Apple to launch new iPad in Brazil, 29 other countries this weekend

Apple's new iPad will launch in a total of 30 new countries this weekend, with the largest among them Brazil this Friday, May 11.

Apple announced the May 11 launch on its official Brazilian iPad page, which was first discovered by Portuguese-language website G1. In addition to direct sales from Apple, customers will also be able to purchase the new iPad from A2u and Fast Shop on the launch date.

Apple's assembly partner Foxconn recently began manufacturing devices in Brazil, and has opened plants intended for iPhone and iPad production there. Apple began selling iPhone 4 units built in Brazil in their home country in February, but thus far, production has been limited to the 8-gigabyte handset model, model number "MD198BR/A," and has not extended to version of the latest-model iPhone 4S.

There has been no indication that the third-generation iPad units set to be sold in Brazil starting this Friday will be built in that country. One rumor in April claimed Apple was gearing up to begin selling iPad 2 units built in Brazil.

Beyond Brazil, a total of 29 more countries will have access to Apple's new iPad this weekend. Most launches will occur this Friday, May 11, but a handful more in the Middle East will have a launch this Saturday, May 12.

The full list of countries for the May 11 launch, discovered by MacRumors, includes Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Costa Rica, Curacao, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Kenya, Madagascar, Malta, Martinique, Mauritius, Morocco, Peru, Taiwan, Tunisia, and Vietnam. Following on May 12 will be Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates.

With 30 countries set to gain the iPad this weekend, that will put the total number of nations where it is available close to 90. The most significant omission from that list is China, where the new iPad gained regulatory approval in March, but has yet to go on sale in the mainland.

The most recent international expansion took place on April 20, when Apple launched its latest touchscreen tablet in South Korea, India and 10 other countries. The third-generation iPad has seen the fastest international launch roll-out of any Apple product.