What is a country calling code?

A country calling code is the numeric prefix you dial before a national phone number to route a call to a specific country. For example, +1 reaches the United States and Canada, +44 reaches the United Kingdom, and +91 reaches India. The plus sign stands in for the international access code your network uses.

How do I dial an international number correctly?

Start with your exit or access code (or the + symbol on a mobile), add the destination country code, then the area or city code without its leading zero, and finally the local subscriber number. So a London line looks like +44 20 7946 0000.

What does the plus (+) sign mean in a phone number?

The + is a universal placeholder for the international dialing prefix. Saving numbers in +country-code format means they connect from any country without editing the access code, which is why it is the recommended way to store contacts.

Why do the United States and Canada share the country code +1?

Both countries belong to the North American Numbering Plan, a shared system that also covers several Caribbean nations. They use the same +1 country code but are separated by distinct three-digit area codes.

Do I need to remove the leading zero from a phone number when calling internationally?

Usually yes. Many countries print a trunk prefix, often a 0, for domestic calls. When dialing from abroad you drop that leading zero after the country code. For example, a UK mobile written as 07700 900000 becomes +44 7700 900000.

Why do Brazilian mobile numbers have a 9 as the first digit after the DDD, and does this matter in letsdial?

Brazil standardized mobile numbers to 9 digits (compared to 8-digit landlines) starting with the digit 9 after the DDD code. So a São Paulo mobile looks like +55 11 9XXXX XXXX (11 digits total after +55), while a landline is +55 11 XXXX XXXX (10 digits). letsdial handles both formats correctly when you enter the complete number in +55 format, but the 9-prefix is the reliable signal for mobile numbers.

Is Brazil the world's largest WhatsApp market, and how should I leverage this in my letsdial workflow?

Brazil is one of WhatsApp's largest markets globally by user count, with WhatsApp deeply embedded in both personal life and business communication across all sectors. Before placing any letsdial call to a Brazilian contact, a WhatsApp message is the expected and most effective warm-up — many Brazilians conduct significant portions of their professional communication entirely within WhatsApp, including document sharing and deal negotiations.

What time zone is Brazil in, and are there regional variations?

Most of Brazil's populated areas observe Brasília Time (BRT, UTC-3), including São Paulo, Rio, and the Northeast. The Amazon region observes UTC-4, and some western states like Acre observe UTC-5. Brazil suspended daylight saving in 2019. When scheduling letsdial calls with Brazilian contacts, confirming the specific state is worthwhile since a São Paulo and an Acre contact are 2 hours apart.

Can letsdial provide a São Paulo (11) or Rio de Janeiro (21) virtual number?

Yes, letsdial offers Brazilian virtual numbers with DDD codes including 11 for São Paulo and 21 for Rio de Janeiro. São Paulo is Brazil's financial and commercial capital, making a +55 11 number the highest-credibility option for businesses entering the Brazilian market. Rio (21) is strong for media, tourism, and certain financial sectors. A local Brazilian number dramatically improves answer rates versus international caller IDs.

What business culture norms should I follow on letsdial calls with Brazilian contacts?

Brazilian business culture is warm, relationship-oriented, and values personal connection — jumping straight to business without brief rapport-building is considered cold. Calls through letsdial often begin with friendly conversation before the agenda, and flexibility on timing is expected (calls may start a few minutes late). Portuguese is the business language, and making effort to speak even a few words of Portuguese is greatly appreciated by Brazilian counterparts.

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Brazil

+55

Country code

International prefix

Brazil's country code +55 connects Latin America's largest economy and one of the world's fastest-growing digital markets. With over 150 million social media users and the highest WhatsApp adoption rate in the world, Brazil requires a mobile-first, local-number strategy.

Best hours:9 AM – 6 PM BRT

Language:Portuguese

Capital:Brasília

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🇧🇷

Brazil

BR · South America

+55

dial code

Capital

Brasília

Currency

BRL (R$)

Language

Portuguese

Population

215 million

Best calling window

9 AM – 6 PM BRT

12 AM

12 PM

11 PM

Brasília Time (BRT) · UTC-3 to UTC-5

Country

Brazil

2 Digit ISO

Country Calling Code

+55

ISO Alpha-3

BRB

Loading map…

Brasília

Capital

Live

Brasília

--:--:-- --

Time Zone

Brasília Time (BRT)

Quick Facts

CurrencyBRL (R$)

LanguagePortuguese

Population215 million

GMT OffsetUTC-3 to UTC-5

Best Hours9 AM – 6 PM BRT

Step by step

How to call Brazil from abroad

International dialing is a four-step process.
Use + on mobile to skip the exit code entirely.

Step 01

Exit code

Dial from US/Canada (or use +)

Step 02

+55

Country code

Brazil international prefix

Step 03

Area / city code

Local routing prefix

Step 04

1234 5678

Local number

Subscriber number

dialing-example.txt

International format

00—55—11—1234 5678

Shorthand (works from any device): +55 11 1234 5678

Calling Guide

Best time to call Brazil · Brasília Time (BRT)

View guide

Why letsdial

Benefits of calling Brazil
with letsdial

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Get a local +55 number

A São Paulo +55 11 or Rio de Janeiro +55 21 caller ID signals a Brazilian presence — essential in the world's largest WhatsApp market where local numbers get answered.

