Portuguese Diaspora

Portuguese Diaspora

The Portuguese (Portuguese: os portugueses) are a Western Romance nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion.

Historically, the Portuguese descend from the Pre-Celts who inhabbited the Iberian Peninsula with the Lusitanians forming the manifold identity of the country, followed by the Romans. Other major segments include the Swabians, the Visigoths and the Galicians.

Due to the large historical extent of the Portuguese Empire and the colonization of territories in Asia, Africa and the Americas, as well as historical and recent emigration, Portuguese communities can be found in many diverse regions around the globe, and a large Portuguese diaspora exists.