Why do you spell Brazil with a z?

Brazil is spelled with a "z" because its name comes from the Portuguese word "Brasil," which itself originates from the reddish-brown dye called "brasil" extracted from a local tree.

The "z" in "Brasil" represents the "s" sound in English, as the Portuguese language uses "z" where English typically uses "s". This is why the name is transliterated to "Brazil" in English.