Brazil and 50+ countries, one plan

Call Brazil and 50+ global markets from one letsdial subscription — no per-city fees for São Paulo, Rio, Brasília, or Salvador.

Full call analytics

Track every Brazil call across BRT and BRST time zones — monitor answer rates, peak business hours, and team performance in one dashboard.

Works on any device

Mobile app, desktop, or IP phone — your +55 number lets your team reach Brazilian contacts from any device, from any country.

Unified Communications

One platform. Every call, message and team — connected.

One cloud platform replaces your phone system, chat tool, and contact centre — no hardware, no juggling apps.
Reach Brazil and 50+ countries from one dashboard.

50+

Countries covered

99.9%

Uptime SLA

2 min

Setup time

Hardware needed

Voice & Video Calls

Crystal-clear HD calls to Brazil and 50+ countries from one number.

Team Messaging

Chat, share files, and collaborate — all inside the same platform you call from.

Real-Time Analytics

Live dashboards for call volumes, answer rates, and agent performance.

Global Number Coverage

Local +55 numbers plus 50+ country codes — managed from one dashboard.

Format reference

Brazil& neighbouring countries

Brazilian numbers under +55 use 2-digit DDD area codes — São Paulo (11), Rio de Janeiro (21), Brasília (61). Mobile numbers are 9 digits starting with 9 in most areas: +55 11 9xxxx xxxx.

CountryLocal formatInternational format

Brazilcurrent1234 5678+55 11 1234 5678

Argentina1234 5678+54 11 1234 5678

Mexico1234 5678+52 55 1234 5678

Spain123 456 78+34 91 123 456 78

Portugal234 5678+351 21 234 5678

United States555-1234+1 212 555 1234

Good to know

Tips for calling Brazil

4 things to check before you dial internationally

Brazilian numbers have a 2-digit area code (DDD)

Brazilian numbers consist of a 2-digit DDD area code + 8 or 9-digit local number. From abroad: +55 + DDD + local number (e.g. +55 11 9xxxx xxxx for a São Paulo mobile). Mobile numbers in most areas start with 9.

WhatsApp is Brazil's most important business channel

Brazil is one of WhatsApp's largest markets — it is the primary tool for business messaging, customer service, and informal contracts. Always send a WhatsApp message before calling; many professionals exclusively use WhatsApp for business.

Show a local +55 caller ID

Brazilian contacts routinely screen calls from unknown or international numbers. A letsdial +55 11 (São Paulo) or +55 21 (Rio de Janeiro) caller ID signals a Brazilian presence and dramatically improves the likelihood of being answered.

Brazil has multiple time zones — confirm the state

Brazil spans four time zones: BRT (UTC-3) for most of the country including São Paulo and Rio; BRST (UTC-2) in parts of Amazônia. From London (GMT), São Paulo is 3 hours behind in winter.

Market data

Brazil communication insights

77%

Internet penetration

81% of Brazil's population uses the internet, with mobile broadband driving the majority of access.

95%

Mobile users

95% of Brazilians use mobile phones, making it one of the largest mobile markets in the world.

73%

Smartphone owners

70% of Brazilian adults own smartphones; WhatsApp is the primary business communication tool nationwide.

80%

Digital businesses

78% of Brazilian businesses have adopted digital tools for customer and partner communication.

Global directory

List of Country Codes

50+ countries listed with their international dial prefix and ISO code.

Filter by letter or search to find any country code instantly.

Brazil calling FAQs

Frequently asked about Brazil

Brazil uses a 2-digit area code system called DDD (Discagem Direta à Distância), where São Paulo is 11, Rio de Janeiro is 21, Brasília is 61, Salvador is 71, and Fortaleza is 85. When dialing internationally via letsdial, the format is +55 (2-digit DDD)(number), with no trunk prefix. The full number after +55 is 10 digits for landlines and 11 digits for mobiles.

Get a local Brazil number

Get a local Brazil number in minutes.

Build trust with Brazil customers using a local +55 virtual phone number — from the same letsdial dashboard your whole team already uses.

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Looking up US area codes? Browse all US area codes →

Brazil

Brazil

How to call Brazil from abroad

Benefits of calling Brazilwith letsdial

Get a local +55 number

Brazil and 50+ countries, one plan

Full call analytics

Works on any device

One platform. Every call, message and team — connected.

Brazil& neighbouring countries

Tips for calling Brazil

Brazilian numbers have a 2-digit area code (DDD)

WhatsApp is Brazil's most important business channel

Show a local +55 caller ID

Brazil has multiple time zones — confirm the state

Brazil communication insights

List of Country Codes

Frequently asked about Brazil

Get a local Brazil number in minutes.

Benefits of calling Brazil
with letsdial