portugueses

Portugueses, in English Portuguese people, are the citizens of Portugal and, more broadly, the ethnic group linked by the Portuguese language and shared cultural traditions. The term also describes people of Portuguese descent living outside Portugal and communities formed through historical migration. The official language is Portuguese, spoken with regional varieties within Portugal and in many overseas communities around the world.

Historically, Portuguese identity emerged in the medieval Kingdom of Portugal, which gained independence in the 12th century. The age of exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries expanded the language and culture across Africa, Asia, and the Americas, establishing a lasting global Lusophone presence and cross-cultural exchange. In the modern era, Portugal experienced political and social changes that culminated in democratization and integration into the European Union.

Today, the Portuguese are concentrated in Portugal, with extensive diasporas in Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, East Timor, and Macau, as well as communities in Western Europe and North America. The culture is known for fado music, literature from figures such as Luís de Camões, and culinary traditions such as bacalhau and pastéis de nata. Architectural styles, including the Manueline, reflect centuries of maritime history and cosmopolitan influence. While Roman Catholicism has historically shaped religious practice, contemporary Portuguese society is broadly secular and religiously diverse.

Portuguese identity continues to evolve within a multilingual, global community, reflecting long-standing historical ties and ongoing migratory patterns that shape social, cultural, and linguistic life both in Portugal and abroad.