Portuguese people

The Portuguese people are the ethnic group or nation native to the country of Portugal, in the Iberian peninsula of southwest Europe. Their native language is the Portuguese language. Their main religion is Roman Catholic.

Related Topics:
Ethnic group - Nation - Portugal - Iberian peninsula - Europe - Portuguese language - Roman Catholic

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The Portuguese are a southern European population. Their ethnic origin is mainly a mixture of pre-roman Celtic and Iberian tribes (called Celtiberians, such as the Lusitanians, the Calaicians or Gallaeci and the Conii, amongst others less significant tribes such as the Bracari, Celtici, Coelerni, Equaesi, Grovii, Interamici, Leuni, Luanqui, Limici, Narbasi, Nemetati, Paesuri, Quaquerni, Seurbi, Tamagani, Tapoli, Turduli, Turduli Veteres, Turdulorum Oppida, Turodi and Zoelae).

Related Topics:
Southern European - Ethnic origin - Celtic - Iberian - Celtiberians - Lusitanians - Calaicians or Gallaeci - Conii - Bracari - Celtici - Coelerni - Equaesi - Grovii - Interamici - Leuni - Luanqui - Limici - Narbasi - Nemetati - Paesuri - Quaquerni - Seurbi - Tamagani - Tapoli - Turduli - Turduli Veteres - Turdulorum Oppida - Turodi - Zoelae

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Other important influences were the Romans (the Portuguese language derives from Latin; one can consider that the Romans were the most important cultural influence), the Visigoths and the Suevi (Quadi and Marcomanni) , all of whom settled in what is today Portuguese territory.

Related Topics:
Romans - Portuguese language - Latin - Visigoths - Suevi - Quadi - Marcomanni - Portuguese territory

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Minor influences were the Greeks and the Phoenicians-Carthaginians (small semi-permanent commercial coastal establishments), the Vandals (Silingi and Hasdingi) and the sarmatian Alans (both expelled or partially integrated by the Visigoths and Suevi), and the Moors (mainly Berber with some Arab, expelled or converted to Catholicism after the Christian reconquest or Reconquista).

Related Topics:
Greeks - Phoenicians - Carthaginians - Vandals - Silingi - Hasdingi - Alans - Visigoths - Suevi - Moors - Berber - Arab - Christian - Reconquista

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As with all european countries, there has been in Portugal a great deal of admixture from other european nations, past and present, namely French, German, English, Scottish, Irish, Dutch and Flemish, Italian and Spanish. People from the former colonies (namely India, Africa and Brazil) have, in the last two to three decades, migrated to Portugal. More recently, a great number of Slavs, especially Ukrainians (now the biggest ethnic minority), are also migrating to Portugal.

Related Topics:
European nations - French - German - English - Scottish - Irish - Dutch - Flemish - Italian - Spanish - Colonies - India - Africa - Brazil - Migrated - Slavs - Ukrainians - Ethnic minority

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There are around 10 million Portuguese in Portugal. About 20% of the Brazilian population are of unmixed portuguese stock (34 millions), due to massive immigration in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Significant Portuguese minorities (and of Portuguese descent) exist in:

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• Europe
• France (nearly 1 million)
• Luxembourg (over a third of the population)
• Germany
• Switzerland
• Belgium
• Andorra
• United Kingdom
• The Americas
• Brazil
• The United States
• Canada
• The Caribbean
• Venezuela
• Africa
• South Africa (nearly 1 million)
• Angola
• Mozambique
• Cape Verde
• São Tomé and Príncipe
• Guinea-Bissau
• Namibia
• Asia and Oceania
• Macau (China)
• Australia
• India (mainly in Goa)
• East Timor
• Sri Lanka
• Dubai

Portuguese Sephardic Jews (mostly descendents) are also important in Israel, the Netherlands, the United States and Turkey.

Related Topics:
Sephardic - Jews - Israel - Netherlands - United States - Turkey

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As a result of interracial marriage and cultural influence, there are Portuguese influenced people with their own culture and portuguese based dialects in parts of the world other than former portuguese colonies, most notabily in Malaysia, Aruba, Curaçao, Guyana, Equatorial Guinea and Sri Lanka.

Related Topics:
Malaysia - Aruba - Curaçao - Guyana - Equatorial Guinea - Sri Lanka

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Portuguese people: See also ►