France and Brazil
France and Brazil are neighbors through French Guiana. They cooperate in defense, investment, science and climate, although they differ on trade conditions between Europe and Mercosur.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07A European and also Amazonian relationship
French Guiana shares a river and land border of more than seven hundred kilometers with Brazil.
Defense, industry and biodiversity
The March 2024 action plan expands cooperation in defense, industry, agriculture, research and Amazon conservation.
Trade in 2025 and measurement differences
The French Treasury placed goods trade at around EUR 7,600 million in 2025 according to French customs, down from 2024.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 8,709.46 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Goods: France to Brazil | 4,352.32 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Goods: Brazil to France | 4,357.14 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: France to Brazil | 0.63 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Export share: Brazil to France | ||
| Investment stock: France in Brazil | 69,300 M USD | 2024 · Source |
| Investment stock: Brazil in France | 1,500 M EUR | 2024 · Source |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: France to Brazil
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Brazil to France
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: France to Brazil
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods share: FRA exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
- Investment stock: France in Brazil
- 2024 · French Treasury / Brazilian statistics and Banque de France · Stock by ultimate control, published using Brazilian data. Not directly comparable with the immediate counterpart or the reverse figure in EUR.
- Investment stock: Brazil in France
- 2024 · French Treasury / Brazilian statistics and Banque de France · Brazilian stock in France published using French data; currency and criterion different from the opposite direction.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Year-on-year inflation: different periods or frequencies; the two figures are not directly comparable.
| Indicator | France | Brazil |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 3.37 trillion USD2025 · WB | 2.28 trillion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 48,985.73 USD2025 · WB | 10,713.29 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 0.84 %2025 · WB | 2.29 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 2.5 %2026-09-16 · BCE | 13.75 %2026-10-07 · Banco Central do Brasil |
| Inflation · annual average | 0.94 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 5.02 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 3 %provisionalprovisionalYear-on-year · Sept. 2026 · Insee | 4.22 %Headline CPI · 2026-08 · year-on-year · Ministério da Fazenda / IBGE |
| Unemployment | 7.54 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 5.97 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -8.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 116 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 93.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -0.27 %2025 · WB | -2.93 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 68,720,3372025 · WB | 212,812,4052025 · WB |
| Area | 606,410 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 8,510,420 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDFrance: 2025 · World BankBrazil: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personFrance: 2025 · World BankBrazil: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)France: 2025 · World BankBrazil: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)France: 2026-09-16 · ECB deposit facility; shared euro-area rate · European Central BankBrazil: 2026-10-07 · Target for the Selic rate, annual percentage · Banco Central do Brasil · Official monetary-policy target, not the effective daily interbank rate.
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)France: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World BankBrazil: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedFrance: 2026-09 · Change in headline CPI from the same month of the previous year (%) · Insee · Published: 2026-09-30 · provisional · Provisional · National headline CPI, year-on-year, not monthly inflation or an annual average. Provisional data or an official advance release; subject to revision.Brazil: 2026-08 · Headline IPCA; urban coverage of the SNIPC system · Ministério da Fazenda / IBGE · Official monthly data. Not mixed with the annual average. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-07
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionFrance: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Brazil: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, % of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)France: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Brazil: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)France: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Brazil: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPFrance: 2025 · World BankBrazil: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Population
- PeopleFrance: 2025 · World BankBrazil: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceFrance: 2023 · Total area, including inland waters; territorial coverage as defined by the source · World Bank · FAOBrazil: 2023 · World Bank / FAO · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
France to Brazil
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 658.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Aircraft and components | 642 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 341.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Perfumes and cosmetics | 144.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 1.5 M USD2025 · Source |
Brazil to France
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 125.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 101.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 77.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Aircraft and components | 35.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Perfumes and cosmetics | 20.2 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | France to Brazil | Brazil to France |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,306.8 | 3,867 | 3,439.8 |
| 2022 | 8,802.6 | 4,266.5 | 4,536.1 |
| 2023 | 9,096 | 4,740.5 | 4,355.5 |
| 2024 | 8,668.7 | 4,467.5 | 4,201.3 |
| 2025 | 8,709.5 | 4,352.3 | 4,357.1 |
Connections between people
Amazonian cross-border mobility and university exchanges are different connections. Targets of 8,000 Brazilian students in France and 1,000 French students in Brazil for 2026 are goals, not observed counts. [5] [2] [6]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from France living in Brazil | ||
| Residents from Brazil living in France | ||
| Study and training: France in BrazilInternational degree mobility; UNESCO UIS | 242 | 2023 · Campus France / SIES / UNESCO UIS |
| Study and training: Brazil in FranceStudents of Brazilian nationality; higher education in France | 5,737 | 2024–2025 · Campus France / SIES / UNESCO UIS |
| Academic stays: France in Brazil | ||
| Academic stays: Brazil in France | ||
| Travel: France to Brazil | ||
| Travel: Brazil to France |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
- Study and training: France in Brazil
- Students from France in Brazil. Different year and definition from the reverse SIES count; they are not automatically compared. 2023 · Campus France / SIES / UNESCO UIS
- Study and training: Brazil in France
