The modern state of Brazil is a major nation in South America and a key global economy. However, the country was formed as a colony when, in the 1500s, the area was conquered by the Portuguese. It’s almost incredible to think that all of Brazil was once invaded and taken over by another nation, but then that was so long ago. What about today? Would it be possible in modern times for any country to actually invade and conquer Brazil? Almost definitely not, and we’ll explain why…
1. Brazil Is A Massive Country
A first reason why Brazil could never be invaded is because it is so big.
Brazil is the 5th largest country in the world. Covering a total land area of 3.28 million square miles, Brazil is absolutely enormous. In fact, it is by far the largest country in Latin America. There is no country near to Brazil that comes near to its size.
It would be impossible for almost any army to invade and conquer Brazil because of its huge size. In order to successfully invade the country, any army would need to occupy all of Brazil. This would mean a massive military force is needed. In fact, there probably isn’t an army big enough, or very few armies big enough, to conquer the entirety of Brazil. Any army that failed to control the whole country would see Brazilian resistance fighting back from the areas of the country they didn’t control. This is a key factor in why Brazil could never be invaded.
2. Brazil Has A Big Population
A second reason why Brazil couldn’t be invaded is because of the size of its population.
Brazil has a population of 214 million people. This makes it the 7th most populated country in the world. Brazil by far has the largest population in Latin America, meaning every country in its region has far less people. Even if some countries in Latin America united to fight against Brazil, there populations compared to Brazil’s would almost certainly be smaller. This is actually an important reason why Brazil could never be invaded.
Countries with larger populations are harder to invade. This is because there are more people for a conquering army to subdue. It’s also because it means the defending nation can recruit more people in its army to fight against and repel an invading force. A larger population also means a country has a bigger economy, allowing it to support a better equipped and trained military. All these factors are true of Brazil, and are reasons why it would be so difficult to conquer.
3. Brazil’s Geography Makes It Hard To Invade
A third reason why Brazil couldn’t be invaded is because of its geography.
Brazil has a hugely varied geography, from enormous rainforests, to mountains, rivers and even a desert. All of these features make Brazil very hard to conquer. Even for a modern army, overcoming geographical features such as these is very difficult. They slow down attacking armies and give advantages to defending forces. Many of the geographical features found in Brazil add to why it would be almost impossible to invade.
As well as Brazil’s geography making it hard to invade, the country’s climate also adds to why it would be hard to conquer. Brazil has a tropical climate, meaning that it is often hot and humid, with frequent heavy rains. This type of climate is difficult for an invading army, especially if its troops are not used to fighting in these conditions. The climate of Brazil further adds to why the country would be very hard to conquer.
4. Brazil Has A Strong Armed Forces
Another reason why Brazil could never be invaded is because of the strength of its armed forces.
Brazil has a powerful military. In total, Brazil has 366,500 active-duty soldiers and over one million reservists. The country also has 296 tanks, 214 fighter jets and 134 warships. Combined, this gives Brazil by far the strongest army in South America. This means Brazil could defeat any country in the region that tried to conquer it. It also means Brazil could almost certainly fend-off an invasion from any country in the world that tried to attack it.
As well as having a large army, Brazil’s miliary is also well trained and equipped. In recent years Brazil has spent significant sums on modernizing its armed forces. The result of this is that Brazil’s military is a highly effective fighting force. This would deter almost any country from trying to invade Brazil, and adds to the reason why almost any attempt to conquer the country would fail.
5. Brazil Has Powerful Allies
One reason why Brazil could never be invaded is because it has powerful allies.
Few countries have to fight off invaders alone. Having a network of alliances can help a nation deter invasion. It can also make repelling an attack much easier, as the country can combine forces with its allies to collectively fight against the aggressor.
Brazil is a member of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. This is an economic and trade bloc made up of almost every country in the region. Many countries in the Community, including Argentina, Chili, Peru and Colombia, would almost certainly come to Brazil’s aid if it was invaded. Brazil is also a key ally of the United States – the most powerful country in the world. Although the US does not have a defensive alliance with Brazil, it is likely that America would assist Brazil if it was invaded. It’s clear the Brazil’s network of alliances is major reason why it would never be invaded.
6. There Are No Countries That Want To Invade Brazil
A further reason why no country would invade Brazil is because no country really has the incentive to.
Undertaking the full-scale invasion of another nation is a massive task. The invading force has to muster an enormous number of troops capable of overcoming the defending force. They must also be willing to continually fund their armed forces as they fight on until the other nation is conquered. A country needs an incredibly strong motivation to justify any full-scale invasion.
Brazil has almost no enemy nations, and the countries around Brazil have no incentive to invade it. Essentially, there is no country that has enough reasons to want to attack Brazil to justify the enormous cost. This is a major factor for why Brazil will never be invaded.