Amazon launches online bookstore in Brazil Amazon has launched its first digital bookstore in Brazil as the world's biggest online retailer by sales looks to profit from a boom in internet shopping in the region that inspired its name. The US-based group, which was named after South America's longest river, said on Thursday it had opened an online Kindle store in Brazil with more than 1.4m digital books including 13,000 Portuguese-language titles. The Kindle device is expected to go on sale in the country within a few weeks, Amazon said. Amazon is also looking to launch full e-commerce operations in the country through the possible acquisition of the online business of Saraiva, Brazil's biggest bookstore chain, according to local media. Logistical and bureaucratic hurdles in the country, as well as Saraiva's close relationship with many of Brazil's biggest publishers, currently make it very difficult for companies to break into the market. "Sale of Kindle eReaders at R$299 ($150) and Kindle Fire tablets are likely next for Amazon in Brazil, followed by a broader array of e-commerce in 2013," said Jordan Rohan, an analyst with Stifel Nicolaus. Amazon said it is also introducing Kindle reading apps in Portuguese for all of the most popular devices and platforms, including iPhone, iPad, Android phones, Android tablets, PC and Mac computers. Although Brazil's economy has slowed sharply over the past year, growing only 0.6 per cent in the third quarter from the second, the country's consumer market has remained strong thanks to record low unemployment and rising wages. E-commerce, in particular, has experienced a boom over the past few years as more Brazilians gain access to the internet and become accustomed to shopping online. The industry is expected to be worth R$23.4bn ($11.2bn) by the end of this year - 25 per cent more than 2011, according to e-bit, a local consultancy service. For Amazon, its launch in Brazil represents its latest attempt to offset slowing growth in the US and Europe by moving into emerging markets. In February this year, the company launched an online shopping service in India called Junglee.com, offering more than 12m products. Meanwhile, Amazon has been in China since 2004 when it bought Joyo.com for $75m and turned it into its main China unit, changing its name last year to Amazon China.