Portugal Ethnic Groups

Ethnic Groups

  Portugal's population was remarkably homogeneous and had been so for all of its history. This lack of ethnic variety helped it become the first unified nation-state in Western Europe. Almost all Portuguese spoke the national language, almost all were Roman Catholic, and almost all identified with Portuguese culture and the nation of Portugal.  Although Portugal lacked socially significant ethnic differences, some regional differences existed.

   Portugal's long colonial history, more than half a millennium, has left some traces of ethnic diversity. Groups of citizens of black African (mainly from Angola, Mozambique, São Tomé and Cabo Verde) have settled in the capital city, immigrating to the mainland during decolonization. Along with Brazilian immigrants, amounted to perhaps 100,000 persons. In the last years the influx of Brazilian have rise, with many of them staying in the country in illegal situation.

    Portugal had a sizeable Gypsy population, perhaps as many as 100,000, most of whom lived in the Algarve. Despite government efforts to integrate them into the larger society, Gypsies remained a group apart, seminomadic, earning their living by begging, fortune-telling, handicrafts, and trading.

 Since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal, becoming a increasing ethical group broadly spread  through the country.