- Getúlio Vargas
Getúlio Dornelles Vargas was the president of Brazil from 1930 to 1945 and from 1951 to his suicide in 1954.
- Elis Regina
Elis Regina Carvalho Costa, known simply as Elis Regina was one of the greatest female singers in Brazilian popular music.
- João Goulart
João Belchior Marques Goulart was the last left-wing president of Brazil (1961-March 31, 1964) before the military dictatorship. The surname Goulart is of Azorean-Flemish origin. A former "estancieiro" (farmer with huge properties of land), Goulart (nicknamed "Jango") studied law in Porto Alegre. He was elected to the Rio Grande do Sul state legislature in 1946 with the Brazilian Labor Party (Partido Trabalhista Brasileiro, PTB).
- Gisele Bündchen
Gisele Caroline Nonnenmacher Bündchen is a Brazilian supermodel who is constantly acclaimed as the most famous and the highest-paid model in the world. Since her introduction onto the fashion scene in the '90s she has appeared in countless billboards and magazine covers, as well as numerous TV and print ads. Bundchen is currently the face of more than 20 brands from different countries such as United States, Russia, Brazil, Italy, France, Mexico, Spain, Turkey, …
- Ernesto Geisel
Ernesto Beckmann Geisel, pron., (August 3, 1907 - September 12, 1996) was a Brazilian military leader and politician.
- Caroline Trentini
Caroline Aparecida Trentini is a Brazilian supermodel. She was born in Panambi, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Trentini is the youngest daughter of Lourdes and the late Jacó Trentini, who died when she was one year old. Her older sisters are Franciele and Élen. Although she had never worked before, Trentini's mother got a job as a public employee when her husband died and raised her daughters single-handedly.
- Alessandra Ambrosio
Alessandra Corine Ambrósio, popularly nicknamed Ale, is a Brazilian supermodel. Her last name is spelled "Ambrósio", but the diacritic mark is omitted in her modeling work. She was described by retired supermodel Tyra Banks as "The future of the modeling world". She is best known for her work with Victoria’s Secret and was chosen as their first spokesmodel for Victoria's Secret PINK line. She is currently one of Victoria’s Secret Angels.
- Mena Barreto
General João de Deus Menna Barreto was one of the leaders of the junta that governed Brazil during the time Washington Luís was deposed.
- Luiz Felipe Scolari
Luiz Felipe Scolari, <small>ComIH</small> (born November 9, 1948 in Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil), also known as "Felipão" ("Big Phil"), is a Brazilian football coach, who led the Brazilian national team to victory in the 2002 World Cup. He has been the head coach of the Portuguese national team since 2003.
- Leonel Brizola
Leonel de Moura Brizola (Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, January 22, 1922 - Rio de Janeiro, June 21 2004) was a Brazilian politician. He was governor of Rio Grande do Sul from 1959 to 1962, as well as serving two terms as governor of Rio de Janeiro state (1983-1987 and 1991-1994). He was also vice-president of Socialist International, as well as Honorary President of that organization for a few months (from October 2003 until his death).
- Emílio Garrastazu Médici
Emílio Garrastazu Médici, pron., (December 4, 1905-October 9, 1985) was a Brazilian military leader and politician. His rule marked the apex of military governments in Brazil.
- Luis Fernando Verissimo
Luís Fernando Veríssimo is a Brazilian writer. Verissimo is the son of Brazilian writer Erico Verissimo and lived with his father in the United States during his childhood.
- Olívio Dutra
- Luís Carlos Prestes
Luís Carlos Prestes was the leader of the 1920s "tenente" rebellion and the Communist opposition to the dictatorship of Getúlio Vargas in Brazil. Known as the "cavalier of hope," Prestes was involved in organizing the failed "tenente" rebellion of 1922, a revolt by the largely middle class officer corps and poor conscripted servicemen against the agrarian oligarchies that dominated Brazil's Old Republic (1889-1930).
- Germano Rigotto
Germano Rigotto is a Brazilian politician currently affiliated to the PMDB party. He was the governor of Rio Grande do Sul state until December 31, 2006. He ran for a second term in October 2006 elections, but he was unexpectedly defeated by Olívio Dutra and Yeda Cruisus. Rigotto paced third by a small margin - 0.17% behind Olivio Dutra, the second one.
