Do you know the land where orange trees bloom?
The golden fruit glows deep among the leaves,
Do you know it?
– Over there, over there… oh, how I wish to go! [2]
Brazil is often portrayed as the land of football, samba, and carnival. But this vast and vibrant nation is far more than cultural clichés. It’s a pluralistic country, home to the most populous city in the Americas, the Western world, and the Southern Hemisphere: São Paulo [3]. It’s also the only country with over 100 million people that provides a public, free, and universal healthcare system for all residents, regardless of social status or migratory condition [4].
Brazil holds the world’s largest reserves of unexploited rare earth elements [5], yet still lacks significant foreign investment in that strategic sector [6]. Although many of its borders are shared with Spanish-speaking countries, 99.5% of Brazilians speak Portuguese as their first language [7]. Interestingly, Latin American artists often find it difficult to break into the Brazilian market [8], possibly due to its heavily urbanized profile of South America — most of its major cities are less than 200 km from the coastline [9].
Why talk about Brazil?
It might seem unusual, but Brazil is a continental island that hasn’t fully tapped into its potential. Data S2, a Brazil-based data company, operates with a small, mighty team spread across the globe. We serve clients in over 35 countries—and in the past 24 hours alone, our APIs have been accessed more than 12.4 million times.
Still, one thing bothers us: the lack of Brazilian voices speaking about Brazil’s business landscape. To truly learn about this country, most turn to international media—especially when only 5.1% of the population has any knowledge of English [10].
Let's take Brazil out of the drawer
The beloved Rolando Boldrin—actor, singer, composer, and passionate advocate of Brazilian culture—often used a phrase that inspired this section: “Let’s take Brazil out of the drawer” [11]. At Data S2, we embrace this motto. We aim to uncover hidden opportunities, reveal data-driven insights, and present Brazil with an S to those who only know it with a Z.
This is the opening chapter of a series that invites you to rediscover Brazil through numbers, stories, and analysis. Join us on this journey.
References
The cover image was created by Beastern Chen. Access in July 28, 2025.
Fragment of the Lied de Mignon (also translated as Ballad or Song), taken from the novel Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre by Goethe, here translated by Manuel Bandeira (1952) as an epigraph for the poem The Song of Exile by Gonçalves Dias. The Song of Exile - contexts II by Flavia Moura. Access in July 28, 2025.
São Paulo by Wikipedia. Access in July 28, 2025.
“Brazil is the only country with more than 100 million inhabitants that guarantees universal and free access to health services," says minister at G20 meeting by Gustavo Frasão. Access in July 28, 2025.
Brazil's mineral wealth might become focal point in high-stakes U.S. trade talks by Richard Mann. Access in July 28, 2025.
Rich in strategic minerals, Brazil still lacks investiment by Domingos Zaparolli. Access in July 28, 2025.
Portuguese speaking countries 2025 by World Population Review. Access in July 28, 2025.
9 ideas to break Spanish-language music in Brazil by Ana Clara Ribeiro. Access in July 28, 2025.
Introduction to Brazil by BBC UK. Access in July 28, 2025.
Learning English in Brazil: understanting the aims and expectations of Brazilian emerging middle classes by British Council, p. 7. Access in July 28, 2025.
The man who took Brazil out of the drawer by André Sollito. Access in July 28, 2025.
Brasil by Rolando Boldin. Access in July 28, 2025.