Bruno Bocchini
Reporter Agência Brasil

São Paulo – A survey by the country's software association (Abas) reports that Brazil's information technology (IT) market (tecnologia da informação), which includes programming, equipment, telecommunications systems and data management, was worth US$11 billion in 2004. That puts Brazil in 6th place worldwide, behind the United States (US$396 billion), Japan (US$103 billion), United Kingdom (US$59 billion), China (US$27 billion) and Spain (US$15 billion).

As for future growth, it is estimated that Brazil will expand its information technology at 8.3% annually between now and 2009. That is only less than Russia, where growth should reach an average 17.8%, India (17.6%) and China (13.3%).

The Brazilian IT market represents 1.1% of the world market, and 40.9% of the Latin American market. Abas also reports that 73% of the computer programs used in Brazil are made abroad.

The Abas survey says that in 2004 there were 6,000 IT businesses with 1,800 of them developing software and the remaining 4,200 involved in distribution and resale. Thirty five percent of the businesses were considered small - less than 10 employees; 59% had between 10 and 99 employees. Only 5% were medium businesses (11 to 500 employees) and 1% were big: over 500 employees.

Translation: Allen Bennett