- Renato Borghetti
Renato Borghetti (born July 23, 1963) is a Brazilian folk musician and composer of Italian descent. He works in many genres including traditional styles from his home state of Rio Grande do Sul, other styles of Brazilian music like samba, and international genres like jazz and European classical music. His main instrument is the diatonic button accordion. He won a Latin Grammy in 2005 for Best Brazilian Roots/Regional Album, for his album Gaita Ponto Com.
- Oswaldo Aranha
Oswaldo Euclides de Souza Aranha was a Brazilian politician, diplomat and statesman. Born in Brazil in the city of Alegrete (state of Rio Grande do Sul), he was a Bachelor of juridical and Social Sciences. Aranha obtained his degree in law through the Law University of Rio de Janeiro (Faculdade de Direito do Rio de Janeiro) in 1916. After his graduation, he returned to the state of Rio Grande do Sul to exercise himself as a lawyer, …
- Ana Hickmann
Ana Hickmann (born March 1, 1981 in Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) is a professional supermodel. She got married on 14-Feb-1998 to Alexander Correa, when she was only 16 She distributes her own clothing and cosmetics lines, manages a photo studio and a DJ agency and is also a television hostess on the programme "Hoje em Dia", aired by Brazilian TV network Rede Record.
- Mario Quintana
Mario de Miranda Quintana (July 30, 1906-May 5, 1994), was a Brazilian writer. Born in Alegrete, state of Rio Grande do Sul.
- Artur Da Costa E Silva
Artur da Costa e Silva, pron., (October 3, 1902 - December 17, 1969) was a Brazilian military officer and politician, son of immigrants from Madeira. War Minister in 1964 under Maschal Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco. Elected president by the Congress in 1966, Costa e Silva took his oath on March 15, 1967. Facing strong opposition from important figures, students and workers, …
- Renato Gaúcho
Renato Gaúcho, real name Renato Portaluppi is a former Brazilian football (soccer) forward and a football manager.
- Eduardo Costa
Eduardo Nascimento da Costa is a football (soccer) player from Brazil. He plays defensive midfielder with RCD Espanyol. He is especially noted for being an extremely tight marker, and is booked with alarming regularity A member of Brazil's Under 17 World Cup winning side, he came to Europe in 2001 to play for FC Girondins de Bordeaux, where he commanded a regular first team spot for three seasons, including playing a key role of Bordeaux's Uefa Cup run in 2002-03.
- Danrlei
Danrlei de Deus Hinterholz, or just Danrlei is a Brazilian football goalkeeper. He made his debut for the Brazilian national team against Honduras in March 1995, and played three additional games during the run-up to the 1996 Olympic Games. He did not appear in any Olympic matches. He won many titles with Grêmio, most notably the Libertadores Cup in 1995.
- Mauro Galvão
Mauro Geraldo Galvão, best known as "Mauro Galvão" is a former Brazilian football (soccer) player and current manager. In his playing career he played for Sport Club Internacional, Bangu, Botafogo, Grêmio, Vasco da Gama and AC Lugano in Switzerland. For the Brazilian national team he played 26 matches and participated at 1986 and 1990 FIFA World Cups. He also won a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics,
- Anderson Polga
Anderson Corrêa Polga, usually called Anderson Polga or just Polga, is a Brazilian football defender. He currently plays in Portugal for Sporting, having previously played for Grêmio. He was a World Champion at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Anderson Polga is a central defender who oozes class.
- Cintia Dicker
Cintia Dicker is a Brazilian supermodel. She was born in Campo Bom, Rio Grande do Sul, and is of German descent. Dicker primarily speaks Portuguese, but is working on her English. She has appeared in many fashion advertisements including Ann Taylor and Yves Saint-Laurent. Her most recent campaign is the H.I.P. cosmetics line for L'Oréal Paris. She has been on the covers of the magazines "ELLE", …
- Jeísa Chiminazzo
Jeísa Chiminazzo is a Brazilian supermodel currently residing in New York.
