How to Access and Extract CNPJ Data from Brazil’s Open Database

Brazil maintains a comprehensive database of all companies that have ever operated in the country, known as the CNPJ (Cadastro Nacional da Pessoa Jurídica) database. This open data resource contains valuable information about businesses from the Bank of Brazil to current enterprises, making it an essential tool for researchers, analysts, and developers.

The CNPJ database is classified using the CNAE (Classificação Nacional de Atividades Econômicas) system, which provides economic activity codes representing the business segments for each company. This classification helps in organizing and understanding the vast amount of business data available.

To access this information, users can visit the government website where these resources are hosted. The site offers various technical resources and additional data that provide insights into the tables and data structure of the database.

When working with this data, users can download compressed files such as the CNAE.zip and extract them for further processing. The extraction process may take some time depending on the size of the files, but once completed, all the zipped files are removed and ready for processing.

For those interested in working with this data programmatically, both remote access and studio code options are available in appropriate course environments. This flexibility allows users to integrate CNPJ data into their research or applications efficiently.

The CNPJ database represents one of Brazil’s most valuable open data initiatives, offering transparency into the country’s business landscape and providing opportunities for analysis across various sectors of the economy.