- SIES register of foreign students; all institution types covered by the profile, not only universities or visas. 2024–2025 · Campus France / SIES / UNESCO UIS
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
Defense, industry and biodiversity
The March 2024 action plan expands cooperation in defense, industry, agriculture, research and Amazon conservation. It includes scientific programs and cooperation between AFD and BNDES for sustainable investments. The June 2025 climate declaration adds work on forests, oceans, the energy transition and financing. These are shared interests, but the documents contain commitments to act, not an inventory of completed projects. In June 2025, Macron and Lula also discussed conditions in the EU–Mercosur trade text: political rapprochement does not remove differences on agricultural standards, climate and market access. [2] [3] [4]
Established businesses and university mobility
Investments explain an economic relationship broader than annual goods movements. The French Treasury records subsidiaries in distribution, finance, manufacturing and energy. It publishes a French investment position in Brazil of USD 69,300 million in 2024 by ultimate control, and a Brazilian position in France of EUR 1,500 million using French data; the two measures should not be compared as if sharing currency and criterion. The CAPES–COFECUB, BRAFITEC and BRAFAGRI programs support research and training. The 2025 cultural and university season gave these exchanges visibility, separating future targets from actually enrolled students. [5] [2] [6]
The scale of the two economies
France's reference nominal GDP is 3366.3 billion USD in 2025, compared with 2279.9 in 2025 for Brazil. The reference populations are 68.72 million (2025) and 212.81 million (2025), respectively. In the same year, France's nominal GDP was 1.48 times Brazil's. The figures contextualize market size; they do not in themselves describe well-being, individual wealth or political influence. IMF estimates or demographic extrapolations retain their markings in the table. A ratio is not calculated when the periods do not match. [8] [9] [10] [11]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
Trade in 2025 and measurement differences
The French Treasury placed goods trade at around EUR 7,600 million in 2025 according to French customs, down from 2024. It also records different Brazilian figures. That discrepancy is a trade measurement issue, not proof that one party is inventing all data: reporting country, valuation, schedule and coverage may differ. The common table retains a single reporting country for both directions. The main areas described by France are chemicals, transport, machinery and pharmaceuticals toward Brazil, and food, minerals and forestry products in the reverse direction. Subsidiaries' local sales are not included in that customs flow. [5]
Observed economic exchange
In 2025, recorded goods trade between France and Brazil totaled USD 8709.5 million. Shipments from France to Brazil were 4352.3 million USD; those in the opposite direction were 4357.1 million USD. France's shipments to the partner represented 0.63% of its goods exports to the world, using the same year and reporter. A single customs declaration is used for both directions. This annual flow does not include all services activity or subsidiaries' local sales and is not added to accumulated investment capital. [7]
Recorded direct investment
France's direct investment position in Brazil was USD 69,300 million in 2024. Stock by ultimate control, published using Brazilian data. Not directly comparable with the immediate counterpart or the reverse figure in EUR. [5]
Brazil's direct investment position in France was 1500 million EUR in 2024. Brazilian stock in France published using French data; currency and criterion differ from the opposite direction. [5]
Mobility and communities: documented figures
The published figure for Brazil in France is 5737 students (2024–2025). Students of Brazilian nationality; higher education in France. SIES register of foreign students; all institution types covered by the profile, not only universities or visas. [12]
The published figure for France in Brazil is 242 students (2023). International degree mobility; UNESCO UIS. Students from France in Brazil. Different year and definition from the reverse SIES count; they are not automatically compared. [12]
Milestones and consequences
- 1996-05-28
Cross-border framework
Cooperation agreement between French Guiana and Brazil. [1]
- 2017-03-20
Oyapock Bridge
Opening to private vehicle traffic. [1]
- 2024-03-28
Strategic action plan
New scientific, industrial and environmental cooperation agenda. [2]
- 2025-06
State visit and climate
The presidents review cooperation and regional trade conditions. [4]
- 2025-09
University meetings
The bilateral season includes higher education and exchanges. [6]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Each figure retains its period, unit, definition and source. Announcements, contracts and results are not interchangeable. Empty cells do not mean zero. Customs data for 2025 are not presented as activity observed during later crises.
- Guiana–Brazil cross-border cooperation
French Guiana Prefecture · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- France–Brazil partnership action plan
Élysée · Institutional source · Document: 2024-03-28 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- June 2025 climate declaration
Élysée · Institutional source · Document: 2025-06-05 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Lula's state visit to France
Élysée · Institutional source · Document: 2025-06-06 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- France–Brazil trade and investment
French Treasury · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Higher education in the France–Brazil season
Campus France · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 251; partners 0,76,818,784
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; 2023–2025; country and period preserved; no military series
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; 2023–2025; country and period preserved; no military series
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- October 2025; 5737 Brazilian foreign students in France 2024–25 (all covered institutions); 242 French internationally mobile degree students in Brazil 2023
Campus France / SIES / UNESCO UIS · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 26; 2025; reporter 251; partners 76,818,784; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 30; 2025; reporter 251; partners 76,818,784; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 33; 2025; reporter 251; partners 76,818,784; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 84; 2025; reporter 251; partners 76,818,784; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 88; 2025; reporter 251; partners 76,818,784; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / FRA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 26; 2025; reporter 251; partners 76,818,784; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / FRA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 84; 2025; reporter 251; partners 76,818,784; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / FRA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 88; 2025; reporter 251; partners 76,818,784; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / FRA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 30; 2025; reporter 251; partners 76,818,784; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / FRA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 33; 2025; reporter 251; partners 76,818,784; X/M; annual goods.