- Letícia Birkheuer
- Dilma Rousseff
Dilma Rousseff is a Brazilian politician and former guerrilla fighter. She was appointed Energy Minister by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) in his first cabinet in 2003. On June 15, 2005 she was appointed Lula's Chief of Staff.
- Erico Verissimo
Erico Verissimo (1905-1975) is an important Brazilian writer, who was born in Rio Grande do Sul. His father, heir of a rich family in Cruz Alta, Rio Grande do Sul, met financial ruin during his son's youth. Verissimo worked in a pharmacy before arriving at Editora Globo, a book publisher, where he translated and released works of writers like Aldous Huxley. During the Second World War, he went to the United States. This period of his life was retold in some of his books, …
- Jayme Caetano Braun
Jayme Caetano Braun is a Brazilian folk musician, poet and composer. Jayme was a most famous payador of the Rio Grande do Sul and had great participation in the dissemination of the gaúcho culture for Brazil. Between 1973 and 1988, he worked as radialist in Radio Guaíba.
- Ronaldinho
Ronaldo de Assís Moreira is a Brazilian footballer, also known as Ronaldinho "Gaúcho" (due to him being from the Rio Grande do Sul state of Brazil), or simply and most commonly Ronaldinho. He became a naturalized Spanish citizen in January 2007. Ronaldinho, meaning "little Ronaldo", is better known in Brazil by the nickname Ronaldinho "Gaúcho", in order to distinguish him from Ronaldo (already called Ronaldinho in Brazil).
- Luiz Marenco
Luiz Marenco (Porto Alegre, December 22, 1964) is a Brazilian folk musician, and composer
- Cláudio Taffarel
Cláudio André Mergen Taffarel is a former football goalkeeper. He is of Italian and German descent, and played for Brazil in their victory at the 1994 World Cup. He allowed only one goal in the first round and two in the knock-out phases (excluding two penalty kicks in the final). In addition to USA 1994, Taffarel helped lead Brazil to second place in the 1998 World Cup in France.
- Rafaela Zanella
Rafaela Köhler Zanella is a medical student who represented her country in the Miss Universe 2006 pageant. Her mother is German-Brazilian and her father Italian-Brazilian.
- Moacyr Scliar
Moacyr Jaime Scliar, a Brazilian writer and physician, was born in the Jewish quarter of Porto Alegre, in the Southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul in 1937. He qualified in Medicine in 1962 and specialized in Public Health Medicine. In 1962, his first book "Stories of a Doctor in Formation" was published, although, later, after the printing, the writer regretted publishing it so soon in his life.
- João Saldanha
João Alves Jobin Saldanha was a journalist and football manager. He took the Brazil national football team to the 1970 FIFA World Cup title. Saldanha was nicknamed "João Sem Medo" (fearless João) and played football for Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas. He then entered journalism and became one of Brazil's most prolific sport writers. He often criticised players, managers and teams, and was a member of the Brazilian Communist Party.
- Tesourinha
Osmar Fortes Barcellos, best known as "Tesourinha" was a Brazilian football (soccer) With Carlitos and Adãozinho formed most invaluable three striker attack of 1940s. He started career for Sport Club Internacional in 1939, and scored 176 goals for this club.
- Ieda Maria Vargas
Ieda Maria Vargas (born Ieda Maria Britto Vargas, c. 1943), is a Brazilian woman who made history for her country by becoming, in 1963, the first Miss Universe winner from Brazil. Vargas is a native of Rio Grande do Sul. She also became the first Brazilian to win an international beauty pageant, such as Miss World and Miss International. She won the Miss Universe title in Miami Beach, Florida. After living in New York, New York, for five years, …
- Sylvio Pirillo
Sylvio Pirillo (born July 27 1916 in Porto Alegre(RS) - dead April 22 1991, in Porto Alegre(RS)) was a Brazilian football striker. Pirilo's first professional club was Americano-RS. His good performances granted him moves to Internacional and then Peñarol. In 1941 he transferred to Flamengo with the hard task to replace Leonidas da Silva -- who had been 1940 Rio State Championship's top scorer with 30 goals.