According to census results released earlier this month by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística – IBGE), Brazil’s indigenous population increased by more than 200%, from 294 thousand to 897 thousand, between 1991 and 2010.

The results point to the positive impact of Brazilian Government policies with regard to health and the demarcation of indigenous reserves, which now number 505 and cover more than 12% of Brazil’s territory (a total area of more than one million square kilometres – more than four times bigger than the United Kingdom).

Almost 60% of Brazil’s indigenous people live in those territories, many of which are in the Amazon region of northern Brazil.

The census found that Brazil’s indigenous population comprises 305 distinct ethnic groups which speak 274 different languages.

Read the full results of the IBGE census (in Portuguese)

Source: Office of the President and Embassy of Brazil in London