greater part of the second half of the 20th century, a time when population growth was most intense, Brazil’s demographic pyramid was characterized by a base enlargement and significant narrowing at the top, indicating a large economically dependent young population. Brazil’s Age Pyramid 1970 Female Male age (years) + 70 65-70 60-65 55-60 50-55 45-50 40-45 35-40 30-35 25-30 20-25 15-20 10-15 5-10 0-5 500 400 300 200 100 0 100 200 300 400 500 Per thousand inhabitants Source: IBGE. Demographic Census 1970. The current configuration of the pyramid indicates the decrease of an economically dependent population, which, in practical terms, means that Brazil now lives the socalled “demographic bonus” or “window of opportunity”. It is a demographic transition 24 DEFENSE WHITE PAPER