Brazilians

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Brazilians are the people who live in Brazil. Brazil is a very diverse country, with many different backgrounds. Being Brazilian is about citizenship and culture, not just a single race.

Brazil has about 214 million people. Many Brazilians also live outside Brazil—about 4.9 million as of 2023. The largest communities abroad are in the United States, Portugal, Paraguay, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada, and Argentina.

The main language is Brazilian Portuguese. Indigenous languages and Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) are also spoken, along with other languages in communities across the country.

The Brazilian population comes from several groups: Indigenous peoples, Portuguese colonizers, enslaved Africans, and later immigrants from Europe and Asia. Major waves of immigration happened in the 1800s and early 1900s, including Portuguese, Italians, Germans, Spaniards, and a large Japanese community. Slavery brought about 5 million Africans to Brazil, shaping the country’s history and culture.

In Brazil, race is self-identified and can change over time. Most Brazilians have mixed ancestry. Genetic studies show Europeans are the largest ancestral group, with African and Indigenous roots also present. The regional mix varies: the South has more European ancestry, the Northeast more African, and the North more Indigenous.

From 1500 to 1972, about 58% of newcomers were European, 40% African, and 2% Asian. Since then, millions more have arrived. By 2021, Brazil had about 1.3 million foreign-born residents. Brazil’s Constitution says all citizens are equal. Foreigners can become Brazilian citizens after four years of residence and learning Portuguese; people from Portuguese-speaking countries can apply after one year. Foreign-born Brazilians have the same rights as those born in Brazil, but some top government jobs are reserved for native-born citizens.

Overall, Brazilians come from many backgrounds and share a rich, mixed heritage. The country’s diversity is visible in its regions, languages, and communities around the world.