Officially named Federative Republic of Brazil, the country is the largest in South America and the fifth in the world in size and population. Its history is marked by colonization by Portugal between 1500 and 1822, a monarchic period from 1822 to 1889, followed by the Republican era lasting from 1889 to the present. This entry will discuss how Brazil has been involved in conflicts to varying degrees during its history and will focus on a discussion of the most important episodes, including the Paraguayan War, the involvement in World War II, the recent experience with peacekeeping operations around the world, and the pacifying operations in favelas (poor neighborhood areas) controlled by drug dealers in Rio de Janeiro.